Central Illinois Small Animal Rescue

My family got a cat from there a few years ago and had no problems. My brother recently adopted a cat who was there for almost 6 years. He took him back because the cat was getting sick and turns out the cat has respiratory issues that requires monthly medication that costs $180. He was not made aware of that when adopting the cat. No health issues were even brought up. It devastated my brother to have to return him since that cat finally found his forever home only to be returned because CISAR failed to mention those health issues. You guys could of possibly caused that cat to die. I feel like yall have way too many animals and just can't afford to upkeep them. The shelter started off nice but way too many animals have come in and the funds aren't there. It's sad, it really is.

Pat is a hoarder. Did anyone go upstairs to look in the cat rooms? They are disgusting. In full view is a sign saying no cameras allowed, and you are not allowed to go up unescorted. That's so you don't go in a room they don't want you to see. They don't want anyone to see the "sick" room, where the ill and dying cats and kittens are kept. No kill is literal in that there is no merciful ending, just a slow agonizing death as the cat slowly succumbs to its illness. There are so many cats in each room it's unhealthy and rarely clean. Even her personal home is full of animals. They should be closed down as an animal hoarding situation in the worst extreme. No stars should be an option.

CISAR started with good intentions but has gone downhill quickly. There are too many animals for them to take care of and it has turned into a hoarding situation. My ex boyfriend got a dog from there who had major aggression issues, and while we were there they kept telling us that she was fine and got along with other animals "great". We were lied to and when we brought the dog back they were extremely rude to us. I would NEVER suggest this place to anyone looking to give up their animals to a shelter

I just visited this shelter today, as I was concerned by some of the reviews I'd seen. I live about an hour away, but I am very vocal about animals and I wanted to see it with my own eyes. I've volunteered countless hours at other shelters, not CISAR, so I feel I have some places to use for comparison's sake.



Is CISAR perfect? No. No not-for-profit, volunteer-based organization ever is. However, here is what I witnessed today. I'm trying to list just what I saw, and not so much my interpretation although that's hard for me to do. :)



1. Multiple people outdoors caring for and checking on animals.

2. Dogs in large runs with access to indoors and outdoors (no grass, but still much better than no access to the outdoors at all). Runs were larger than I've seen in other shelters.

3. No more than 2 large dogs in one run. In my opinion, the runs were large enough to accommodate two dogs.

4. Yes, the dog kennel is a converted dairy barn. The dogs do have straw (which is a better insulator than polyester fluff in dog beds) and do not have to lie on cement.

5. There was poo in multiple kennel runs, but it certainly looks as though the kennel runs are cleaned daily. Straw looked fresh.

6. I saw no rats, mice, or other vermin.

7. Each and every kennel run had large buckets of water that was fresh and full, and PLENTY of food.



Now, here's my opinion: I don't know the people who own/run the place, but I do believe I've read in the paper that they have pretty much sunk th eir savings into CISAR. I only wish I had guts like that. I asked multiple questions of multiple people, and found them all to be extremely knowledgeable and honest. I seem to gravitate toward the "problem" dogs, and when I asked about one, I was told he was a good boy, but he did have some food aggression issues--with animals, not people. While I do wish the dairy barn was some nice, insulated building, this is SO much better than what it could be, and MUCH better than what I've seen at some county-owned buildings. They at least get fresh air when they want it, and have people who socialize them and who get to know them well enough to know their personalities and quirks--and therefore have a good idea of what kind of home will probably work out (or not).



Please understand that running a shelter is all-consuming. I am only a volunteer at my local shelter, and sometimes I feel so overwhelmed that I have to take a break. It is not going to be perfect all of the time. There is never going to be a kennel attendant who can instantly clean a cage the moment it's soiled. There is always going to be an animal with an undetected illness. There is always going to be an animal that you think will do fine in a home (or not), but then doesn't (or does). The animals are always stressed by the coming and going of people--they want to BE WITH the people! Of course they are sad places--they are commentaries on what we, as human beings, have done to create this overpopulation of unwanted animals. I must say that I disagree with the reviews I've seen of CISAR elsewhere on the internet. Before you judge (CISAR or any other shelter), please go check it out for yourself.



Kudos to CISAR and its workers for doing their part to make their corner of the world a better place.

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE !



Central Illinois Small Animal Rescue- also known as C.I.S.A.R. (of Colfax, Illinois) is a shelter that should be CONDEMNED!



I have had (and heard of) SEVERAL horror stories from that place and witnessed a few first-hand.



In the basic sense, they are (or at least WERE when my friend and I went) located in an barn that looked fine from the outside, however the indoor was a complete disaster! The "cages" were mostly old animal stalls and there was straw and poop EVERYWHERE! The animals had no enclosed spaces so everyone was barking/mewing in stress at all the other animals. Due to a lack of doors or even a separated living places (except for the kittens I believe), the animals were completely stressed out by the coming and going of people, volunteers and the animal noises of the other stressed out animals.



Unfortunately, that was the "best" of the experience. The reason my friend took her dog there was to get his Dew (spelling) Claws removed while getting he was going to be 'out' during his dental. I went along for moral support. When they called us as Woofy (the dog) was ready to be picked up and we drove to get him, they handed up the dog when he still wasn't even half-way out of sedation! It wasn't until a while AFTER we got to her house that Woofy was able to even stand up on his own and began to shake himself out of it!



Worse yet was the experience my friend had at C.I.S.A.R.'s. Her dog got hit by a car and they had to put him to sleep. Not five minutes after that procedure one of the staff came into the room (with my friend still in it) and said something like "Who the Hell left this Crap here?!?!". I was in SHOCK when my friend said this story. My friends and I will simply NOT go to C.I.S.A.R.'s again and, I thought that you too should know the truth..





~ A Horrified Witness