Complaint Review: Wasatch Animal Rescue - Salt Lake City Utah

I have to agree with this person about my worries that this is not a legit rescue org. I have tried for well over a week to get any response from Wasatch Animal Rescue. It is true the only way to reach them is  e mail or message on there Facebook page which neither will be returned.

I have tried several different times to reach these so called people as they have a rescue dog listed with PET FINDER but get no response. It makes me wonder if the responses on there Facebook are just friends of theres.

I have no problem with this being a small rescue group but please do not insult my intelligence by telling me that they have no time to update Facebook page or return emails. It makes you wonder if this a real rescue .

There are other Rescue organizations ran the exact same way and they have a phone number and get back to you either by phone or e mail fairly quickly and these are ran by fosters.

I truly believe this so called Rescue group needs to investigated as a probable scam operation

Note to any potential Wasatch Animal Rescue adopters: the above report was filed by someone who never adopted a pet from Wasatch. Rather, they are frustrated that they were rejected for adoption and have decided to voice their "suspicions" as fact.

I actually adopted a dog from Wasatch almost two years ago and he is the love of my life. He is a French Bulldog and was a baby at the time I got him. I contacted Wasatch and was sent an application. I was surprised how easily I was approved given that I was out of state. The fee was a bit high for an adoption, but was still far FAR less than buying a Frenchie puppy, and I was willing to sacrifice kennel club papers for the chance to adopt a puppy mill rescue. Like most private adoption agencies, Wasatch charges more for puppies and directs the excess funds to help their senior and special needs dogs.

During the few weeks between when I paid my adoption fee and traveled to SLC to pick up my puppy, I read a few reviews like the one above and got worried that Wasatch was a scam. I am a lawyer who litigates internet scams and, needless to say, am a bit of a cynic. At the same time I was buying all my new dog stuff (crate, food bowls, etc.) I was hoarding the receipts because I was mentally preparing myself for the possibility of not actually getting the dog.

Well, all of that worry was for nothing. I got my dog, I met Heather (she even brought him to the airport for the handoff), 2 years later my dog is still fabulous and my vet has commented he's the healthiest Frenchie she's ever seen. In retrospect, I realize that Wasatch is just a small operation. It has no physical address, which is why none is provided. Instead, it relies on foster families in SLC to care for dogs until they are adopted out, and Heather coordinates the whole effort from her home. She is a busy mom and small businesswoman, and I don't have a problem with the fact that she refuses to supply her home address or phone number, and instead conducts everything related to Wasatch via email. Yes, you might not get an immediate response to your email as Wasatch is not a full-time gig for anyone, but you will eventually get a response and a helpful one at that.

Note that the reviewer above complains about the emotional investment in the puppy they hoped to adopt. I'm having a hard time believing this as these days, thanks to the Internet and, unfortunately, puppy mills, you can always find an available puppy in any breed you want. What these people were upset about, however, is that they were not able to get the puppy they wanted at the much lower price charged by Wasatch as an adoption fee. From what I can tell, they were totally unsuccessful in dealing with Wasatch at all. Well, take it from someone who HAS dealt with them, it may not be like working with a large-scale operation, or a breeder who is looking to make a quick buck before the puppy gets to old, but working with Wasatch is a worthwhile experience.

I found my little tea cup poodle at Wasatch Animal Rescue, (August 30, 2011) and they were very responsive to my emails and requests. Even after the adoption when I had questions they were very quick to respond!

I have donated little fleece blankets and they were very appreciative. It is a very small operation with few volunteers (as far as I could see).

I live in Salt Lake City and prior to finding my little girl I checked other agencies out of State and was told I would not be able to adopt since I didn't live in the same State as that particular agency. I would highly recommend Wasatch Animal Rescue to anyone.

I do respect your opinion, but having dealt with them more than once and I feel they are honest! I even offered to make a cash donation, but Heather refused to take the cash and suggested I make the donation via their website.

I also inquired about Hope (seeing her picture) and she was living with a foster family.