New Leash On Life

I volunteer with this place every weekend that I can because I love it so much!
I was reading through all these negative reviews and feel bad, this organization has had many staff changes since the ²⁰¹³⁄₂₀₁₄ years and I cant see how anyone could leave a 1-​star ever again.
Everyone I work with there no doubt loves their job, they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t, they have such a passion for the well-​being of dogs and do their best to give these guys the best home. They really should be paid more than minimum wage.
Its also a great place for any ages to volunteer at, atmosphere is kind and doggy and staff makes sure to let volunteers know they’re appreciated.
These guys work their butts off and deal with a lot of crap like when people abandon dogs and other immoral things. Their cause is noble and I respect this non-​profit for all that they do.

A few months ago a relative of mine adopted a dog from New Leash On Life. After visiting them with their new four legged family member and hearing how NLOL staff «was so knowledgeable of their dogs and really went out of their way to get them the right dog (being that they have a 3 year old son)» I decided I wanted to help these animals in any way I could being that I have 2 rescues myself, so I signed up to volunteer. This organization teaches you from the moment you take an orientation on how to handle dogs properly. I have seen them introduce dogs to families and know how to socialize and get the dogs familiar with us (volunteers). One big thing that steered me in the direction of NLOL is that they only pull dogs from shelters and really do give these animals a second chance. Since volunteering here the staff has shown me new things about dogs behaviors that I never knew and implemented them with not only my own dogs, but other dogs I come in contact with. With friendly staff who is always smiling and happy to help, this really is a great group of people. My next dog will come from NLOL.

I am the dad of Heather S. who wrote the review below and the adopter of Barkley, the dog she wrote about. Her explanation is pretty clear about what happened, but I just cannot get past a few things that in my opinion they tried to pin back on us when things went bad.
I thought it pretty strange that they brought the dog out alone to meet. We never had any kind of opportunity to see the dog around other animals to see how he interacted with others. That’s a mistake I will not make again.
We also made it CLEAR that there were kids around the house, and that we go camping all the time, and many many campgrounds have restrictions on breed because they simply cannot be trusted. While Barkley is a Shepard/​Hound cross and not on the list, he clearly has issues interacting with other animals. After attacking my daughters dog, we called NLOL and were completely blown off. They told me that we were told he didn’t get along with other dogs. That is untrue. What they said was in conversation that he gets along better with humans than animals. No mention was made about the tenancies I will call vicious for lack of a better term. I simply cannot have a dog in a campground that attacks other dogs, nor be so skittish they cannot be trusted around kids. In my opinion they knew of this and neglected to make it clear that this dog is the aggressor with other dogs. It breaks my heart to have to give him back, but I blame the staff for not making clear the problems with Barkley. We will find another rescue dog, but it will not be from this organization.
I also intend a follow up email over this issue with what or whoever the supporting organization of NLOL to make sure they are aware of the personnel issues at this facility.

I had a really good experience with NLOL. It’s sad because there are 20 great reviews that are not recommended by Unilocal that don’t factor into their overall rating, and several one star ratings are «recommended». Anyways, our experience was easy and enjoyable. A few months ago, we saw the dog we wanted online and turned in an application. We visited her and a few days later we had a home visit and then we went and picked her up. I called with concerns about two weeks after we had her, and they were so friendly and took the time to talk to me about the issues. All of the staff were always so friendly and helpful and they love our dog and our dog loves them. We did our training there also which we enjoyed and the doggie always likes seeing the staff. We also boarded her there once and plan to in the future. Someone wrote that no one has checked up with them after a year, but honestly I don’t really want someone checking up on me, ha. I highly recommend NLOL. We are so happy with our new doggie!

This is a wonderful organization! I’ve volunteered here for awhile. The staff are always so helpful & accomadating. When asked about specific information about each dog, they’re very knowledgeable about the personality, characteristics & behavior of each one. It really shows that they spend a lot of quality time with each dog to really get to know them very personally.
They’re also very thorough with adoptions. Their process is very involved, they really take their time to ensure each dog is matched with the ideal family & vice versa. If you ever need any follow up help, guidance or training, they’re always enthusiastic & quick to follow up. I’ve had 3 close friends adopt from this organization. They couldn’t be more thrilled with their new furry family member. Each of these adopters has also attended training class at the rescue. They’ve gained so much knowledge & insight on how to properly & successfully transition the dog into their home. They’ve each really benefitted very differently, but effectively. As all dogs are different & require specific needs & attention.
They also offer boarding. You can arrange a tour to see the facility before having your dog stay there. They’re always happy to answer any & all questions you have.
I can’t say enough positive things about this organization! Give them a chance, you’ll see why.
********MAKE SURE YOU SCROLL ALL OF THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE COMMENTS SECTION. THERE’S 20 ADDITIONAL REVIEWS THAT WERE FILTERED OUT & ARE NOT BEING SHOWN ON THE MAIN PAGE. THEY PROVIDE EVEN MORE HELPFUL INFORMATION. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THEM********

I only gave a star because they have dogs. My parents recently adopted a dog from this organization, and my mom loved the experience. The dog they ended up getting was one brought out to them by the employees based on their specific requirements.
The first day they had this dog he nipped my daughter in her face for trying to come behind and pet him. We all let it slide because it was a new dog to their home and she should come from the front so he could see her. Although, the strict requirement of being good with young kids was made clear from the beginning. So I cleaned up her little cut and told her to be more careful.
The next time I was at their house he attacked my very calm, passive dog. He was obviously territorial but it was starting to look like this dog might be more aggressive. He also snipped at me when I tried to put his leash on and can’t take a cookie gently if his life depended on it. In the week they had him things kept adding up so my mom finally called and said they had to return him.
This is obviously not the dogs fault, he just didn’t work in their home. When needs are told, the employees should really listen, it almost seemed like they weren’t honest with an aggression issue that came clear so quickly.
My mom just returned him and was basically given the silent treatment and when asked if she could look at other dogs there (after repeatedly saying how sorry she was and how bad she felt about it) was told to go else wear because she «didn’t work with them and their suggestions». It’s an appalling way to run a shelter. I guess this is why they deal with dogs and not people.

I have not adopted a dog from NLOL as my dog was a rescue dog found roaming the streets. However, I can certainly comment on the great level of service and commitment given by NLOL for the dog sitting services they offer. Each time I drop off my dog, I can see her excitement in her perked up ears and wagging tail when she is greeted by the staff. Hope anyone who reads this will give them a chance next time they are heading out of town.

Hard pressed to even hit a star button.
As a follow-​up to this place, it’s been over a year since we’ve had Xana and not one follow up call/​letter. They haven’t been out to see the space our dog lives in, they haven’t asked for pictures, or called to see how she’s been acclimated and oh, how her training (which is soooo important to them) has been going. Talk about a bunch of crap in their so called contract.
There are sooo many other rescue organizations in SoCal that deserve the public’s care and donations. This is certainly not one of them.

This might be the worst organization I’ve ever had the misfortune to be involved with.
Several years ago, we adopted a dog through New Leash on Life. We signed a contract that stated that the dog was safe to adopt, and set terms about how the dog could be surrendered.
Fast forward several months later. We find out that the dog has a pretty robust history of biting and imbalanced. Never mind that we told them that we were first time dog owners, looking for an easy dog. We figured, you know what, we really like this dog, let’s try to make it work. Two years, several thousand dollars, and one of us becoming a professional trainer later, the dog is still imbalanced, aggressive, and a danger to other people/​dogs.
Now we decide to buy a house. The company won’t insure this dog. We picked up another dog along the way, one of the sweetest things in the world, that is constantly attacked, even as a puppy, by Dog 1 (the problem animal). Dog 1 starts biting our family and friends, and it gets to the point where it’s so bad that at times I have to wrestle Dog 1 off of the puppy. Dog 1, by the way, is about 60 – 65 pounds.
We contact NLOL. The person I talk to on the phone is lovely and says they can help. They send out a trainer that implies that the problems with Dog 1, that have always been, are because the other dog is an intact male (which really points to knowing very little about dogs). But eventually she says okay, we can help, we just need to make room in our kennel. We say okay, we’ll keep Sidney for two months.
Time comes. We contact them. They now insist that per our contact (which is fraudulent) they are under no legal obligation to take Sidney, but we are under contract which means that if we surrender him anywhere they can take us to court.
The newest version of their contract, by the way, stipulates that if the adopter can’t keep their dog for any reason, NLOL will take them back, no questions asked. Despite maybe not having a legal obligation, they should at least feel a moral one.
Apparently not. I find these people to be morally and ethically reprehensible. They took what was already a bad situation and made it ten times worse. We tried for years with a dog that we came to love. The decision to surrender him was not an easy one, yet at every turn it is implied that we are selfish and looking for a relief of responsibility.
Fuck you, New Leash on Life. You are awful people.

I would NOT recommend this «business» to anyone! We contacted New Leash last week regarding a dog I saw on Pet-​finder. We were told that the dog that we were interested in was available, that we could submit an application on-​line, which I did right away. We informed them from the start that we were from out of town. Shortly after I received an email from Briana F. informing me of all the requirements we must meet in order to adopt Suzie from out of town. We agreed to ALL of the conditions. One of them being that we must travel to New Leash with our dog we have now & our two children. I emailed Briana letting her know that we agreed to ALL of the conditions & that we would be there on Sunday to meet Suzie. She told me in WRITING (I still have the email) that as long as Suzie got along with us & our dog we would be able to take her home the SAME day so a second trip would NOT be required. After arriving at New Leash and meeting Suzie we were informed by a different person that another application had been received for Suzie therefore we would not be able to take her home. New Life had to decide who would be a better fit. Was I told this information PRIOR to making an hour & a half trip to New Leash with my husband, two kids, & our dog who gets car sick!?! NO I WAS NOT!!! Had I been told I may have reconsidered making the trip in the first place. Not wanting to set up my children for possible disappointment, which is exactly what happened! Thank you New Leash for being so inconsiderate of other peoples time, money & feelings! Our family immediately fell in love with Suzie & not only did my two children leave New Leash devastated because they thought we were bringing a new member of our family home. We then had to tell them that you decided to give Suzie to the SECOND family that met her NOT the FIRST! We met all of your requirements, we drove a three hour round trip to pick up OUR DOG (that is what YOU called her in the email by the way!!!) we were ready to pay your $ 250 donation fee. I would strongly suggest you learn to conduct better business practices ESPECIALLY when there is children involved! Children don’t always quite understand things as adults may. Ask your volunteer that was there when we met Suzie, she tried to leave with us when we were leaving, yet you claim we weren’t a match for her!!! To add insult to injury we were offered to continue looking for a dog through them. As if we would continue to do business with you after what you did to us! We were good enough to adopt Suzie until someone else came along… that must be your business motto! If we met all of your qualifications to adopt any dog from you we should have been good enough to adopt the dog you said we could in the beginning! What happened to the day when someones word stood for something! Shame on you!

NLOL is a rescue that uses their extra space to board dogs for people who go on vacation. I have been boarding here for about 2 years now and I have no worries about leaving my dog in their hands. NLOL is located in a really awesome ranch house nestled in Placerita Canyon. It would make a really awesome people house, much less a really awesome canine rescue! Theres a pool, spacious views, fenced dog parks, canyon paths… probably more that I don’t know about.
I have a large doberman pinscher who can be difficult to handle so I was looking for a place which might be accustomed to large breed dogs. Another important factor was that each time I drop my dog off or pick him up I am consistently seeing the same faces. I don’t like the idea of new people handling my dog each time I have to take him to «camp». NLOL is a volunteer based rescue where new people might be coming and going from the facility to handle the adoption dogs but I have been told on several occasions that the volunteers do not get to handle the board dogs.
At home my dog is spoiled rotten. He gets to stay inside with the AC and heat, gets cleaned regularly, and has 3 beds in different rooms of the house. This being said I had no problems with the NLOL facilities. It might be a little chillier than hes used to in the winter but nothing he can’t handle. If its good enough for the adoption dogs its good enough for my dog.
I am not entirely sure where the money goes from the board dogs. I have always assumed it goes to support the facility and the adoption dogs. I have not verified this. The rates are competitive with the other options in the area.
All around a solid dog kennel with a knowledgeable staff that has the experience to handle a wide range of breeds. Every time I have taken my dog home happy with an experience that usually felt personal. The only reason I am not giving NLOL 5 stars is because of the operating hours of 4−7pm on Sundays. I wish I could pick him up when I get home! Nothing major nor a reason to not board with them!

our family recently adopted a dog from this organization. I cannot say enough positive things about our experience. We adopted a dog that was very sick when they first rescued her from the pound. They kept her for 11 months nursed her back to health and did a fair amount of training with her. They were informative and supportive through the process. They also provide boarding services, which we will be using in the future. The facilities were clean, spacious and all animals are well fed and well cared for. I would highly recommend them if you are interested in adopting a great dog!