Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Emergency
services
Your Trusted Partner in Pet Adoption and Animal Care
Helen Woodward Animal Center, established in 1972, operates on the philosophy that people help animals and animals help people. Our organization provides humane care and adoption services for homeless animals while offering educational and therapeutic programs for the community. As a no-kill facility, we rescue pets from shelters across the United States, particularly the Southwest, giving them a second chance at life. Our services include pet adoption, boarding, grooming, and veterinary care through our Companion Animal Hospital and Equine Hospital. We also run the AniMeals program, which delivers pet food to homebound seniors and disabled military members.Our therapeutic riding program and Pet Encounter Therapy bring comfort to thousands annually through animal interactions. We rely on tax-deductible donations and have no government funding, ensuring our life-saving mission continues. Our Humane Education Campus inspires children through hands-on animal encounters, fostering compassion and empathy. With a national reputation, we serve San Diego County and beyond, impacting over 20 million pets through our Home 4 The Holidays adoption program. Our team of dedicated professionals and volunteers works tirelessly to maintain our legacy of caring and community service.
Services
Pet Adoption
Animal Boarding
Veterinary Care
Therapeutic Riding
Pet Grooming
Equine Hospital
Community Education
Pet Foster Care
AniMeals Program
Pet Training
Details
- Year established: 1972
Highlights and features
- We offer no-kill pet adoption services with a focus on saving animals from high-kill shelters
- Our therapeutic riding program provides unique equine therapy for physically and mentally challenged individuals
- We operate the AniMeals program delivering pet food to over 700 homebound seniors in San Diego County
- Our Companion Animal Hospital features state-of-the-art veterinary technology for small animals
- We provide free community education programs fostering compassion through hands-on animal encounters
What people say
Lifesaving work
Compassionate staff
Excellent adoption program
Therapeutic benefits
Community impact
Services
Pet Adoption
Our adoption program rescues pets from high-kill shelters across the United States. We specialize in finding forever homes for animals that would otherwise have no second chance. Our adoption process includes pet evaluations, meet-and-greet sessions, and post-adoption support. This service benefits both animals needing homes and families seeking companionship while reducing shelter overcrowding.
Therapeutic Riding
This program uses specially trained horses to provide therapy for physically and mentally challenged children and adults. Our certified instructors guide sessions that improve physical mobility, emotional well-being, and cognitive development. Participants experience unique benefits from horse-human interactions that translate to improved quality of life and enhanced social skills.
AniMeals Program
AniMeals delivers meals to pets of homebound seniors and disabled military members throughout San Diego County. This service ensures pets receive proper nutrition while allowing seniors to keep their animal companions. The program serves close to 700 animals monthly and has been implemented in over 60 cities worldwide.
Companion Animal Hospital
Our high-tech small animal hospital offers advanced veterinary medicine including surgery, dentistry, and diagnostic imaging. Staffed by experienced veterinarians, we provide comprehensive care for dogs and cats with services ranging from routine checkups to specialized treatments. The hospital features digital radiology, ultrasound, and laser therapy technologies.
Humane Education
Our educational programs inspire compassion through hands-on animal encounters at our 12-acre campus. We offer on-site learning experiences and outreach visits to schools, particularly serving low-income communities. The curriculum focuses on developing respect, empathy, and responsibility toward all living creatures through interactive animal interactions.
Questions
What types of animals do you adopt out?
We primarily adopt dogs, cats, and small animals from shelters across the United States, focusing on those with limited options.
Do you offer veterinary services for adopted pets?
Yes, our Companion Animal Hospital provides comprehensive veterinary care for adopted pets and community animals.
Can I volunteer with animals at your facility?
We offer various volunteer opportunities including animal care, special events, and youth programs for ages 12 and up.
How does your AniMeals program work?
We deliver pet food monthly to homebound seniors and disabled military members through our AniMeals program, serving over 700 animals in San Diego County.
What therapeutic programs do you offer?
Our Therapeutic Riding program helps physically and mentally challenged individuals through equine therapy, while Pet Encounter Therapy provides animal visits to institutionalized populations.
How can I donate to support your mission?
You can donate online, by mail, or through vehicle donations. We also accept planned gifts, stock donations, and cryptocurrency contributions.
Videos
Reviews (7)
Bruce Hunter
Mar 29, 2022
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We had a very good experience finding our newest family member. The staff here is very caring and professional. Everyone we came in contact with was very helpful and wanted to make sure that our choice would be best for us and our new dog. I would recommend the Helen Woodward Animal Center to anyone. Actually already have. They really care!
Taylor Rain
Feb 17, 2022
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This place is a great example of what an animal shelter should be like. Very friendly and helpful staff, you can see the animals are well taken care of, and they make sure all animals go to the right homes. My family got a puppy from this shelter and it was a great experience! Their website is very informative and shows a list of animals that are currently available for adoption as well as the adoption process.
Aaron Agee
Feb 07, 2022
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Absolutely one of the worst experiences I have ever had. After purchasing the dog, less than 24 hours later my wife was in the hospital ER due to having her throat closed off, as a result of her allergic reaction to the dog. The doctor said it was one of the worst cases she had ever seen. My wife did hold the dog prior to and play with and no reaction, but when we got home she broke out all over her body and began having shortness of breathe.
The next day we returned the dog with the paperwork showing her issues and they refused to refund. Additionally the day we did purchase our dog, after signing the paperwork and paying, they conveniently tell us our puppy just tested positive for worms in her stools and she needs two more shots which is on our dime. Please take my advice and steer clear. Go to the humane society or another adoption center that has morals.
The next day we returned the dog with the paperwork showing her issues and they refused to refund. Additionally the day we did purchase our dog, after signing the paperwork and paying, they conveniently tell us our puppy just tested positive for worms in her stools and she needs two more shots which is on our dime. Please take my advice and steer clear. Go to the humane society or another adoption center that has morals.
Jacob Putney
Jan 26, 2022
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What started as an exciting and hopeful trip to meet and adopt a new member to our household, we were met by a very rude and demeaning staff member. We had put down to see 4 dogs we were interested in meeting, and the older lady at the counter, (who definitely has a complex) decided to cross them off our list because of details regarding our fence. She then added that she would like us to give her permission to a home inspection, which we kindly declined, that we then became ridiculed for. This woman left us completely disappointed and upset that we had gotten our hopes up. We will not be returning to this facility.
Toni Singh
Oct 16, 2021
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What a wonderful facility! The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful throughout the whole adoption process. They even supplied us with a gift bag of goodies and a free first vet visit. Plus, our puppy was already chipped and spayed when we got him. Anyone is welcome to go look at the animals up for adoption however the staff does want to know that you're serious about adoption before they will allow meet-and-greets.
Would highly recommend and if we were to ever adopt another pet we would 100% come back here. So glad we found them! FYI, the map took us to their main office which is around the corner from the shelter location which is across from the Rancho Sante Fe Fire Station on El Apajo. They are open daily for walk-ins! (Had to add some pics of our new cutie )
Would highly recommend and if we were to ever adopt another pet we would 100% come back here. So glad we found them! FYI, the map took us to their main office which is around the corner from the shelter location which is across from the Rancho Sante Fe Fire Station on El Apajo. They are open daily for walk-ins! (Had to add some pics of our new cutie )
Reef Richards
Jul 09, 2021
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15 years ago what seemed like 20, our family adopted a cat- a mutt if you will- from this facility. It is still peppy as the day of purchase. We came here in hopes of getting another cat but turns out you have to be 18 (age of consent) to try out the cats. We were turned down and did not get our cat that day. We will be forced to look elsewhere.
Wendy Tutor
Feb 05, 2021
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We adopted our wonderful puppy and renamed him "River". He's added a lot of joy to our family during these Covid times. He's so smart, responsive and energetic. He walks 4 miles a day and responds favorably to edibles while training. He is 5 months old. In the future he will live near the Colorado River with our daughter. We are jointly training him in all aspects. We all enjoy him and he's starting to socialize in a more positive manner. Thank you Helen Woodward for all you do!
