Cleveland Animal Protective League: Adoption Center

This isn’t the first time I’ve had an extremely frustrating experience with the Cleveland APL. Every visit turns into a struggle to get help for an animal that genuinely needs it. Their website messaging is misleading and does not reflect what actually happens when you arrive. They claim to take in injured and homeless cats, but in reality, they only seem willing to accept cats that are perfectly calm and friendly right away. Today, I brought in a stray I’ve been caring for. He’s a sweet, vocal cat who has allowed petting and shown trust over time, but he was understandably terrified after being trapped. Instead of offering compassion or understanding, I was told he was “too feral” and turned away. Which is crazy to me, because I have been caring for this cat for months with daily socialization and so much love. This has happened before with injured cats I’ve tried to help as well. The APL will not clarify what “injured” actually means, and I’ve had two cats turned away because they were not “injured enough.” One of those cats could not put weight on their paw, and I later found out they had to perform a procedure on that same paw, proving the animal was, in fact, injured. It’s disappointing that an organization that promotes compassion and community service would turn away scared or hurt animals who need help the most. Any cat would be frightened in that environment, even well-adjusted house cats. The APL rarely answers the phone, making it a guessing game to reach anyone, and when you finally do, there is little willingness to find a solution. I truly hope the Cleveland APL reconsiders its intake process and starts showing the compassion it claims to stand for. **Added picture of said 'feral' cat ****After reading other reviews, maybe it was a blessing in disguise they didn't take him! Who knows what conditions he would be in. I will continue to advocate for strays in my area with my own resources!

I just purchased an 8 year old German Shepherd from this facility. The staff was very caring and through about the dog's history. The dog I adopted is absolutely marvelous! I have purchased 3 kittens from them over the years and they turned into wonder cats. I would highly recommend this facility.

The love that is given to the animals here is felt the second you walk through the door. Every volunteer and staff member is kind and friendly. The whole place is clean and so organized.

Beautiful adoption center, with lots of cats and dogs (and some smaller animals) in a newer, well-lit, clean, spacious facility with lots of staff and volunteers to help. For adoptable cats and kittens, you may (carefully) reach into kennels to meet and greet so long as you sanitize your hands between touching different cats (sanitizer provided) - if you want more meeting, sometimes staff have designated rooms for meet and greet before adopting (ask a staff member). There are some “cat colony” rooms where you can go inside and visit multiple cats at once, and unique “catio” areas you can go in that are indoor-outdoor. Dogs and puppies are in large individual kennels in 1-2 rooms. They have info on each animal (and staff/volunteers can often tell you about personalities or how to accommodate some conditions) and a formal adoption process that takes place at one of the desks out front. The website has regularly-updated lists of adoptable animals, photos, and basic info. There are regular events and promotions that feature reduced adoption fees, especially for adult cats and dogs, so ask… but don’t put off adopting a fur baby you’ve fallen in love with, because they get adopted fast! The staff and volunteers can answer questions and give advice, and there’s a small store to buy supplies to take home. Parking is free in a surface lot next to the Adoption Center door. It’s a little hard to find, downhill from the part of Tremont with all the restaurants, but just plug it into your map app. Other details: they stop adoptions a while before they close, so if you come at the very end of the day you can visit but would have to come back to adopt. Looks like it’s pretty accessible if you have mobility concerns. Schedule time at the nearby (in Tremont) cat cafe to see some APL cats and relax with them. Check out the very comprehensive APL website for even more services and help.

I Came to the APL for my cat. Her name was Cali Because she was a Calico cat. This was a great birthday gift. I had a great time picking and they were super nice. Thank you for a great time❤️