The Best Iowa Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

Atlantic Animal Shelter

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Dogs Forever of Iowa (DBA DOGS FOREVER)

Dogs Forever is dedicated to rescuing homeless, abused, and neglected dogs of all breeds, sizes, and ages with a special emphasis on those deemed ‚hard-to-place. As an Adoption Guarantee shelter, all dogs will stay in our care until we have found their forever homes.

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Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control

Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control is an "open admission" shelter with a small staff and corps of volunteers who help care for more than 3,000 animals per year. The shelter accepts all animals brought to us from the city of Cedar Rapids. We work collaboratively with foster and rescue teams to ensure that our animals are either reunited with their owners or are placed in new, loving homes. You can view a list of the many wonderful pets we have available for adoption by visiting our PetFinder website at http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/IA125.html. Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control has partnered with Hill's!!! We are pleased to announce that Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control has partnered with Hill's Science Diet and their Food, Shelter, Love Program. Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control will now be able to provide high quality Science Diet food to all of our animals at an affordable cost! Please read more about this exciting program and Science Diet foods by clicking on the logos in the upper right.

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Critter Crusaders of Cedar Rapids

Critter Crusaders of Cedar Rapids is a 501c3, all volunteer non-profit organization that has been in operation since 2008 and is made up of a Board of Directors and volunteers. Critter Crusaders provides advanced medical and surgical treatment with life and limb saving procedures to restore health and adoptability for the local homeless animals. We also work with rescues and shelters to facilitate placements for homeless animals as an alternative to euthanasia.

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Dogs Forever of Iowa

Dogs Forever is a great organization, run entirely by volunteers. We are passionate about our dogs and work tirelessly to take great care of them, and also to make sure their next home is their forever home. When we take a dog in, we take care of them as long as is necessary to find them the right match in terms of family and environment. Dogs Forever is dedicated to rescuing homeless, abused, and neglected dogs of all breeds, sizes, and ages with a special emphasis on those deemed “hard-to-place”. As an Adoption Guarantee shelter, all dogs will stay in our care until we have found their forever homes. At Dogs Forever we need your support so we can: • Find homes for great dogs. • Raise enough money to cover the expenses for the shelter (vet care, food, rent and electric bills). • Grow our programs and events and expand our role in the pet rescue community.

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Cedar Valley Humane Society

The CVHS has spent more than 100 years working to be at the forefront of animal sheltering and welfare. It is also a regional leader in helping at-risk families with pets stay together. In the last two years, the shelter has helped over 8,000 animals that might otherwise be surrendered to a shelter through its low-cost vaccine clinics and free pet food bank. It also provides many unique services such as the Humane Education Program. This program provides staff and volunteers the ability to educate students both in and out of the classroom and engage the leaders of tomorrow about the humane treatment of animals. ​ The CVHS provides animal control services to cities and towns in Linn, Johnson and Benton Counties as well as the unincorporated areas of Linn County. Bypassing the traditional “dog catcher” model of other shelters, the CVHS instead works closely with the communities it serves to quickly reunite lost pets with their families at a more economical cost than city or county-run animal control services. HISTORY The Cedar Valley Humane Society (CVHS) was established in 1901 as the Humane Society of the City of Cedar Rapids. The original shelter was located on Griffith Farm, and early cases involved cruelty and abuse of women, children, the elderly, horses, cattle, dogs, and cats. Investigations involving women, children, and the elderly were eventually dropped from society’s list of objectives, and in 1921, the organization changed its name to the Linn County Humane Society.​ By 1923, the need for a permanent shelter became apparent, and a fundraising campaign began. In 1928, a property was purchased at 700 C Avenue NE for $3,000. This served as headquarters for the society until 1968, when the organization built its current facility at 7411 Mt. Vernon Rd SE. In 1991, the organization changed its name again, this time to the Cedar Valley Humane Society.

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K9 Kindness Rescue, Inc.

K9 Kindness Rescue, Inc. is a non-profit organization started in April, 2004. All of our dogs are up to date on shots, on heart worm preventative, flea and tick preventative and are altered. Any other veterinary care that they need is done before the dogs are placed in homes. There are many ways to help K9 Kindness and the dogs! If you are interested in becoming involved with our rescue group, please email us for more information! And we always need more people to help care for our dogs until they find their forever homes. For information on this program, email us, too! We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and are licensed per State of Iowa Code 162. A Brief History K9 Kindness Rescue, Inc. was started in March of 2004 by founder Debbie Fraker who has now retired from rescue. The rescue was originally the size of a few friends and three foster homes in Davenport, De Witt, and Blue Grass. The rescue's name was a play on K9 Child Dog Daycare who worked closely with the rescue. In 2013, we placed our 1,000th dog in a furever home. In 2014, we pulled our first dog from Puerto Rico. We also celebrated 10 years of serving the Quad Cities and the Tristate region. Currently, the President is Kimberly Patterson and the rescue has around 20 foster homes.

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Fur Fun Rescue

Fur Fun Rescue - Dog Rescue and Adoption in Cedar Rapids and Eastern Iowa Fur Fun Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, foster-based dog rescue centered in Eastern Iowa and founded in September 2014. Our goal is to match dogs in need, fosters who care, and homes that are looking for the perfect addition. Fur Fun relies on the help of volunteers and fosters who are willing to open their hearts and homes to dogs waiting to find their furever homes. At any given time we have between 40 and 60 dogs in our care. Most of our dogs have come from overcrowded shelters and are in danger of being euthanized. We also take dogs from owners who can no longer keep their dog and local stray dogs. In our care all dogs are given rabies and parvo/distemper vaccinations, are microchipped, spayed or neutered and heartworm tested. We also address any other medical needs they might have. Our dedicated foster homes work with the dogs on basic home manners and obedience. When our dogs are ready to find their forever homes, we match them with carefully screened adopters so they are never homeless again.

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One Dog Rescue

One Dog Rescue is an IRS-recognized 501c3 organization. Our EIN is 30-1365288. Every dollar you donate to our life-saving rescue is tax-deductible, and every dollar goes directly to our mission. We are entirely foster-based and all-volunteer. One Dog Rescue emphasizes the rescue of sick, orphaned, abandoned, and emaciated animals. We pull animals specifically from euthanasia lists, and particularly animals in shelters where heart stick euthanasia is practiced. We literally strive to save both animals' lives and the emotions of shelter staff who must perform euthanasia.

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Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center

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Hero's Haven Animal Rescue

Hero was a dog who lived in Delaware County who was subject to extreme neglect prior to being dumped in a remote area with his sister, Honor. He had a massive tumor on the side of his face. Hero and Honor were rescued by one of our original team members, Lois Richardson. Along with her husband, Lois fostered and took care of Hero and he was able to experience love, kindness, and family prior to passing away. Our rescue, which was formed in 2019, is named in Hero's memory and honor. Hero lives on through Hero's Haven and the work we do. Hero's Haven Animal Rescue is a foster-based rescue with foster homes across Eastern Iowa. We do also have cats and kittens available for adoption at the the PetSmart in SW Cedar Rapids. We are a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and licensed with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

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Humane Society of Northeast Iowa

The Humane Society of Northeast Iowa (HSNEI) began operations in Decorah, Iowa in 1995. We help people, cats, and dogs in need across our 5-county area (Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, Winneshiek). Creating the best possible outcomes for cats and dogs in our care and in our communities: we improve quality of life through quality care, adoption matches, and pet family & community services. HSNEI improves quality of life through quality: 1. Care for dogs and cats in need--in our custody and in our community. We provide the best possible animal care, considering the animals’ mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing; current situations; and available resources. 2. Adoption and foster matches--we match families with pets who fit their homes, personalities, and lifestyles. We work hard to find the best match for our animals. We partner with other organizations to find homes for as many animals as possible, including sanctuaries, behaviorists, extended networks, and other animal welfare organizations. We place animals in foster homes when we can while awaiting their forever homes, with a focus on animals who do poorly in a shelter environment. 3. Services for our pet families and community members. We are continuously learning what helps people in our neighborhoods and which services provide the most-needed support. We do our best to understand and help where we can. Current services include pet adoptions, animal surrenders, humane education, neighborhood spay/neuter and microchip & nail trim clinics, and pet owner support. HSNEI is a private nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors. We are not affiliated with or funded by any national group, nor do we receive financial aid from the United Way, local, state, or federal government. We do receive and appreciate service-supported funding from city and county governments in our 5-county area. We support operations and programs through donations, bequests, grants, special events, adoption fees, service fees, and merchandise sales. HSNEI is a tax-exempt organization as recognized by the IRS (EIN: 42-1447461). No goods or services are provided for donations. Please consult your tax advisor regarding specific questions about your deductions.

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Denison City Pound

The Denison City Pound is located in Denison, Iowa. We work to care for animals, big and small, and work to place them in loving and permanent homes. We are an impoundment facility for the City of Denison and also for Crawford County. The animals that are brought in are picked up for running loose or just pain homeless. Because of this we usually have no background information on our animals. If the animal is not claimed within 7 days it is then up for adoption. We get so many wonderful animals that are in need of a good home.

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AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport

AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport, Inc. is a 501(c)3, non-profit, foster-based animal rescue organization, headquartered in De Soto, IA. Our main purpose is to care for the homeless companion animals in our community and surrounding areas. We also provide much needed services to the pet owners in our area thru food assistance, low cost spay/neuter clinics, and TNR services. In addition to our own community, we strive to bridge the gap between traditional animal shelters and no-kill rescues throughout the central United States in 2 different ways: 1) By pulling dogs out of traditional shelters that are on death row and placing them in foster homes and forever homes through our organization; and 2) By providing free transportation for dogs from traditional shelters to other no-kill rescues all over the Midwest and Canada

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The Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Inc

The ARL serves people and pets from across the state of Iowa through its programs, which include pet adoption, humane education, pet behavior training, spay/neuter, animal cruelty intervention and much more. The Animal Rescue League is dependent on individual and corporate contributions to care for its animals.

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Raccoon River Pet Rescue

Raccoon River Pet Rescue (RRPR) was created with the vision of providing a safe and humane shelter for dogs and cats in Perry and the surrounding communities, activities for volunteers and opportunities for pet adoption. Through contributions from generous individuals and organizations, RRPR will build a pet rescue facility that will: Provide safe shelter for pets in Perry and the surrounding communities Strengthen the human-animal bond through volunteerism, fostering, and adoption opportunities

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Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown

Animal rescue League of Marshalltown is a no-kill animal shelter dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating animals in need. The Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming lost, homeless, and abused companion animals. Our mission is to reunite pets with their families, find new loving homes for adoptable animals, and strengthen the bond between humans and their animal companions.

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Poweshiek Animal League Shelter (PALS)

At PALS, a no-kill animal shelter located just south of Grinnell, IA, we change lives. We provide a safe haven and veterinary care to homeless cats and dogs, and we match them with individuals and families who benefit from the companionship, spontaneity, and joy they bring to a home. PALS relies entirely on donations and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. PALS works hard to provide our county with a shelter for animals in need. We care for our cats and dogs 365 days a year. Prior to our opening, the only option for stray animals picked up by city police and sheriff’s departments in Poweshiek County was a 7-day stay at local veterinary clinics. If owners or an adopting family were not found in that short period of time, the animals were then euthanized. PALS has stepped in not only to provide a safe haven for these homeless animals, but to also ensure they receive responsible vet care including spay/neuters, shots, deworming, and flea/tick control, as well as addressing any emergency medical concerns. We began with a network of foster homes in 2004, and we began our licensed shelter in 2007 after a generous donation from an anonymous source. We purchased 7 acres south of Grinnell, which is the animals' current home. We are happy to report that we have helped over 3000 cats and dogs find loving homes! Read more about our life-saving statistics. We rely entirely on donations. Unlike most animal shelters in Iowa, PALS receives no public funding of any kind. PALS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. We are licensed by the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

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Dubuque Regional Humane Society

The Dubuque Regional Humane Society is committed to building bonds between people and animals through adoptions, community outreach, humane education and cruelty prevention. History "Dubuque needs a society of this kind very badly…for the protection of the dumb brutes and the punishment of the human brutes!" an article read in the Dubuque Daily Herald on February 24, 1882. On April 11, 1901, The Dubuque Benevolent and Humane Society was founded to protect the rights of animals, primarily horses, as well as children. An office was set up in what is now known as the Fischer Building and money was raised through annual dues of $1 - $10, with a lifetime membership costing $25.​ From its earliest days, public education was a key element of the Humane Society's work. The city even designated a member of the police force to act as the humane officer, enforcing anti-cruelty laws. In 1904, the Humane Society joined with the local board of education to hire and pay the first full-time employee – a combined truant and humane officer. The humane officer became the alternative to the city dogcatcher and calls quickly began to increase. This lead to the establishment of a small animal shelter located at 2228 Jackson Street. This arrangement lasted until the mid-1930s, when long time humane officer Charles Arendt retired and the Humane Society moved to seven acres of land outside the city limits in Center Grove Township. By the 1950s, after several years of continued improvements, the Humane Society had developed the shelter into what was considered at the time to be a state-of-the-art humane facility.​ Volunteers Barb Ellsworth, John Perrenoud, Dale Repass and Dr. James Stark organized the recruitment of a wide variety of community members to form a new and more active board of directors. The board determined that a coordinator was needed to oversee the shelter and its expansion and hired Jane McCall as the first executive director. She immediately began developing ideas and long-range plans for the shelter. The board realized these plans could never be accomplished at the current facility. In October 1992, the Humane Society moved to 175 North Crescent Ridge where a new facility, almost triple the size of the old, was built to accommodate anticipated growth. In 1997, the Humane Society was chosen as one of the top six humane operations in the country. After many years in the making, the Dubuque Regional Humane Society (DRHS) moved into Kinsey’s Campus on October 24, 2013, named in memory of a wonderful, talented and loving Golden Retriever. Thanks to the vision of the staff and the Board of Directors, today's Humane Society is more regional and national in its scope than at any time in its history. A dedicated staff of 25 individuals operate the shelter, open to the public 6 days a week, and provide a myriad of services. Through regular community outreach programs, including regular spots on local radio and TV, the adoption program is running at record levels while annual fundraisers like "Strut Your Mutt," "In the Doghouse," and the "Tails at Twilight" fall gala have created positive awareness to the Humane Society's mission. Though the times changed, the human-animal bond will always remain, and as long as there are animals in need, the Dubuque Regional Humane Society will be there.

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Noah's Ark Animal Foundation

Noah’s Ark Animal Foundation is a no-kill shelter for homeless cats and dogs. Since 1986, we have provided shelter, love and care to abandoned, neglected, abused and lost animals. Noah’s Ark incorporated in 1988 and was recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt, charitable, nonprofit organization in 1993. Initially, the shelter only took in cats, however, in 1996, we expanded our programs and were able to start accepting dogs. The Shelter reorganized in 2000 with an expanded Board of Directors, and a new mission statement emphasizing an active adoption and spay/neuter program. The direct result was CCSNAP (Caring Community Spay Neuter Assistance Program), which subsidizes sterilization surgeries for dogs and cats on a shared basis with the pet owner. CCSNAP-sponsored Big Fix Campaigns, have had a significant impact on the number of homeless animals in our area. In 2002, CCSNAP was expanded to include subsidizing 100% of the cost of sterilization surgeries for stray and feral cats. In the spring of 2004, construction was completed on our new “green” shelter building—the Catherine V. Glann Building. Located at 1986 West Gear Avenue, the new shelter was specifically designed for housing animals, and included for the first time in Noah’s Ark’s history indoor dog kennels. In 2005, Noah’s Ark was accepted by PetSmart Charities, Inc. as its Adoption Center Partner at the Clive (West Des Moines) PetSmart store. Ten to twelve Noah’s Ark cats at a time are housed and cared for at the Center until adopted through Noah’s Ark. This allows us to offer a 7 day a week adoption program. Through our cat and dog adoption programs, most animals quickly find good homes with kind, responsible people to care for them, while others live at Noah’s Ark for a longer period of time. No dog or cat under our care is ever “put to sleep” unless a medical condition is causing undue suffering or there is an extreme behavioral problem. At Noah’s Ark we believe that every animal’s life is special, worthy of our respect, and deserving of humane treatment. Every day we are called upon to rescue and care for more animals in need, whose lives depend upon our ability to give them food, shelter, and medical care. Your gift makes it possible for us to transform a sick and lonely animal’s suffering into a lifesaving treatment, a nutritious meal, a warm bed, and a loving touch. All of this and more is what Noah’s Ark means to the animals and we work diligently to make all of this possible. Every day at Noah’s Ark we: • Rescue stray and homeless animals and give them a safe haven in our shelter facility • Provide hospitalization and medical care for sick, injured animals • Offer cat and dog adoption programs to place pets in good, responsible homes • Offer guidance and investigation concerning animal cruelty complaints • Sponsor educational and volunteer programs for all ages to teach and promote proper care of animals • Organize spay/neuter discount programs (CCSNAP) to reduce pet-overpopulation • Neuter and spay all of our shelter animals • Sponsor a feral cat spay/neuter program

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Heavenly Pet Sanctuary

Heavenly Pet Sanctuary’s 34-acre oasis of peace and tranquility set amidst the Midwest’s Heartland in southeast Iowa. Founded in 2000, the shelter is home to over 100 dogs and cats living in various locations on the property. The main cat shelter is a remodeled country home with three floors; the secondary building nicknamed the kitty cottage is smaller and divided into four areas. All rooms have access to the outdoors via spacious, large cat runs with grass and trees. All cats are housed without cages except for those that are newly admitted or ill and have free roam of their areas. HPS is a long-term care facility and that means that our commitment and care to each dog and cat extends throughout their entire life, if for some reason they do not find their own special home. The dog kennels are a smaller part of the shelter at present, but plans are underway to raise money to construct an all-new dog building and storage area. Presently a number of dog kennels exist outside with large fenced in areas and insulated doghouses; indoor housing for the dogs is available on a limited basis. The shelter property has lots of potential for additional dog and cat housing. Several mobile homes were donated that need remodeling and could be used to house more cats. HPS prides itself on its clean, friendly environment and its pet care, which takes into consideration each individual animal’s needs. Fresh food is made up daily for all of the cats and dogs and combined with commercial food for all levels of need and age groups. Natural health care has always been a special focus for the shelter and a preventative approach which includes the use of herbs, homeopathy, supplements and diet is utilized to strengthen the animal’s immune system and to treat illness and disease whenever possible. Traditional medication is also used in conjunction with veterinary consultation and all of our dogs and cats are vaccinated, neutered and spayed. HPS offers adoption services to the public and posts its pets online at petfinder.com. Potential adopters are carefully screened to determine their suitability and follow-up with house visits carried out whenever possible. Our main concern is to provide adoptions that benefit both the adopters and the pets so that no dog or cat ever has to face the trauma of being homeless again. Adoption events are held monthly in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area hosted by the Petco stores. HPS has volunteer programs for all ages, humane education and provides food and pet supplies for low-income pet owners whenever possible.

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Protectors of Animal Welfare (PAW)

Fort Madison Protectors of Animal Welfare (P.A.W.) is a 501c3, non-profit No Kill Animal Shelter. Which began in 1997 by a small group of concerned citizens who saw a need and took action to fill that need. We have since grown into a facility that cares for almost 200 animals daily. ​Since our beginning, the shelter has found "forever homes" for thousands of lost, abandoned, abused and surrendered animals. We are proud to have adopted animals into loving homes in several states in the U.S. It is P.A.W.'s policy to fully vet every animal that is adopted through our shelter. We are also proud to partner with Hancock County Vet Clinic, hancockveterinaryclinic.com to provide a low cost spay and neuter cat program for the surrounding communities.

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Otter Creek Animal Shelter

The Otter Creek Animal Shelter (formerly the Buchanan County Animal Shelter) was formed by a group of dedicated volunteers who professionally and passionately were concerned about what to do with pets in need. Our initial goal was to build a no-kill animal shelter to take in pets who had owners that were no longer able or willing to care for them in Buchanan County. Also, we needed a place for our residents to take animals who had been abandoned by the owners in rural areas. The shelter became a 501c 3 on April 22,2011 and the project took off with the donation of 10 acres of land that same year. The shelter is located at 400 North Main Street in Hazleton, Iowa on Hwy 150. The board has been overwhelmed by the support we have received in Buchanan County. Our location is just miles from the Buchanan-Fayette County Line and due to the outpouring of support from Fayette County the shelter grew to serve residents from both counties. In 2017,the name was officially changed to the Otter Creek Animal Shelter. Otter Creek not only runs through Buchanan and Fayette Counties, but also through the woods near our shelter. The Otter Creek Animal Shelter is the result of many residents donating their time, talent and financial resources. The shelter is owned by all the volunteers that have worked so hard to make this dream a reality

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City of Jefferson Animal Shelter

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Keokuk Humane Society

The Keokuk Humane Society is proud to be part of the most effective animal protection organization in the United States. We are staffed by volunteers and funded by donations, making your support a key ingredient to our success. Stop by during our staffed hours to visit our available adoptions or make a donation and show your support!

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Keokuk Animal Services

The Keokuk Animal Services facility at 249 Carbide Lane is open to the public Monday through Friday from 1:00 P.M. until 5:00 P.M. Keokuk Animal Services provides food, shelter, and care for the lost and homeless animals of the City of Keokuk. Keokuk Animal Services relies heavily on the generous donations of supplies and monetary gifts from the public in order to provide the necessary needs of the facility. Keokuk’s Animal Control Officer is available from 8:30 A.M. until 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday. The phone number for Keokuk Animal Services is 319-526-5421. In case of emergency, the Animal Control Officer can be reached by calling 319-524-2741. Keokuk’s Animal Control Officer is Tom Crew. Tom began his duties as the Animal Control Officer in October 2015. His duties include enforcing city and state animal codes, investigating animal neglect, cruelty, abuse and bite report cases. Shelter personnel includes three part-time employees. The mailing address for Keokuk Animal Services is 249 Carbide Lane, P. O. Box 1147, Keokuk, Iowa 52632

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Humane Society of North Iowa

Our organization was founded in 1959 with the mission to provide temporary shelter, food, medical attention, and comfort to displaced and neglected companion animals and educate the public about the humane care of animals with a goal of reducing overpopulation. The heart of our mission is the operation of our animal shelter in Mason City. With your support we have found loving homes for over 13,000 animals and come to aide of countless others that rely on our help. There are many ways you can be a part of our mission; Volunteering, donating, foster care, and animal socializing are just a few of the many ways you can show your support for the Humane Society of North Iowa. Our 6600 square foot facility houses almost 100 displaced, unwanted, and stray animals all looking for new homes.

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Humane Society of Northwest Iowa

The Humane Society of Northwest Iowa is a 501(c)3 non-profit animal shelter that proudly serves Dickinson, Clay, Emmet, Palo Alto, O'Brien and Osceola counties. Our mission is to promote the ethical and humane treatment of all animals, as well as provide care, housing, and rehabilitation for animals in need while they are with us and promote responsible pet ownership by educating on the importance of spaying or neutering animals.

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Animal Welfare Friends

The Animal Welfare Friends shelter is a no-kill shelter located just north of Monticello, Iowa. Our shelter features two free roam cat rooms with large windows, indoor & outdoor dog kennels, a grassy run for the dogs to exercise in, and walking paths on the grounds for our volunteers to walk dogs on. We are the only and first shelter in the county, and are so proud to be able to help our community & their animals live healthy, safe, happy lives! Shelter History In May 2006, AWF embarked on a campaign to raise funds to build an animal shelter in Jones County. In the next 10 years, we raised nearly $250,000 towards this goal. After years of hard work, AWF was able to purchase land for the shelter in 2012. The 8.68 acres, located just north of Monticello at off Highway 151, gave us plenty of space for not just a shelter, but also a dog park and additional animal event spaces. After this purchase, the AWF board began working on the plans for the animal shelter in conjunction with architect Sarah Coleman of Martin Gardner Architecture. AWF already had an “Animal Shelter” license from the state of Iowa, which required that we had a facility. AWF’s Cat Adoption Center in Anamosa fulfilled that requirement. However, the Cat Adoption Center caught on fire on October 20th, 2013, leaving us without a facility. AWF was able to rent a small office in Olin, Iowa to temporarily fulfill the location requirements for the state of Iowa, but the pressure was on more than ever to get the shelter built. Though we would have ideally built a 6,000 square foot building, reality dictated that we start out small and leave room to add on later as more funding becomes available. We focused on getting the septic, well, and utilities in along with a road so we could then pour 3,000 square feet of concrete for the floor and construct the building over it. An animal shelter at the time cost $250 per square feet to construct. This would mandate $750,000 for a 3,000 square foot shelter. However, we determined that by purchasing dog & cat kennels used, and focusing on getting the simple basics functioning, we could get the shelter built for $525,000. In October 2016, construction on the shelter was completed and we opened our doors to the people and animals of Jones County, Eastern Iowa, and beyond! We’re proud to be no-kill, meaning animals can stay at our shelter as long as they need to while they wait for their forever family to find them. Since the shelter’s opening, we’ve been able to save over 1,000 of cats & dogs from uncertain futures. We’ve also been able to reunite over 150 local lost animals with their family, as well as hosting multiple low cost microchip & vaccination clinics to help area animals stay healthy and safe. In 2022, with the support of many amazing individuals and families, we completed our next goal of constructing a dog park on our land! It’s been a joy to offer this wonderful space for the dogs in our community. Now we are looking forward for more opportunities to help the animals and their families in our community and beyond live the best lives they can.

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All God's Creatures Animal Shelter

AGC is a community oriented non-profit organization that serves Henry County, Iowa and surrounding communities. AGC is made up of a Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, fosters, and community leaders. We love our community and strive to meet the needs of our county and beyond!

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Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter

Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter (SMAS) is a small animal shelter located in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Built in 1991, the original facility's sole purpose was to serve as a "pound" for stray animals in Mahaska County. As with most animal impound facilities, animals that were not adopted or claimed after 7 days were euthanized. Since then, the SMAS has evolved beyond the old "pound" ideology. In 2011, SMAS stopped euthanizing animals for space and started looking for alternatives to euthanasia. Through partnerships with other shelters and breed rescues, as well as programs aimed at increasing the adoption rate of the animals in their care, SMAS went from a dismal live release rate of 40% (meaning 40% of the animals taken in leave the shelter alive) to a live release rate of 93%. In May of 2014, we celebrated our first month of a 100% live release rate, a milestone we are very proud of. In the beginning of 2021 we had a live release rate of 100% for 5 straight months. SMAS is considered a no-kill shelter by the 90% live release rate that is agreed upon the general , because we are able to maintain a euthanasia rate of less than 8%. In addition to taking in and re-homing stray, abandoned, abused, and otherwise homeless animals, SMAS, in partnership with Mahaska Humane Society, has developed programs aimed to educate the community and promoting responsible pet ownership. Some of these programs include visits to the elementary school to teach dog bite prevention, bringing dogs to the local university during finals week as stress relief for students, visiting nursing home and retirement facilities for "pet therapy", and helping low-income residents of Mahaska County get their pet spayed/neutered through our "Spay the County" program.

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People for Paws

People for Paws is a nonprofit organization located in the greater Shenandoah area. We are a volunteer organization dedicated to rescuing, fostering and finding homes for companion animals. People for Paws is comprised of a 7 member board and an increasiong number of local citizens and volunteers. We assist in the adoption and relocation of stray and pound animals from the Cities of Shenandoah and Essex as well as the surrounding rural area. Last year we rehomed over 125 dogs and cats. These animals were fully vetted including altering, specialized treatments and all shots. Since its inception in 2005 People for Paws has rehomed, or reunited with their owners, over 1500 companion animals. People for Paws has joined the Southwest Iowa Animal Coalition. This organization is a network of area rescues, County Shelters and Animal Food Banks.

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Sioux City Animal Adoption and Rescue

Since July 1st 2014, the Sioux City Animal Adoption & Rescue Center has spayed or neutered over 2500 animals prior to adoption, Paid for over 4500 Rabies shots and paid for emergency medical attention for many injured cats and dogs that came into the shelter. This figure will continue to grow every month. Spaying or Neutering the pets has huge health benefits for the cats and dogs, as well as preventing unwanted litters, which unfortunately, are not always accepted by the owner of the bred animals and are often dumped. The ultimate goal of the Sioux City Animal Adoption & Rescue Center is for 100% of the animals that we adopt to be spayed or neutered prior to adoption - and we want to be able to accomplish this WITHOUT increasing our adoption fees. It is an Iowa State Law that ALL animals that get adopted from shelters are spayed or neutered and this financial burden falls on the new owner if they choose an animal that is not already fixed. In addition to the spays and neuters, the shelter regularly receives animals that have been abused, abandoned, neglected and/or in a poor state of health, where Veterinary assistance has to be sought. It is very important for us to find loving, long-term homes for the animals that we adopt - so we DO NOT increase the adoption fees on the animals that we have had spayed or neutered or obtained medical treatment for, as we believe the adoption fee would then be prohibitive to many people who could otherwise offer a fantastic home for the pet. In many cases, we have much more money invested into an animal than we receive in adoption fees for him or her, it is fantastic that we are able to find great homes for the "fixed" animal - but this is obviously only sustainable for so long - we need help to be able to continue this fantastic work. We have partnered with "F.O.T.A.S" which is an acronym for "Friends Of The Animal Shelter" - FOTAS is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization - and any contributions that are received by FOTAS are tax deductible by the donor. F.O.T.A.S will be helping to cover the costs involved with spays or neuters, as well as other medical necessities or emergencies that may arise. F.O.T.A.S, like us, are there for the animals and will also help to fund any equipment or supplies that may be required in order to give the animals the very best care and attention - the animals deserve absolutely nothing less!

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Siouxland Humane Society

Our current state of the art Shelter was completed in 1999, a dramatic change since its’ founding in 1889 when the members sheltered pets in their homes. The most obvious growth has been the ever-expanding programs and services that are offered. Through our proactive humane education and expanded spay/neuter assistance programs, we have begun to see the number of pets we care for begin to decrease, but our work is far from over. FUNDING • The Siouxland Humane Society is a nonprofit organization dependent on donations from people like you to keep the Shelter open. • The SHS receives no city, state or federal dollars, no United Way funds or financial support from national humane organizations. • The SHS takes seriously the investments of its donors and supporters for the care of the pets. • The SHS, is governed by a volunteer board of directors, adheres to standard accounting practices; conducts an annual independent audit; and carefully and frugally manages its resources in order to care for as many pets as possible for decades to come. • The SHS has cared for Siouxland’s homeless pets since 1889. • The SHS is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

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Safe Haven of Iowa County

The mission of Safe Haven is to rescue, protect, rehabilitate and find good homes for dogs and cats in Iowa County. Secondly, to significantly reduce the overpopulation of stray dogs and cats and improve the lives of humans and the lives of pets through public education and sponsoring low/no cost spay and neuter programs.

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PAWS & More

Providing animals with shelter and compassionate care while supporting their families and communities, since 1978. PAWS & More, also known as Washington County Humane Society, is a private, adoption-guarantee shelter located in Washington, Iowa. “PAWS” stands for “Providing Animals with Shelter”, while “More” stands for the loving care and treatment we give to every animal who passes through our doors. Our Vision • Provides humane care to all animals needing protection; • Serves as a support resource to communities, animals, and their human families; • Seeks suitable homes for animals in need; • Collaborates with other shelters and rescue organizations needing assistance when possible; • Serves as the animal field services organization for Washington County, Iowa, and most of its incorporated communities; and • Provides euthanasia only when medically or behaviorally necessary. Our Values • PAWS and More is fiscally responsible and driven by high ethical standards. • We are an Equal Opportunity employer who cares about our paid staff and our volunteers. • PAWS and More seeks to assist families and communities in management of companion animal health and human health in loving homes. • Our shelter seeks to provide progressive, thoughtful, clean, and comforting surroundings for the animals in our care. • We seek to be environmentally responsible and good community neighbors.

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Cedar Bend Humane Society

Helping homeless pets since 1910. Cedar Bend Humane Society is an open-admission, full-service animal shelter in Black Hawk County, Iowa. CBHS accepts any animal in our care regardless of their age, breed, behavior, or health. Once in our care, animals placed on the adoption floor have no time limit on how long it takes to be adopted and every effort is given to find them a loving home. Homeless animals in our care are provided with medical attention, shelter, a comfortable living space, enrichment items, and are advocated for until they find their forever families. Cedar Bend Humane Society offers many services that directly benefit both the animals and people in our community such as lost and found services, low-cost vaccination and microchip clinics, spay and neuter, TNR / Barn Cat programs, pet burial and cremation services, nursing facility pet therapy, and educational program. Our location, 1166 West Airline Highway, Waterloo, opened in 1968. A new adoption center was built in 2009 with community support and donations. We are a non-profit organization that exists because of the support and friendship of people who donate money, time, and other gifts. Every dollar and donation received benefits the animals by helping with medical needs, spay and neuter costs, and providing care and shelter for the homeless, neglected, and unwanted animals of the Cedar Valley. Cedar Bend Humane Society staff and animals are forever grateful for your friendship and support!

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