Bide Awhile Animal Shelter

We are in the process of wanting to add another fur baby to our family and decided to take a trip to Bide Awhile to meet their dogs. We were refused entry at the door because we were not planning to adopt the very same day and were unable to explain the specific kind of dog we were looking for (not questions I’m used to being asked in the entryway of an establishment anyways). Needless to say we left flabbergasted and upset. I understand that every shelter does things differently but this just seemed a little ludicrous to not even allow people in to the shelter to meet your animals. Will not be returning under any circumstances.

I love me some Bide Awhile! Thirteen years ago, I adopted my first cat from their old location in a little house converted into a shelter.
When Mike and I decided to adopt another kitty we headed out to their new-​to-​us location on Neptune Crescent. It’s … not near anything. It’s in an industrial park, as far as I can tell. I have to say, while their digs are larger and nicer, I miss their more central location. Still, one is willing to travel to adopt The Perfect Pet™. :-D
It was great to see Darrold again 13 years later (although of course he wouldn’t remember me)! He is truly dedicated to animal welfare. The new Bide Awhile has more space for pets. The cat room is large with lots of room for the cats to play when they are let out of their cages.
Staff are just as dedicated as Darrold. The staff member we adopted Maxi from was truly going to miss her. She was very friendly and provided us with lots of information about our new cat. They ensure their cats are well-​treated and well cared for, which I very much appreciate. Bide Awhile absolutely deserves our support.

I only have fantastic things to say about Bide Awhile. Both the volunteering and adoption aspects are phenomenal. You get an instant sense of how committed the director and staff are to the welfare of each and every one of the adoptees they care for.
After adopting 2 cats through the shelter, I can honestly say that I’ve only had the best experiences. The staff know each cat personally, and can almost certainly define how a particular personality will suit your family. And more importantly, how you will suit the animal!
All of the animals are spayed/​neutered and have received top veterinary care prior to adoption. So you can rest assure that any cat or dog you bring home will be in great physical condition.
Darrold Gould and the entire Bide Awhile staff deserve a big pat on the back for everything they do to care for stray, injured, and unwanted animals.

This is a shelter built with a animals-​first mentality. The management will be the first to send you elsewhere if they don’t think you are committed to offering the best possible home for one of their residents — and I say that with the utmost respect and appreciation. Their facilities — hosting 90% cats and a few dogs on occasion — are top-​notch including state-​of-​the-​art features that halt the stop of viruses or disease in its tracks. The staff here know so much about each animal and will work very hard to ensure the right fit for you. Looking for a new pet, particularly for cats? Come here first.

During my final year of university I volunteered at Bide Awhile for research and community participation in one of my seminars.
Bide Awhile is a fabulous shelter, full of amazing and dedicated staff who care for these unwanted cats and a few dogs until a warm-​hearted individual adopts them and gives them forever homes.
I can’t tell you how many beautiful creatures I encountered here during my many months of volunteering, who despite being abused or neglected, and even abandoned in the freezing cold outside the shelter, were still very loving companion animals.
Bide Awhile desperately needs personal and corporate donations. They are a private charity and do not receive any funding from the government.
If you can volunteer or attend a Bide Awhile fundraiser, you would be helping them save more animals.
Haligonians, Dartmouthians, and Scotians from the beyond, adopt one of the lovely animals at Bide Awhile!

This is a great refuge for felines in need of a new home. Whether you’re looking for an old fella or a young kitten — there are plenty of sweeties to choose from at this metro shelter.
If you’re considering becoming a proud pet owner, PLEASE DO NOT BUY ONE FROM A PET STORE! There are so many loving, adorable, playful animals in need of new homes currently living in shelters around the HRM. Bide Awhile makes sure that prospective pet-​parents are responsible and serious about adoption. They want to make certain that their orphans end up in loving, long term homes so that they down the risk of these pets returning to shelters in the future. Bide Awhile won’t just hand over an animal on the spot, as there is a waiting period to ensure that people aren’t impulsively scooping up a new pet.
The pets are well taken care of at Bide Awhile, so rest assured that your new kitty (or pup) will have been given top notch affection and health care. This is a great place to go if you’re looking for a new addition to your family. Be patient and kind, and your new pet is bound to become your new best friend.

If you want to adopt a cat, this is the best place city to get one — primarily because the shelter’s Executive Director, Darrold Gould, is a TRUE lover of cats, and he makes sure that all the pets that leave his care are healthy and going to good, safe homes. Gould can seem like a bit of a curmudgeon — but it’s because he cares about the welfare of his animals.
Expect to be «vetted» as a potential cat-​adopter by Gould — you must make a good case for wanting to take one of his rescued animals home — and don’t expect to just walk in and walk out with a new pet. There’s a required 24-​hour cooling off period to weed out the impulse shoppers. All pets that leave his care are already neutered or spayed or must be neutered or spayed when the time comes.
The shelter houses cats and kittens (and the occasional dog) and is always full. But don’t go in just to browse — there is no way a human being can not walk in there and NOT immediately fall in love with some little ball of fur.

If you’re considering purchasing a pet, before you go to a pet-​store, you should first check out the Bide Awhile Animal Shelter.
The Bide Awhile provides a temporary shelter for many homeless cats and dogs, both young and old, until the shelter is able to place them in proper homes. Unlike pet-​stores, Bide Awhile isn’t lookng to make profits, instead, its main concern is always the well-​being of the animals. Of course, there is a reasonable adoption fee for all the animals, but this cost goes towards medical shots and other pet essentials.
Bide Awhile has a unique set-​up, in that, when you go in to see the kitties they’re all in one gigantic playroom. At any one time, there can be 40 or more cats inside. Customers and guests are invited into the room to get to play with the cats and get to know them, before making a purchase decision.
The adoption process itself can be quite rigorous, in that you must first fill out various adoption papers and wait for your references to be approved — which can sometimes take several days. Keep in mind though, that while this process can be quite frustrating, it is all being done in the animals’ protection, to ensure they go to good loving homes.