Rainbow Friends Animal Sanctuary Keaau, Hawaii

Thank you for being the only independent animal sanctuary on hilo side

I am being transported to an Adoption Event. I do not live in this contraption and never have! Thank you Rainbow Friends for all that you do!

I support no-kill. Thank you for giving animals who have been unwanted and neglected a second chance! Where can I donate? I'll check your website. Thank you once again.

I've never been more proud of this awesome place. I can only imagine the amount of animals and people you've helped. I believe that it takes true heart & dedication to keep a place like this running, especially for over 20 years! Mahalo for all that you do for Hawaii Island and for the sake of the animals!

I got my puppy at a adoption clinic that they had about a month ago. The one person said if I decided I didn't want her I can bring her back. I would never do that to her! When I did go to that place I thought this place is awful!! They should be giving dogs and cats away instead of selling them. Any home they go to would be better than there! And they are very disorganized on keeping the animals records. I gave them a 2 instead of one cause I guess their intentions are good.

Donate Donate Donate! We are so lucky to have hardworking people who care about the animals. Thank you for spaying thousands of animals and alleviating the animal abandonment & overpopulation situation here. Honestly don't know what we'd do without you guys. God Bless!

It was very clean it was all outside the dogs they have are very very aggressive and it didn't seem like they were very interested in getting any of the dogs adopted

If I could give 0 stars, I would. This place keeps terminal animals alive and suffering with poor quality of life until they painfully kick the bucket on their own. Nobody's ever paying attention here and that's resulted in several of their roaming cats being mauled to death by either the aggressive dogs housed by the sanctuary or dogs that live on the same road as the sanctuary. Mary Rose needs to come back down to planet earth. There's literally a reason this placed was raided by HPD...

Should sue this place because of how awful it is

Terrible people and sub par conditions for the animals.

Please, please do not bring animals here. Things are not what they used to be, animals do not receive proper care, food shortages are routine, and many dogs are kept full time in transport crates. In the last year or so, this facility has slid from being marginally passable into being a straight up hoard. It’s extremely sad and current management is not interested in remediation.

The staff is very dedicated and caring.

I adore people and anyone that saves the lives of cats dogs and animals. Rainbow friends are wonderful people, who care and save the lives of abandoned, abused, and suffering animals..Rainbow friends, you guys are a GOD SENT!

Support your local no kill sanctuary by giving one or more of the fur babies a forever home.

Poor service. Messy, disorganized, and chaotic. Avoid if necessary. Their heart is in the right place, but it’s a mess in general.

Aloha to all that read this post and please know that I am not a type of person that likes to complain nor write reviews but every time I think of my experience with this place it gets underneath my skin. For the staff members here or ones in charge, hope you guys start putting more effort for a worried, concern, animal lover. Her name was Phoebe on the website a few months ago. My girlfriend, came in looking for her specifically since Phoebe had a color and disposition that would compliment her other dog at home for a good companion. Phoebe's name was changed on day 1 of bringing her home to Aka. She was timid at 1st but in the next few days her personality starting showing. Playful, energetic, and super sweet. She was a good dog and she kept her companion running around the yard and alert since she loved to sneak up to play. Aka had her issues from her past and she needed more attention to break some bad habits than your average dog. She didn't learn very fast but she responded to her name and certain commands such as sit were slowing being picked up. Anyways, sadly :-( to say Aka was brought back to the shelter after one full month, since my GF couldn't deal with her anymore. I was heart broken. There was something very special to Aka that with more time and patience would have been revealed. I was told she was returned before from a previous owner and my biggest worry was that she was going to be put down. I call, I emailed, I called multiple times and left messages and never was contacted back. I would of loved to visit her and would of volunteered to walk her or take her for a day and more importantly find her a good home talking to friends and co-workers, neighbors, etc. After 3 weeks or so of being neglected, I showed up hoping to talk to someone face to face to get answers. I rang downstairs and had to talk into a speaker box. The girl on the other end seemed too lazy to come down, said she was adopted and then had no idea who Aka or Phoebe was. Put me hold for a minute or two and kept saying she couldn't answer any of my questions because it's confidential. If she really got adopted, is it too much to say a little more details. Adopted by family with kids. Adopted to an elderly couple. Did she moved to another facility? Or was she actually euthanized.

I volunteered here as a teenager. They were constantly understaffed , but being young i wasn't aware what I was witnessing was animal neglect. Fast forward 10 years and I came back to adopt a dog . Almost all the dogs I was interested in were "permant residents" due to aggressive behavior or previously attacking people or for whatever reason. I wandered around into the cat houses , and what I saw made me sick. Cats with broken jaws. Open wounds starving week old kittens. Urine and poop covered floors , cats vomiting and fighting , These animals should have been treated or humanely put down and properly separated. the goal seemed amazing , however it's a filthy rescue , the animals aren't getting any training or real attention , they have cats who are HIV positive wandering around with cats who aren't. They don't have a effective quarantine method , they don't even tell you if the cat your intrested in has a non curable illness. This isn't a rescue, they are a death sentence a long and painful one because Mary rose refuses to euthanize any animal for any reason, do not leave your pets with them, find a different rescue. Its disgusting and disheartening whats going on here . It feels like a legal animal hoarding situation that gets praise and money to continue leaving sick animals in cages to suffer to death. the county should be investigating them for animal neglect . When they first opened it was much different, but now , it needs to be shut down and Mary rose needs to stop taking animals in because she's way over her head even if she had lofty goals and a amazing drive and the will to help , shes causing unintentional harm to alot of cats , and preventing dogs from going to good homes because once they've been determined to have negative behavioral issues she just locks them in a outdoor kennel for the rest of their lives. Its sad , and it makes me angry and I wish more people who've seen these things from this "rescue" would speak up so the county HAS To put a end to it. Hawaii Island is much better then this. Its time to shut them down and help her animals get into homes or end their suffering . Because that's what this place is , animal hell. If you have anything to offer them offer your time or offer to sponsor a cat who needs medical attention but isn't getting it because they are so crowded and understaffed . Just don't leave your animal their itll probably never leave especially if it has behavior issues.

I am reluctant to give less than 4 stars because they are truly doing their best. Kind and very capable humans and lots of animals but they need help.

Beautiful sanctuary for all animals.

We adopted our newest 4legged family member from here. Rainbow Friends do the best they can with the resources available.... sadly there are still A LOT of animals in need.

Website needs more info on adoptable pets

The staff really care for these animals. They are very thorough and ask all the right questions to be sure to find proper "forever homes" for their adoptable pets.

They adopt out the animals, and do not end lives.

Amazing place! Truely inspiring example of love!

It seem they have expanded past what they can maintain. Dogs are barking 24/7 in a neighborhood where people need to sleep. It's been mentioned they don't have enough people to keep up the maintenance anymore and they just got approved to intake animals that will be put down. The surrounding neighbors had to get together for them to install a fence and actually keep the animals in. I gave them 2 stars instead of 1 because they are trying to do something good, just not good at it.

Luv it but need more people to help them with keeping up

Took a tour of the place. Nice outdoor kennels for dogs, cateries for felines, a random rooster and a couple of swine on the grounds as well. All looked to be well cared for by friendly volunteers.

Magical place for pet lovers.

These guys do amazing work with catching strays and giving them a home and with the free spay and neutering programs for cats and dogs. I've had the honor of volunteering at 3 of the spaying/neutering clinics. These guys work hard for a good cause. And I've adopted multiple animals from up at there awesome sanctuary. Highly recommend them when you are looking for a new furry friend for your family. Or if you have some free time and need something to do go on up and volunteer. Theres a class that they like you to take but it's worth it to help out with a wonderful sanctuary and a team of hard working people and tons of adorable and lovable dogs and cats who are looking for a little love. Mahalo nui loa to rainbow friends for all they do for the community.

Not the best run animal shelter