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.

Haven Animal Rescue of Texas

Haven Animal Rescue of Texas is a non-profit organization formed to prevent cruelty to animals by rescuing abandoned or homeless animals and subsidizing spaying and neutering as well as further vetting. We strive to help people obtain further education to provide the proper care for their pets and offer assistance to those needing a helping hand. Our goal is to help people find ways to properly care for and keep their pets even if they’ve fallen on hard times. Helping families find their perfect furry family member and dogs find their forever homes is our main goal for the abandoned, homeless, and neglected animals we save.

Austin Humane Society

The longest-standing no-kill, non-profit pet and adoption center in Austin We’re dedicated to saving Austin’s homeless cats and dogs, educating our community about responsible pet ownership, and reducing pet overpopulation. Serving our community since 1952, the Austin Humane Society (AHS) is the longest standing no-kill shelter in Austin. AHS transforms the lives of animals and the people who love them through life-saving programs that find animals homes, serve animals and people in times of crisis, prevent future homelessness through spay and neuter, and engage the community to be a part of the solution. Over the past year, AHS has unleashed hope for over 11,000 animals thanks to the generosity of our donors.

Lizzy’s Animal Hospice

Georgetown Animal Outreach

Service Dogs Inc.

ABOUT US For 35 years, Service Dogs, Inc. has transformed unwanted dogs into lifelines for Texans living with significant challenges. PROGRAMS Hearing Dogs: Alert their deaf partners to essential sounds Courthouse Facility dogs: Help abused children and other victims of trauma find their voice in court Service Dogs: Perform a variety of assistive behaviors for their mobility challenged partners first responder Facility dogs: Support First Responder resiliency HISTORY A New Life for Shelter Dogs 1988 | Attorney Sheri Soltes creates Texas Hearing Dogs with the double mission of helping people live better lives and using shelter dogs instead of breeding. Training utilized positive reinforcement in contrast to traditional industry methods using force. Expanding Services 1991 | After a request from an individual with a spinal cord injury, we expand to train Service Dogs. New name: Texas Hearing & Service Dogs, Inc. We continue to provide all dogs and lifetime follow up free of charge. Helping Child Victims 2015 | SDI introduces our Courthouse Facility Dog program to serve help our littlest victims find their voice in court. We train them to work with Victims' Services staff within District and County Attorneys' offices. Dogs like Sumi, support children during forensic interviews and on the witness stand. Heroes for Heroes 2018 | In response to a District Fire Chief's plea for help with first responder suicides, we created our First Responder Facility Dog program. These dogs work full time helping build resiliency among firefighters, paramedics, hospital staff and law enforcement agencies. First responders suffer from a suicide rate 30% higher than the general public. Emergency Services Facility Dogs help destigmatize mental health. Training Vets to Train Service Dogs 2024 | We are building a Veterans Training Program. Newly adopted shelter dogs will live with specially selected Veterans who will train them foundation behaviors using our positive training techniques. This win-win program provides veterans with job skills, the therapeutic benefits of the unconditional love of a dog and the pride of making an impact on the life of the disabled clients who eventually receive the dog they trained.

A.D.O.P.T. - American Dog Owners for Proper Training

Acres of Love Animal Rescue

Our rescue is located in Southeastern Blanco County, Texas, where unclaimed pets from Blanco County Lost and Found Pets' Facebook page are housed and cared for until a new, forever home and family can be located. This is only after all resources have been exhausted to locate the owner. Acres of Love Animal Rescue is a no-kill rescue, which means no pet is killed due to lack of space. Many of our pets come here without ever having exposure to human companionship and care. With time, love and positive guidance, our pets are able to develop trusting, bonding relationships with people and live happy lives in forever homes. Community programs, workshops, and clinics are a few of the resources available to have area pets spayed, neutered, microchipped, and vetted as necessary for the well-being of every pet and pet owner. Please check out available programs and see how we may help you and your pet(s) stay together. The adoptable pets you see are loving, fully vetted sweethearts that are currently seeking their forever homes. Please adopt from a shelter or rescue and you will be saving multiple lives by adopting just one pet!

Love-a-Bull

LOVE-A-BULL, Inc. is an outgrowth of the former Austin American Pit Bull Terrier Meetup Group, which was formed in 2003. This social meetup group for owners and dogs to connect and form a community evolved into a group of people who wanted to see change. Since that time, organizers recognized that the political climate warranted the need for change. As a result, LOVE-A-BULL org achieved 501(c)(3) status in 2008 so that the group could more fully attain its mission and goals. LOVE-A-BULL was organized to educate and advocate on behalf of the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier (all breeds commonly referred to as pit bulls) and pit bull mixes. The message we try to spread is that they are dogs, just like any other dog, they just happened to be called pit bulls. Our mission is to promote responsible guardianship and improve the image and lives of pit bull-type dogs through community support, education, advocacy, and rescue. In 2020, we saved a record 200 pit bull-type dog lives more than quadruple the amount as in the previous year. In our history as an organization, we have supported the community through spay/neuter and vaccination clinics, providing resources on Austin, TX pit bull-friendly housing, financial assistance, and low-cost training. We have also provided active advocacy against breed discriminatory legislation and started one of the country's first all pit bull-type dog therapy programs. We currently maintain a foster-based rescue program and work daily to promote a more positive and accurate public image of all pit bull-type dogs through various local outreach and social media efforts. LOVE-A-BULL regularly hosts fun activities, but its main goal is to promote advocacy and education. Our group is comprised of members who live in Austin and the surrounding areas, as well as national members who wish to support our mission. We welcome the support of proud pit bull parents and others interested in supporting the above ideals and those who will work to further our goals.

Legacy Doberman Rescue

Legacy Doberman Rescue is an all-volunteer non-profit organization for the rescue of purebred Dobermans in Texas. Who is Legacy Doberman Rescue? LDR is four women spread out across three states and a small but mighty band of foster homes. We are not powerball millionaires. In our first six months we took in 24 dogs, including two litters of abandoned puppies. We have rehabilitated and placed 20 Dobermans so far! (We also had a board member finish her Dobermans Championsip, another put 23 titles on her two Dobermans and we had two human grand babies). We all work full time. Our rescue work is unpaid and expenses consistently exceed our adoption fee. We rely on foster homes and your donations to make this rescue succeed and save homeless Dobermans. We are asked almost every day to take on a new Doberman. We encourage you to foster a dog, make a monthly donation to LDR and participate in our ebay auctions. Every little bit makes a huge difference to the Dobermans who get to live fulfilling and rewarding lives with their new families.

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.

Cuz i Matter Animal Rescue

Wags, Hope and Healing

Small Chance Rescue

Central Texas SPCA

Central Texas SPCA is a small non-profit adoption center. We are not a public drop off and do not accept stray animals or owner surrenders. We rescue dogs and cats at risk of euthanasia by pulling them into our shelter from high kill shelters. We provide them with a unique home-like shelter with spacious indoor condos for the cats, size-appropriate crates for the dogs, as well as outdoor kennels and off-leash play areas for the dogs. For over 35 years, we’ve been dedicated to personalized, force-free, 1:1 care and attention of each and every one of our rescued animals to ensure they are healthy, and well-adjusted before their adoption. Our adoption process is informative and pleasant with a friendly staff. The Central Texas SPCA was the first no-kill shelter in Williamson County when it opened in 1988. We are a private, independent organization relying solely on private donations, grants, adoption fees and fundraisers to save hundreds of homeless pets annually. Throughout our 33 years, we’ve never wavered from our commitment to provide quality, compassionate care to homeless dogs and cats for however long they need us. Our primary sources of animal intake are small, rural shelters in the Central Texas area where animals are at risk of euthanasia due to high intake numbers and low adoptions. We led the way in our area many years ago in the movement to provide home-like spaces for the animals. The cats have large condos with cat towers, climbing shelves, room to run and a space for human visitors to sit down. Most condos have natural light from windows to the shelter grounds. The dogs we rescue enjoy large outdoor play runs on our two-acre property. Runs have shade and splash pools during hot weather. All are large enough for volunteers to enter for a game of tug or fetch. Dogs are off-leash most of the day and often are paired with other dogs for exercise and companionship. During the night and on inclement weather days, they are in their size appropriate crates inside and are walked on our tree-shaded grounds multiple times a day. Every animal is spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped before adoption. We also provide age-appropriate vaccines, species-specific testing, heartworm prevention and any special veterinary care needed through our local vet partners. Because of our 1:1 care, we know each animal’s personality and needs, which allows us to make matches that align with our Forever Family goal. All adopters are carefully screened to ensure the greatest likelihood of success with each adoption. Since 1988, we’ve rescued and found loving homes for more than 7000 dogs and cats.

Rescue PAC

Rogues Rescue Ranch

After living in Houston our entire lives and being involved in animal rescue for the past several years, we have seen first hand how in-need big cities are of animal rescuers. This is why we continue to work on creating a program that can focus its efforts on education and outreach into the animal loving community.

Williamson County regional animal shelter

The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter is the only shelter solely devoted to the lost and abandoned animals of Round Rock, Cedar Park, Hutto, Leander, and Williamson County.

Save An Angel

Save An Angel is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization in Bastrop, Texas on a mission to end pet overpopulation, increase pet retention, and create a compassionate and safe community for pets and people. We are committed to proactively improving the quality of life for pets by empowering pet parents with the resources and education needed to care and provide for their companions. We operate each day with the motto: Pets. People. Purpose.

Bastrop County Animal Shelter

Bastrop County Animal Services was established in 1998. We have grown since then and continue to do so as Bastrop County grows. Currently, we have 3 separate buildings containing a total of 90 large indoor/outdoor kennels and 8 play yards. We have 2 cat housing areas including our communal cattery. Bastrop Animal Services encompasses both Animal Control and the Bastrop County Animal Shelter. We offer animal control services 7 days a week from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm as well as limited emergency after hour and holiday animal control response. The animal shelter is open to adoptions and owned animal surrenders during normal business hours. Owned animal surrenders are accepted by appointment- with proof of residency and identification. We allow people looking for lost or missing pets 7 days a week when staff is present and working (typically 8am-4pm except for County recognized holidays). The Bastrop County Animal Shelter is a Public Service organization and “Open Intake Facility”- meaning that all dogs and cats within the County as well as those that are picked up by the City Animal Control Officers for Bastrop, Elgin and Smithville are housed here. We do our best to find adoptive homes and work with rescues to save as many animals as possible. Our “Open Intake” status prevents us from being “No Kill” as a policy, but we strive to remain “Low Kill” and typically have near “No Kill” save rates.

Austin Dog Rescue

Austin Dog Rescue (ADR) has been rescuing and finding homes for homeless dogs since 2006. In the summer of 2007 Austin Dog Rescue applied for and received its 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit status. With our careful placement and commitment to being our dogs' lifelong advocate, we have assisted thousands of homeless dogs throughout Central Texas. We are an all-volunteer organization and have no paid employees. All our dogs are housed and cared for by foster caregivers in a home setting. We focus on rescuing dogs that will fit in to most homes, but we also save dogs that may have medical issues other rescues are unable to help.

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.

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.

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.

San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter

The Adoption Center is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from noon to 7 p.m, and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. It is closed Wednesday and Sunday for deep cleaning and animal enrichment. The Intake/Reclaim office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m to 6 p.m. Those dropping off stray animals, owner surrenders, and owner reclaims are encouraged to call or email to make an appointment. If you found a stray dog or cat, please call 512-805-2655 for resources to help get the pet back home, or check our Lost/Found list.

Pflugerville Pets Alive!

Pflugerville Pets Alive! (PPA!) is a 501(c) 3 (nonprofit) organization run exclusively by volunteers. We are currently focused on helping the homeless pets of Pflugerville to be healthy and find safe and happy homes, establishing programs that benefit the pets in the Pflugerville Animal Shelter, and informing the community of Pflugerville that they can find their next pet with Pflugerville Pets Alive! While our primary goal is Pflugerville, we are able help within 50 miles of the city; anything outside that area will require special permission.

Viva Perros

Viva Perros is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that raises money to help homeless and abused dogs get the medical care they need and find good homes. Joe King Carrasco, known for his revved-up Tex-Mex brand of rock n roll, has been a long time supporter and lover of dogs. Viva Perros is his way of taking some of the profits from his music and putting it into the hands of non-profit rescue groups that work relentlessly to improve the lives of dogs around the world. Help us raise money to help homeless dogs get healthcare and homes in memory of Marty. 100% of the money raised by the Tribute shirt goes to help dogs through Viva Perros. Viva Perros raises money to help estabilished Dog Rescue groups around the world continue the hard work they do making lives better for abused, neglected, and homeless dogs. Money is also raised through the sales of Joe King Carrasco's CD, Concierto Para Los Perros, as well as other Viva Perros merchandise and donations. The CD was recorded at Ruta Maya in Austin, TX at the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch benefit concert. Donations from these sales go to a different rescue group determined by the board of directors.