BreedersNearby

Adopt a dog of the breed you love

Breed rescues that rehome purebred dogs, and shelters near you, before you buy a puppy

17breeds with rescues
135breed rescue groups
6,080rescues and shelters

Buying from a breeder

  1. A puppy of a known breed, size and coat.
  2. Parents with health test results you can check.
  3. A written contract and a health guarantee.
  4. Usually a waitlist and a price of a few thousand dollars. Puppy prices by breed

Adopting from a rescue

  1. Mostly adult dogs, whose character and size you can already see.
  2. A much lower fee that usually covers vaccines, a microchip and spaying or neutering.
  3. An application and, often, a home visit.
  4. A dog that needed a home gets one.

Rescues for one breed

Rescue groups that take in and rehome dogs of a single breed, with phone, website, public reviews and a map.

Greyhound rescue18German Shepherd rescue11Golden Retriever rescue11Labrador rescue11Beagle rescue10Sheltie rescue10Pitbull rescue9Doberman rescue9Dachshund rescue8American Bully rescue7Husky rescue6Basset Hound rescue5Rottweiler rescue4Poodle rescue4Cocker Spaniel rescue4Weimaraner rescue4Chow Chow rescue4

Rescues and shelters by state

Every dog rescue and animal shelter with a public listing in each state, on a list and a map. Shelters take in dogs of every breed.

Alabama101Alaska20Arizona145Arkansas88California570Colorado125Connecticut71Delaware18District of Columbia6Florida336Georgia191Hawaii18Idaho35Illinois230Indiana153Iowa91Kansas71Kentucky138Louisiana72Maine53Maryland70Massachusetts92Michigan194Minnesota80Mississippi72Missouri140Montana38Nebraska33Nevada50New Hampshire39New Jersey159New Mexico50New York281North Carolina194North Dakota18Ohio199Oklahoma98Oregon94Pennsylvania259Rhode Island32South Carolina102South Dakota22Tennessee152Texas481Utah58Vermont31Virginia171Washington115West Virginia56Wisconsin140Wyoming28

Rescues and shelters come from public business listings. We do not run adoptions and nobody pays to appear. Call first: hours and available dogs change every day.

Questions

Should I buy a puppy or adopt a dog?

Both can be a good choice. A breeder gives you a puppy of a known breed, with health-tested parents and a contract. A rescue or shelter gives a home to a dog that needs one, usually for a far lower fee that already covers vaccines, a microchip and spaying or neutering, and often with an adult dog whose character you can see.

Can I adopt a purebred dog?

Yes. Breed rescues take in and rehome dogs of one breed, such as Greyhound, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Labrador and Beagle, and general shelters take in purebred dogs every day.

What is the difference between a breed rescue and a shelter?

A shelter has a building where you can meet the dogs, and is often run by a city, a county or a humane society. A breed rescue is usually a group of volunteers who keep the dogs in foster homes and place them through applications, often across several states.

Do breed rescues have puppies?

Sometimes, but most of their dogs are adults or seniors given up by their owners. If you want a puppy of one breed, look at breeders; if you want a dog of that breed whatever its age, a breed rescue is the place to ask.