• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Dog Care 101
    • Choosing A Dog
    • Dog Breed Selector
    • First Days At Home
    • Good Dog Names
    • Potty Training Dogs
    • Puppyproofing & Dog Safety 101
    • Invisible Fence Reviews
    • Dog Ages/Growth Stages
    • Senior Dog Tips
    • Raising Two Dogs
  • Food & Treats
    • Dog Food Kibble
    • Human Foods For Dogs
    • Changing Food & Feeding Tips
    • Homemade Dog Treats
    • Kong Recipes
  • Dog Health
    • Diarrhea Remedy
    • Human Meds For Dogs
    • Dog Skin Issues
    • Flea & Tick Control
    • Vet Tips For Sick Dogs
    • Emergencies & Vet Bills
    • Dog Surgery & Recovery
    • Dog Died …Or Is Dying
  • Tricks & Training
    • Cool Dog Tricks
    • Dog Communication 101
    • DIY Dog Training Tips
    • Behavior Problems
    • Puppy Biting & Chewing
    • Stop Dog Barking
    • Crate Training & Sleeping Advice
  • Dog Cleaning & Grooming
    • Dog Odors & Stains
    • Dog Shedding & Fur
    • Clean & Treat Dog Ears
    • Dog Baths & Deodorizing
    • Dog Nails & Paw Care
    • Teeth & Mouth Issues
    • How To Care For Dog Eyes
  • Toys & Activities
    • Dog Toys, Games & Enrichment
    • DIY Dog Items
    • Places To Go With Dogs
    • Dog Walking Tips & Accessories
    • Car Rides With Your Dog
    • Free And Fun Stuff For Dog Lovers
  • More
    • Electronics & Gadgets
    • Health & Beauty
    • Hobbies & Crafts
    • Home & Garden
    • Jobs & Money
    • Outdoor Fun
    • Travel

First Time Dog Owner Guide

Real People. Real Experiences. Real Helpful.

a Fun Times Guide site

  • New? START HERE!
  • DIY Grooming Tutorials
  • Dog Home Remedies
  • DIY Training Tips
  • Dog Food/Treats
  • Out & About w/Dogs
Home » Home & Garden » First Time Dog Owner Tips » Choosing A Dog » Shelter Dogs – How To Find The Best Animal Shelters & Dog Adoption Facilities Near You

Shelter Dogs – How To Find The Best Animal Shelters & Dog Adoption Facilities Near You

1K Shares
Pin1K
Share37
Tweet

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to yourself.


shelter-dogsHave you heard?…

Dog adoption is the new black.

That’s right, it’s becoming more popular to adopt a dog from an animal shelter than to buy a dog from a pet store. (Finally!)

However, the different types of animal agencies that provide homes for dogs are often confused.

Hopefully, the following information will help you see where they differ.

We will also point you in the right direction and help you find the best places to safely adopt a dog in your area.

See why shelter dogs are the best dogs…

 

Types Of Animal Agencies

  • Animal control facilities (commonly referred to as dog pounds) catch stray and dangerous animals and provide temporary shelter for them. They also educate animal owners, spay and neuter pets, give animals vaccinations, and perform other veterinary care.
  • Animal rescue organizations place pets in adoption situations whenever possible. They strive to ensure that all pets go into safe and healthy homes.  They also provide pet foster care.  Many rescue organizations work specifically with one particular breed of dog. (Here are dog rescues by breed.)
  • Animal adoption centers are very much like rescue agencies, with the main focus of finding pets new homes. They also arrange foster pet parents when adoption is not immediately available.
  • Animal shelters house homeless animals that are lost, abandoned, or turned over because their owners can no longer keep them. They also help pet owners locate their lost animals.
    • Some shelters (mostly the public ones) will euthanize animals that have not been claimed or adopted within a certain amount of time or are too ill to be adopted. The factors used to determine which dogs are euthanized include: age, breed, behavior, health, and space constraints.
    • Other shelters (mostly the private ones) are no kill animal shelters. In addition, there are open door shelters which accept all animals, and while they don’t ask for a fee when you turn over animals, they do ask for donations.

 

Most of these animal agencies are run by volunteers and low-paid fulltime workers (especially at the not-for profit agencies).  Many rescue agencies and animal shelters work closely with veterinarians and hospitals. Some do their best to not kill the abandoned or un-adoptable pets, but  This is why you should consider adopting a dog before purchasing one  or even getting a free puppy locally.

By the way, boarding kennels are sometimes confused with animal shelters and rescue centers.  They are nothing of the sort.  A kennel or dog boarding facility is what you use when you want to go on vacation. Pet owners pay a daily fee to board their dogs where they will have a clean safe place to sleep and room to play during the day. Animal hospitals also provide pet boarding services, but my experience is that you do not want to take well animals to board in a place where there are sick animals — because you are likely to get sick animals back.

So… what would it take to get you to take home a shelter dog?  Here’s why you shouldn’t hesitate to adopt a dog.

 

if-you-cant-adopt-foster

photo via

Where To Safely Adopt Pets

The following organizations place adoptable animals in homes nationwide. Each of them enables you to search for dogs within your state:

  • Adopt A Pet
  • Petfinder
  • Animal Humane Society
  • Shelter Pet Project

There are hundreds more, but those are some of the best.

To find a local animal shelter in your area, check out the ASPCA Searchable Database or the HSUS State Directory. Another great resource is the Animal Shelter Directory.

 

More About Animal Shelters & Dog Adoption

5 Myths About Adopting Shelter Dogs

Dog: I Rescued A Human Today

Questions To Ask Animal Shelter Staff Before You Adopt

10 Mythbusting Realities About Shelter Dogs

7 Ways To Improve The Life Of Shelter Dogs

Reasons To Adopt A Dog From A Shelter Or Pet Rescue

Andrea
Andrea

I have been a certified tightwad since I became pregnant with my first child and decided to find a way to stay home with him. I enjoy sharing my experiences in my journey back to financial health and planning for a future — which will include sending 2 kids to college and early retirement.

1K Shares
Pin1K
Share37
Tweet

Filed Under: Choosing A Dog, First Time Dog Owner Tips, Home & Garden Tagged With: Adopting/Rescuing A Dog, Lost & Found Dogs, Volunteer Opportunities For Dog Lovers

Primary Sidebar

About Me

LynnetteI like to help Dog Parents find unique ways to do things that will save time & money -- so I write about "outside the box" Dog Tips and Dog Hacks that most wouldn't think of. I’m a lifelong dog owner -- currently have 2 mixed breed Golden Aussies that we found abandoned on the side of the road as puppies. I've always trained my own dogs and help friends train theirs, as well. Professionally, I worked at a vet and have several friends who are veterinarians -- whom I consult with regularly. (And just because I love animals so much, I also worked at a Zoo for awhile!) I've been sharing my best ideas with others by blogging full-time since 1998 (the same year that Google started... and before the days of Facebook and YouTube). My daily motivation is to help first-time dog owners be better prepared from the first day your new puppy enters your home. I like to help dog owners understand what's 'normal' and what you can expect in terms of living with and training your dog -- how to get through the ups & downs of potty training, chewing, teaching commands, getting your dog to listen, and everything else that takes place during that hectic first year! When I'm not training, walking, grooming, or making homemade treats for my dogs, you will find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I've written over 500 articles for dog owners on this site! Many of them have upwards of 200K shares.

Lynnette: View My Blog Posts

Top Searches

Adopting/Rescuing A Dog Canine Cancer Tips Celebrity Dog Owners Chewing & Destructive Behavior Cleaning & Odor Tips For Dog Owners Costs & Expenses For Dog Owners Death And Dying In Dogs Diarrhea In Dogs & Poop Issues DIY Dog Stuff Dog Allergies & Skin Issues Dog Behavior Issues Dog Breeds Dog Food Brands & Human Foods For Dogs Dog Games & Activities Dog Gear & Necessities Dog Grooming Tips Dog Injuries & Emergencies Dog Toys & Dog Chews Dog Tricks To Try Eye Issues With Dogs Feeding Tips For Dogs Fun Stuff For Dog Owners Holiday Dog Tips Home Remedies & Alternative Medicine For Dogs Humanizing Dogs Humor About Dogs Indoor Fun With Dogs Kong Dog Toys & Kong Recipes Labrador Retriever Dogs New Dog Owner Tips Old Dogs / Senior Dogs Outdoor Fun With Dogs Peeing And Housebreaking Tips Pet Hair And Shedding Pet Warnings And Dangers Pictures Of Dogs Reviews Of Dog Products Summer Fun For Dogs Teeth Tongue Mouth Issues In Dogs Travel Dog Tips Treats & Snacks For Dogs Veterinarian And Expert Dog Tips Videos Of Dogs Vomiting Dogs / When To Induce Vomiting Walking Tips & Leashes For Dogs

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Fun Times Guide logo
Shop Our Favorite Items

Copyright © 2004-2021 The Fun Times Guide | Privacy Policy | Disclosure Policy | About | Contact | Sitemap