I highly recommend that folks do not get involved with Puppy Pals unless they first meet Lynn Adams, see the property, and determine that they are comfortable with the setup. Our experience was pretty awful, so I would not commend Puppy Pals to anyone. Rather, based on my experience, I would recommend not getting involved with them at all.
Here is the story of my experience with Puppy Pals:
My wife and I wanted to see if Puppy Pals would be a good place to board our two dogs. We called and emailed Puppy Pals to set up an appointment to visit their grounds and meet with Lynn. We set up a time on this past Saturday to meet. Unfortunately, there was some confusion whether this appointment had been confirmed; we thought it had and Lynn did not.
In any event, we drove the 1.5 hours from LA to Llano and arrived at the time that we believed the appointment to be. That was when things started to get very weird.
When we arrived, no one was there. We rang the doorbell and called on the phone (even left a message), but didn't get any response. The place looked abandoned, but there were several dogs out back and one running around in the yard, so we decided that someone must be around or coming back soon. We figured that Lynn must be running late.
So we waited on the quite large driveway for a half hour, then walked around the perimeter of the property which has several dirt roads. No one showed up, but we had driven 1.5 hours to get there, so we went to get a bite to eat to kill some time. When we came back, same deal: no response to doorbell or phone call. We waited another 45 minutes and then gave up and drove all the way home.
While we were upset that Lynn did not meet us at the preset time, we reread the emails and could see (sort of) that she did not actually respond to our final email with a definitive confirmation. Fair enough, we both made a mistake by not being clearer.
Well... Here are the emails that we received from Lynn the day after we were there. They are disconcerting to say the least:
FIRST EMAIL WE RECEIVED (Titled "Trespassers"):
"Morgan,
Due to snow falling, us not wanting to go the snow-chain level, we came back early. I know my staff emailed you earlier.
I have to ask - was it you who came into my property and trespassed and scared the pooey out of my helper yesterday while the rest of us were away on a Snow Day field trip? (time frames 1-2PM, and then a second time 3:30-4:00 PM). If it was, the Sheriff was called the first time (canceled after you left the first time) and your license plates reported. We had 5 dogs (the Friday arrivals) here with one helper who, if it was you, was very scared and stayed inside as no one was expected to be here with any prior authorization. There is an outstanding Sheriff report on the license tag number. It it was you, I will call the Sheriff and cancel the report. Otherwise I will leave it open for the arrest of whomever trespassed.
No one is invited to come onto my property without a prior appointment. This is a very rural area without Westec or Bel Air patrol, and the Sheriff response takes 45 minutes. We have to tend for ourselves out of need. We take care of dogs who (especially for tonight with the Emmys) who include those of big-name movie stars. We have to fend off paparazzi plus any local intruders, dog dumpers, robbers - we are on our own. We have fire arms for defense if that comes to being, but of course we would prefer that people honor our signs with NO TRESPASSING and we would do all possible to wait for the Sheriffs.
If it was you, you had no right to come into my property (you read the sign when you rang the bells). IF IT IS YOU, please advise so I can undo the Sheriff report (again the license plate has been reported, there is a criminal charge pending against the owner of the car). Otherwise there is a trespassing violation against the owner of the white car's plates in question (2 black dogs, one woman with long thick blonde hair in a pony tail, photo taken, people standing at the west end with dogs, dog illegally off-lead entering our property).
Lynn Adams
Owner, PUPPY PALS RANCH"
LAST ONE (from "Sheri"):
"You are the people that our small staff, Tammy, called the Sheriff about. No appt, you really scared her bad. You came with no appt, is my job to do this. Lynn Owner is very upset as her dog was out and susceptible, you folks hurt our "sister" Tammy who's only 21 yrs old AND WAS TERRIFED. Your dogs had no invitation to be with ELI, Lyn's pit bull who owns the ranch as they could have hurt him. You need to respond as it is my job (Sheri) to orchestrate what happens on the Ranch. WHO THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE intruding on the Ranch with NO INVIVATATION / APPOINTMENT? Please know how upset Lynn is with me and how much we both do not want to ever have you as a client because you simply can't read obviously and don't want to run rules You would only hurt us. WHO THE F* did you think you were trespassing on this property? & as we are curious.
Sheri/PPALS"
Nice customer service, no? It is inconceivable that a business owner, let alone a stable individual, would write the above emails. Remember, we had an appointment to visit the day in question, and Lynn had emailed us that we were "Ok for Saturday." We were invited to the property, not trespassers.
Aside from purportedly calling the Sheriff for people who had rung the doorbell, I find the above emails disconcerting. Swearing, yelling, and disparagement seem an odd way to communicate with potential customers. And we have no idea what the "sister" comment means in the second email, though it sounds very cultish.
In any event, take the above for what you read it to be. For us, it reads do not trust these people with your pets.
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