Saved Me

My Jojo was adopted 4 years ago, he is the best amazing dog ever!!! No other dog will ever compare! Thank you operation Ava for giving me JoJo

The staff was extremely pleasant; the owner (I’m not completely sure what you’d call him) was combative, condescending and pedantic. While I understand that proper protocol is necessary to ensure the dogs’ safety, there is absolutely no reason to treat customers so terribly. So, if you decide to visit this shelter, it might be better to minimize your contact with him.
We wanted to adopt dog and heard about this shelter from friends. Although they warned us about the owner, we decided to take a look. Upon arrival, we noticed a strange dichotomy among the staff. The younger members were pleasant and informative. But the older ones, particularly the owner, were at best reticent; at worst cold and/​or rude. However a dog stole our hearts so we decided to commence the adoption process.
A day after we had submitted the adoption paperwork, the owner called us and told us that we were not candidates because our dog had not been vaccinated for two years. I told him that our vet had said that it was fine to wait three years and I readily admitted that I may have misunderstood her. I also said that our dog had responded very poorly to the vaccine with symptoms that mirrored kidney or bladder problems (shivering, frequent urination, incontinence, nausea and lethargy), and that I thought we were compliant with the PA laws. However, I said that we could get him the shot immediately because I may have misunderstood our vet’s instructions.
Something that I said must have set him off because he started yelling at me. He said that I didn’t know what I was talking about, didn’t know the law, that he’d been doing «this for 20 years» and that he was the owner; not me. (Ironically, I was a lawyer who specialized in health law and vaccinations. Now I’m a medical student and my wife is a health care compliance officer. So we’re not completely clueless about this stuff, to say the least). Whenever I tried to ask a question, he would yell «you’re wrong.» I said that I had an email from our vet saying that he wasn’t due until this year. He, again, said that I was wrong and that it was impossible. Which made no sense to me because I wouldn’t forge an email from my vet just to adopt a dog. Anyway, I decided to let it go as talking to him was obviously pointless.
The way he treated us was so disturbing. I can’t help but wonder why he’d treat someone (who wanted to help a dog in need) so poorly. For that reason, I would never recommend this place.

We adopted a dog through operation Ava which was at doggie style on 21^st and south. We have had the dog a week now and he is just perfect. This was the best decision I have ever made (other than marrying my husband)! Wouldn’t have been possible without this amazing organization! He is in perfect health thanks to you!

The staff and volunteers are so caring and helpful and all of the animals are wonderful! They really care about their animals and make sure they’re always going to good homes!

I’ve found the staff in this store so knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. The store is somewhat out of my neighborhood but I’ll go back just because of those things. I went in today to ask some questions about dog food– got all the answers I needed and no pressure to buy the most expensive brand– just some samples to try out and consider before I made a choice. I find that pretty cool.

My first experience with this operation proved sorely disappointing. I submitted an application for dog at a nearby Doggie Style by email to Ray, which it says to do at the website. Ray never got back to me and days later I went in to see the little guy and they tell me he’s going to a home later. I asked how that could have happened and emailed ray, who tells me he sent my app to the wrong place. Meanwhile it turns out they rushed the other app without following protocol otherwise they would have known there was already one submitted.
They basically screwed up at every level of operation and it really sucks.

I have a soft spot in my heart for animals. I love everything about operation Ava. I come here to get my Puggy her food. I always go upstairs to look at the cute dogs. I wish I could save them all. I make sure I donate with every purchase.

We had a pretty great experience with Operation Ava. I emailed and called them ten times before we adopted, asking a billion questions. I told them what we needed in a new animal-​family member and one staff member suggested a certain animal. They explained how to apply and my husband went and met our darling.
the only issues were our paperwork was incomplete and when we went to get groomed, we didnt have all the necessary info. We called and got it though. We also have no idea what kind of animal the dog actually is, but thats ok.
At first the dog was a little aggressive towards other dogs and i left multiple messages for the Operation Ava behavior director, but he never called me back. It was annoying. we hired a trainer and our dog is beyond sweet and perfect now.
So I love Operation Ava for matching us with the perfect pet, but there were a few tiny bumps.

I love the animals, the volunteers, and the staffs of this organization with all my heart.

My girl and I have two cats. We adopted one from here. The process at Operation Ava was very simple and they helped us get the kitty we wanted, hassle free.
We went and saw some kittens they had recently brought in and picked out the one we thought we’d want. He wasn’t old enough yet to be fixed so we filled out the application and waited… and waited… and waited. He is definitely the runt of the litter. But once he was big enough we were able to pick him up, pay the money, and be on our way. The staff were easy to talk to and cared about the animals… what more can you want from a shelter?

We got our pit here and love him so much! Most of the animals have their own little room which is clean and cozy. Better then a cage. There is an attached large yard in the back for the dogs to run and play. Come visit and come adopt!
Please note– It is very, very rare that they take in strays at this location. Our pit was found in Fishtown but a lot of the pups come from other shelters or the south.

We adopted our dog from Operation Ava in May 2012. He’s 3 years old and while Operation Ava labeled him as half papillon, half chihuahua, he doesn’t look anything like it. To us, he looks more like half Corgi, half Lab. Although he has ongoing issues that we have to work on, we love and adore him so much.
I went to Operation Ava thinking that I was just looking and when I saw him, I fell in love and had to take him home. The adoption process was very easy. We were able to bring him back within the same week. Just make sure that your references are available and know to pick up Operation Ava’s phone call to make the process go smoothly and quickly.
My favorite part about Operation Ava was that they kept the dogs in private rooms, instead of crates. Overall, they were very helpful when adopting him, giving us tips on what he likes and didn’t like. They seem to be a great organization and I would recommend someone looking for their next pet to go check them out.

I adopted my dog at Op Ava who the staff called «Romeo» (I named him Myles.) When I met him, he was a little out of it from getting neutered that day, but the staff still let him out and he played with us and was happy. I took him home the next day.
The staff we dealt with were helpful and friendly, I did feel a little pushed to take him home, which I have noticed in some other reviews, but I understand. They have a lot of dogs and they want to find homes for them quickly. You can tell that the dogs are very anxious in their pens and all the barking and howling makes them all upset. I wouldn’t want to be in that position long either.
I like that Op Ava has a nice big yard for them to run in, I hope that they are let out regularly, because the kennels are a bit small.
I will say that I felt they were pretty disorganized. Not sure why this is, but some basic record keeping is needed here. I came to meet two different dogs they had on their website, one was a Border Collie, and one was an Australian Shepard. I was a bit confused, because the dog «Romeo», who I ended up adopting, was labeled as the Aussie, the other dog I met, named «Oreo», was labelled as a Border Collie. They clearly mixed them up, because the dog I adopted is very much a Border Collie, not an Aussie, the other dog was very much an Aussie. When I was leaving, the director, Ray, spoke to me briefly, told me that my dog was clearly the Border Collie, and «Oreo» was clearly an Aussie. Some of the medical paperwork seemed a bit confused too. I knew what I was looking for so I was clear on his breed, but for someone else, this might be an issue.
Other than that, Myles is very happy in his new home.

We adopted our dog from Operation Ava more than a year ago. Since then, I’ve been a volunteer at this Northern Liberties shelter. They generally get their animals from the ACCT and southern high kill shelters. Basically they are saving animals from euthanasia. Due to their wide variety of events, the dogs and cats get a lot of public face time and many are adopted quickly. As for the shelter itself… what makes this place unique is their giant dog park out back. The dogs get plenty of exercise throughout the day. Each dog is not in a crate but in an individual room. They have a «living room» area where people can get to know the animals before they adopt.
When you visit «Doggie Style» stores through the city, the animals in the stores are from Operation Ava.
Bottom line: they saved my girl from being homeless or worse and we love them for that!

The dogs are wonderful and really need families. They get their shots, are bathed, microchipped, and overall health check. They typically all have good dispositions and are very adoptable.
The adoption center, on the other hand, is understaffed. I think they mostly rely on volunteers but they need more full time paid staff. I believe the owners (Doggie Style) are addressing the issues but considering that OpAva is run more like a business (they are not non-​profit PAWS, or PSPCA shelter,) I would think that they would want to set themselves above the rest by having higher standards and offering better facilities. The rooms are way too small and the dogs seldom get let out unless a volunteer takes them. I volunteered there for a while but with sooo many dogs and so few employees and volunteers it just broke my heart. Delighted they are a «no kill» shelter, there are some great dogs there, the center just needs more staff.
Anyone who reads this, please visit the shelter, adopt the animals, and volunteer if you can!

I love Operation Ava! It is a wonderful resuce! This is the place I first started all of my volunteer work and i still volunteer there on my days off of work :) They have so many dogs and some cats that need a loving home! If your interested in adopting or want to just stop in to there store downstairs to purchase something for your own pet. The proceeds go to the animals in the shelter upstairs.

I adopted our puppy in early September 2011 from Operation Ava. After careful research online and through recommendations I went to check the place out. The staff was friendly, open and engaging. They answered all of my questions directly and offered solid fact based information to help me decide what to do. I came back two more times before I finally adopted.
Our dog is wonderful, we couldn’t be happier.
If you are thinking about adoption and want to work with a no-​kill shelter that is owned and operated by people who genuinely care for their work and love animals then you must give Operation Ava a chance.

Thanks to this wonderful, amazing shelter, boyfriend and I added a new member to our family: a lovable little sweetheart of a puppy! The folks over at Operation Ava are kind and compassionate and go out of their way to help you with paperwork and the whole adoption process. I can’t say enough good things about the work they do to help save animals, and the lengths they go to to give them good homes.
The fees are reasonable and include a vet exam, all vaccinations, microchipping, 30 days of free pet insurance, and spay/​neuter services if the animal isn’t already altered. Plus, the money goes to a great cause! It’s great that there are still humane, no-​kill shelter options in the city.
We love our little buddy so much and are so, so happy we adopted through Op Ava!

This is a review of the retail shop. I’m bordering on animal hoarder the way it is, so I don’t dare visit the adoption center.
My dog’s food was down to it’s last crumbs and as I thought to myself ‘aw shit, now I gotta drive all the way out to Petsmart’, a lightbulb went off. Suddenly it hit me that Operation Ava is close by! I was able to walk over, pick up dog food, a new harness for my pup and some catnip all in one trip. The girl that was working that day was really helpful and knowledgeable as she helped me pick out dog food (they don’t carry the one that my dog normally eats).
Pros: open 7 days a week, large selection of dog & cat food, has all the dog & cat essentials (leashes, bowls, litter, food, toys etc), friendly and knowledgeable staff, proceeds go towards saving the lives of animals
Cons: they don’t have the big 40lb dog food bags that I normally buy and they didn’t seem to have any portable doggie water bottles (this would be a great item to carry in a neighborhood where people are always out & about with their dogs & a dog park).

Too precious! We visited for your grand opening in March, to help a friend adopt a puppy from your open house… but we ended up rescuing a little kitten girl!
I have to say, the facilities are really nice, but so tiny! I guess it’s just like any pet area, though. I understand there are plenty of volunteers, (and they’re always taking more!) to walk and play with the animals. They have a really diverse assortment of breeds, and prices range on age (puppies and kittens are more that adult dogs and senior dogs.)
Kittens/​Cats are $ 75, Puppies $ 350, Dogs are $ 275, Senior dogs are $ 225.
Visit their website to get a feel for the upbeat nature of this complete care shelter. When you walk in, you’ll be in the retail area, where they sell adorable cookies and treats, clothing that will make you laugh too hard, all leashes, harnesses, carriers, foods (even organic ones!), you name it. Up the stairs to your left are all the precious little pals.
If you plan to rescue a pet in your visit, you should bring an appropriate carrier or crate. When we got a kitten, we had to buy a cardboard carrier there to take her home in. It was 7 or 8 dollars.
Also, if you rent, you must present a copy of your lease or written consent by your landlord about owning a pet. Don’t go there and get all excited and then not be able to leave with a pet. I did it, it’s very sad. They held her for me. :)