I am all about helping animals. I think humane societys are a wonderful idea for stray or unwanted animals to find a second chance at life. BUT, the Bay Area Humane Society is probably the WORST humane society I have ever come into contact with. First off, the workers there are incredibly rude. Every single time I have visited the shelter, not once have a been greeted by the workers behind the desk. They continue on with there conversations with other employees or don't even take their eyes off of the computer screen. I give so much credit to the volunteers. If it wasn't for them, that place would have been run into the ground years ago. The volunteers are ten times more friendly and compassionate with the visitors and the animals than the actual employees are. The sad part is, to even become a volunteer there YOU have to pay THEM. You have to pay a fee to even take the volunteering class, and then in order to actually volunteer you have to wear a mandatory BAHS t-shirt while volunteering which you also have to pay for.
I have never had a pleasant experience there while visiting. For example, I was walking through the dog area and I found a dog I was interested in. I went up the the front desk and asked the lady if I could take out the dog. She didn't make any eye contact with me at all, and acted as though it was the biggest chore for her to look up the dog on the computer and get off of her chair to go and get him. These people should be ecstatic that someone is interested in adopting an animal.
Another episode I had while there really put me over the edge. I found a dog online and went there to look at him. I asked a worker in the kennel area if I could take him out. He got him out for me an told him I could take him outside. Not really sure where to go, I managed to find the kennels outside and brought him in one. The dog was extremely hyper (understandably) and was jumping up on me constantly, and he was a big dog. I was pushing him off of me and finally got him to settle down when this worker came storming out of the building yelling "What are you doing?!" At first I thought I had to dog in the wrong area, until I asked what she meant. She insisted that I was "striking" the dog. I would NEVER do that to an animal. much less one that I know nothing about. After explaining to her that I was just trying to keep him from jumping on me she didn't belive me, and claimed that she was watching me beat on the dog. I then brought the dog back inside where there wasn't a worker in sight. I didn't know if I was allowed to put him back in his kennel or not, but I did because I wasn't just going to walk around with this hyper dog trying to find someone to help me.
I will never go back to the Bay Area Humane Society. The majority of the reviews of the shelter on the internet are BAD. Even the city is trying to drop the BAHS from accepting any more stray animals. They feel the animal would be better suited and cared for at a local veterinary center that is willing to accept the challenge. People need to know the truth, and the truth starts here!
