The Best Austin, TX Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

Austin Pets Alive!

Austin Pets Alive! is a unique 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal shelter pioneering comprehensive, innovative programs designed to save the animals most at risk for euthanasia. We provide public adoption services for companion animals which includes lifetime behavior support, as well as community support in re-homing or obtaining resources for companion animals through our Human and Animal Support Services program.

Austin Bulldog Rescue

ABR is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing of unwanted English Bulldogs, education of owners on responsible dog ownership, and education of the public on the English Bulldog breed. ABR takes in adoptable English Bulldogs from animal shelters, other rescue groups, and owners who can no longer properly care for their English Bulldogs. We provide for their medical and behavioral needs. Considering the Bulldog's background and your family's needs, we intend to make the best match. Every Rescue Bulldog is different: personality, temperament, energy, comfort with kids and other animals, medical needs, and more. We take all of these factors into consideration when making a furever-home match. We take our responsibility of finding forever homes for Rescue Bulldogs very seriously. All our rescued dogs live with families in foster homes in Austin, Texas. We often operate statewide and occasionally take in dogs from other areas of Texas, but we primarily service the Austin/NW San Antonio area. We do not run a shelter that you can visit.

Austin Animal Center

Austin Animal Center is the municipal shelter for the City of Austin and unincorporated Travis County, providing shelter to thousands of animals annually as well as providing animal protection and pet resource services. We accept stray and owned animals regardless of age, health, species or breed. Our goal is to place all adoptable animals in forever homes through adoption, foster care, or rescue partner groups. Animal Services has numerous programs and partnerships designed to help pets in the shelter, in the community, and in your home.

GALT-Central Texas - Greyhound Adoption League of Texas Inc.

GALT-Central Texas is a chapter of Greyhound Adoption League of Texas Inc., a national 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We are passionate about Greyhounds and our mission is to find the perfect home for these beautiful, sweet, gentle dogs! We place all dogs in foster homes upon coming into our group. This helps us get to know the dog and their personality before they go to their home. We pride ourselves in helping you pick the perfect dog. While the dogs are at their foster home, they are taken to the veterinarian to get spayed or neutered, all their shots, have their teeth cleaned, and heartworm tested. During this time, they are also evaluated for injuries or health problems. We host Meet & Greets at different pet stores and other locations to show off our greyhounds and to let people know what good pets they make. If you are looking for a good, healthy, wonderful dog as a pet, please consider adopting a greyhound.

German Shepherd Rescue of Central Texas

We are a rescue organization that strives to save as many German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes as possible from neglect, abuse, and premature death. We give dogs the chance to have the good life they deserve through rescue, adoption, referrals, and behavior counseling. We are a foster home concept rescue. We do not have a brick and mortar shelter to house dogs that we take in. All of our dogs live in an approved animal-loving private foster home. Our foster families welcome each new GSD or GSD mix into their home as a part of their family. The foster families show these incoming dogs the love, nurturing, training and nutrition that most of them have never known. We provide the needed medical care, food and ongoing preventative care. All of our dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped and brought up to date on all of their vaccinations and immunizations before we place them up for adoption. Almost every dog we rescue will cost our rescue far more than the adoption fee we collect. As an approved 501(c)(3) non-profit, we make no money; the adoption fee is to help recoup some expenses so we can keep saving the lives of these precious, loyal, intelligent, loving dogs. We serve the Central Texas region, including Austin, San Antonio, Waco, Houston and Dallas. We cannot save all the dogs even in Central Texas; however, for each dog that is adopted, another can be saved, and if we can help someone resolve a problem and keep their dog we consider that a successful rescue. Our dogs come from all kinds of backgrounds. They end up in rescue for many reasons. Some dogs were loved by people who brought them into their lives and made them part of their family. Some come from people who have decided they no longer can care for the dog. They come from unwanted litters that happen because of lack of spaying and neutering. Some were lost or abandoned or neglected. The fortunate ones are rescued who otherwise would have been killed in shelters simply because of lack of space. Many that would have died from disease, hunger and exposure in the open have found sanctuary with people who are dedicated to leading them to a new, more promising life. Dogs are selected based on our best judgement of their temperament and adoptability. We temperament test and check all the history we can to learn as much as possible about the dogs we select for our program. If a dog is found we make an attempt to located their guardian, but most of the time no one comes forwarded. We provide the vet work needed, vaccinations, spay/neuter worming and treat what conditions we find. The dogs live in our homes and are treated like our own dogs (which they are) until they find a home that fits.

Charlyne's Pound Puppies

Charlyne's Pound Puppies is a non-profit rescue group run by volunteers. Our founder, Charlyne McDaniel, began her crusade to help abandoned dogs and cats in 1995. Charlyne's Pound Puppies does not accept owner surrenders. Our commitment is to the animals in the Thorndale, TX pound and those who may have been abandoned at vet clinics or the surrounding countryside. All our dogs and cats must be spayed or neutered. We provide these animals with love, medical care, and foster homes until we can find them adoptive families.

Saving South Texas

In August of 2022, Kaitlyn was contacted about adopting a dog from Victoria County Animal Services to prevent it from being euthanized. While the dog ended up getting adopted by someone else, a new fire to help the dogs from her hometown was ignited. Kaitlyn brought Allyson into the mix, who had been exploring the idea of a nonprofit to raise funds for animal organizations, and Saving South Texas was born. Shortly after, Allyson and Kara connected by chance on Nextdoor when Allyson was trying to find a home for an urgent dog. Kara was networking San Diego, Texas, dogs with the help of Bridget. The four of them partnered up and expanded their mission to helping animals in all of South Texas. Today, the primary focus of Saving South Texas is to help animals in high-kill shelters in South Texas through rescue partners and transportation to out of state shelters.

Georgetown Animal Outreach

Forgotten Friends - Mixed Breed Rescue

Forgotten Friends started rescue efforts in 1999 taking in mixed breed dogs who would never have found forever homes and remained forgotten. In 2004 we became a 501(c)(3) which enabled us to greatly improve our ability to save more lives and contribute to the happiness of our adopter families. Our goal was and is, to speak for the voiceless, restore them as close as possible to good health, and find forever homes that can commit to their lifetime care. We are a totally volunteer based group and all of our donations and adoption fees go directly to our dog’s veterinary care, food, heartworm prevention and basic needs. Any donations given to Forgotten Friends are tax deductible. Puppies and dogs enter our program from area shelters and enter one of our foster homes. The dogs are then cared for by the foster who will work with them on things like house training, if needed, before going to their new forever home. Our commitment to the potential adopter and to our dogs is to screen all applications carefully to find the very best match between the needs of the adopter and our dog.

Austin Boxer Rescue

Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue

Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue was inspired by the relationship between one abandoned German Shepherd Dog puppy named Helmut, affectionately known as "Mutt". Mutt was rescued on a country road where he and his litter mates had been abandoned. Only he was alive. Mutt became the Companion in Chief of his rescuer, and stayed by her side for the rest of his life. The organization known as Austin German Shepherd Dog Rescue was conceived in 1998, inspired by the strong bond between the founder and her Mutt. When AGSDR incorporated as a non-profit in 2001, it adopted the Mission Statement reflecting its spirit. "To rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home German Shepherd Dogs from across the State of Texas" is a broad statement, and the members like it that way. The broad mission statement allows the organization to help some dogs that would otherwise not be considered, as well as helping highly adoptable dogs. AGSDR has always stressed quality of match between dog and adopter over quantity of placements, striving to find homes where the human-animal bond will be nurtured and grow strong. Some months AGSDR places many dogs, some months only a few. There is no quota, no demand for quick turnover, just the dedicated search for the right home for each dog accepted into the organization. Occasionally an AGSDR dog doesn't get adopted, so it lives out its days in the home of a member. Saving German Shepherd Dogs who would otherwise be euthanized at shelters requires a strong foster team and adequate funding. As with most rescue organizations, foster homes and funding are the rate limiting steps in the rescue process. Over the past five years, an average of $500-$800/dog is expended per dog. The money is used to get the dog out of the shelter, provide veterinary care, heartworm treatment, grooming, training, and other needs. All in an effort to get the dog "adoption ready", which facilitates fitting in with their new family and becoming a cherished companion. Adoption fees, which are nominal in comparison to the average expenditure per dog, results in the constant need for members to raise funds in addition to taking care of the dogs and making matches with applicants. Members are diligent and hold an annual Christmas Gift Wrap event, participate in Macy's Shop for a Cause, Dogtoberfest, they hold monthly Meet and Greets, an annual Calendar Dog competition, and they design and sell T-shirts. As well, purchases made at Amazon Smile benefit the organization, along with proceeds received from purchases made from Pet Rescue RX, Last, but certainly not least, AGSDR has been the recipient of donations in various amounts, and for a variety of reasons. Memorial donations, honorary donations, and friendship and support donations are made by generous individuals. AGSDR welcomes all such donations at the Donate page, and pledges to use all donations carefully, responsibly, and in the best interest of the dogs.

Cocker Spaniel Rescue of Austin/San Antonio

Cocker Spaniel Rescue of Austin / San Antonio is a 501(c)(3) all-volunteer nonprofit organization working to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home Cocker Spaniels in Central Texas (and sometimes beyond). By adopting, making a donation or opening your home to a foster, you can help us save lives!

Luling Animal Welfare Society (LAWS)

The Luling Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) is a 501(C)3, Non-Profit Corporation formed to work with the City of Luling Animal Control to benefit lost, seized and abandoned animals within the City of Luling. We conduct active adoption programs and have successfully placed hundreds of Dogs and Cats that would otherwise have been euthanized. LAWS also raised significant funding to build the current Animal Shelter located behind the Police Department.

Kingdom Rescue

Kingdom Rescue is a foster-based 501(c)3 charitable animal rescue organization run by volunteers and fosters. We utilize Biblical Principles of charity, to "Help His Helpless" through quality care, compassion, and selflessness to bring God's hand of mercy to each family and animal we connect with.

Happy Hearts Dog Rescue

Happy Hearts Dog Rescue is a non-profit, volunteer based dog rescue in the Austin, TX area. We rely on volunteer foster homes to save dogs from kill shelters all across the state of Texas. It is our mission to find loving homes for forgotten dogs in desperate need of a chance to feel safe and loved. Our rescue truly believes that every dog deserves a happy home. We are Alyson and Adri, the Co-Founders of Happy Hearts Dog Rescue. We started HHDR in July of 2018. Over the last few years, our little rescue has saved and placed over 500 dogs in loving forever homes. We met while volunteering for other rescue groups, and decided by joining forces, we could help save even more doggy lives. It has been a lot of hard work over the past four years, but it has been so incredibly fulfilling. Bringing families together and watching these once discarded beautiful dogs live their best lives has been the most rewarding experience for both of us.

Hound Rescue

Hound Rescue is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue and placement of abandoned dogs in loving homes across Texas. We provide canine health and rescue education to the community. Hound Rescue: • Rescues hounds in danger of euthanasia from shelters • Helps hounds that have been removed from neglectful or abusive situations • Shelters rescued hounds until a suitable placement can be found • Provides basic medical care and training to hounds to make them ready for adoption • Educates current and potential hound owners about these breeds • Finds kind, loving families for rescued, homeless, or abandoned hounds

Giddings Animal Shelter

The City of Giddings provides a temporary haven for lost, homeless, endangered, or orphaned cats/kittens and dogs/puppies. The shelter is a designated as a 501(c)(3) tax deductible non-profit organization according the US Internal Revenue Service and all donations are tax deductible.

Final Frontier Rescue Project

We are a volunteer-run organization, and every donation goes to the care of the dogs. Our main expenses are veterinary care, boarding, and training. Your donation allows us to provide care and treatment to meet each individual dog's needs. Established in 2018 Shelters have killed dogs we loved. The need is huge, and we had to act. We are long-time advocates for No Kill animal sheltering, and we’ve been rescuing dogs and cats, fostering, and volunteering for many years. We started the nonprofit Indie Institute (EIN 83-1845872) and its rescue effort, Final Frontier Rescue Project, because we saw the need for a rescue that would act on the values that every life matters and every dog deserves a chance. Animal sheltering is still caught in the old animal control mindset, and that means many, many dogs are killed every day, and many rescues triage by only saving the easiest, most immediately adoptable dogs. We believe that their worth and their desire to live is not somehow less because they are scared, or old, or traumatized, or sick or injured, and so, we often save dogs when other rescues have said no. We do our best to give each and every dog the help they need to find a safe, loving, happy home. We do not use or allow handling or training tools/methods that cause fear or pain. We have seen that when given the time, space, care, and kindness they need, dogs can astonish us with their capacity to heal.

Happy Hooves Healing Hearts

Austin Sheltie Rescue Inc

Austin Sheltie Rescue is a 501(c)3 corporation. Our mission is to place homeless shelties into forever homes with loving families. Since January 1, 2006, we have rescued over 400 shelties from local shelters, surrendered from owners, and found as strays. We have been able to do this because of the wonderful network of volunteers that help us with rescuing, transporting, fostering, nurturing, healing, and providing loving and caring homes. Our rescue is run by the generosity of others. We are always in need of families to foster our rescues. Being a foster home means sharing your home with a rescued dog: providing food, shelter, toys, walks (after the dog is well from heartworm treatment or more confident if shy), and lots of attention, until a permanent home for the dog is approved.

German Shepherd Dog Rescue and Holistic Care Education Center

German Shepherd Dog Rescue and Holistic Care Education Center (GSDRHCEC) is a breed specific rescue located in Austin, TX. GSDRHCEC is a non-profit 501c3 and a volunteer based organization. We are funded entirely by private donations and receive no government support. About 50% of the dogs we rescue come from streets of Houston, 40% comes from shelters about 10% as owner surrenders. We are focused on saving German Shepherd from bad situations, rehabilitating and finding loving homes for them while educating fosters and potential adopters on how to maintain pet's health through daily lifestyle choices and how natural alternatives can be beneficial to pets when issues arise. We work with holistic vets to ensure that pets are not over medicated and treated naturally when possible, including essential oils, chiropractic care and more.

Central Texas Ruffugees

South Texas Boston Terrier Rescue

STBTR was born in July of 2016 with a vision and as an additional resource for Boston Terriers, and other brachycephalic breeds, that need rehabilitation, rehoming, medical treatment, and any other TLC including hospice care, in the Houston and greater Gulf Coast areas of Texas. We have expanded outreach to dogs in Austin, San Antonio, Laredo, Del Rio and other areas with the help of a volunteer base that now stretches state wide and into south Louisiana. We are strictly a foster based rescue – we have no facility. All of our dogs are housed in foster homes for vet treatment and evaluation.

Jack Jack's Pack

Highland Lakes Canine Rescue

Highland Lakes Canine Rescue is a non-profit organization designated as a 501-c(3) with the IRS. We are managed by a volunteer board of directors and operate entirely on private donations and eligible grants. Highland Lakes Canine Rescue was founded in 1999 as Highland Lakes SPCA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, by community members who wanted to rescue homeless dogs in the Central Texas region. HLCR initially started as a “foster only” organization. However, through generous community support, a location was found near Marble Falls, Texas and HLCR became a no-kill dog shelter. Since then HLCR has built a kennel facility, outdoor pens and walking trails, has a staff and resident caretaker, and is blessed with an active and passionate group of volunteers who work tirelessly supporting HLCR and its mission. In 2019, we changed our name from Highland Lakes SPCA to Highland Lakes Canine Rescue to more appropriately reflect our focus and mission.

Furever friends and rescue

A small, yet mighty, 501(c) (3) non-profit foster based rescue, near Austin Texas

Caldwell County Animal Coalition

Caldwell County Animal Coalition, CCAC, is a 501C3. Our purpose is to advocate and educate for animal welfare in Caldwell County. CCAC’s goals include hosting and promoting educational workshops and low-cost/no-cost clinics to help citizens be better stewards towards their animals.

Lifelong Friends Pet Adoptions

Lifelong Friends Pet Adoption Center is a non-profit 501c(3) organization that meets its operating expenses through donations and adoption fees. We would be delighted if you could make a (tax deductible) donation to our organization so that we can continue to find loving homes for animals that desperately need them.

Texas Humane Heroes -- No Kill Animal Adoption Centers

Texas Humane Heroes is a No Kill, private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Leander, Texas. Established in 1979, Texas Humane Heroes enhances the lives of pets and people through adoption, availability of our low-cost spay/neuter and vaccinations as well as family-friendly community events. We are 100% funded by donations, grants, and modest fees for services. Texas Humane Heroes does not receive any local, state, or federal government funding.

Central Texas Little Dog Rescue

Central Texas Little Dog Rescue was started to help fill a void in the North Austin/Round Rock community. Our founder started the rescue after volunteering with a local shelter and a few different rescues for the past 9 years. She decided to start her own rescue to better serve the smallest pets out there. Little dogs need someone who understands their specific issues and health needs. Our focus will be on pets that are less that 25 pounds. We will make exceptions on a case-by-case basis.