The Best Kentucky Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

Bluegrass Bully Rescue

Bluegrass Bully Rescue is a non profit all breed dog rescue founded in 2019. We are a volunteer run organization serving the Central Kentucky area primarily. We are a foster based organization who is committed to the health and safety of the dogs we rescue while looking for their adoptive homes. Our goal is to grow our volunteer and foster base in order to allow us to save as many dogs as possible.

Lexington Pit Crew

We are a Bully Breed rescue operating in Central Kentucky. We have been a nonprofit for over 10 years and work strictly with volunteers who have the same passion for pitbulls as well do.

Tier Haven Rescue, Inc

At Tier Haven our hearts belong to the working dog breeds of Kentucky - German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois being our most common companions. The Tier Haven family is comprised of volunteers, adopters, and donors who have a passionate love for these working breeds and all of their quirks. We are brought together by the dogs that steal our hearts while chewing the shoe collection. Tier Haven Rescue, Inc was originally incorporated in 1996 under the name ARK Project, Inc and is a long standing member of the animal rescue community in Kentucky. Originally an all-breed rescue Tier Haven shifted to focus on working dogs with the rise of breed specific legislation which was leading to larger numbers of German Shepherds, and other working dogs, being euthanized. We are rooted in Kentucky with a strong passion for enacting change within the state which has a long journey towards building our animal welfare laws. Even as breed specific legislation has dwindled there are still large numbers of working dogs finding themselves at risk of euthanasia due to a lack of breed knowledge and/or training. Tier Haven is committed to giving these dogs a second chance and we are all honored to be part of their paths to a better life.

Stray Animal Adoption Program (SAAP)

Stray Animal Adoption Program (SAAP) was founded in 1998 and is dedicated to the rescue of dogs and cats that are in need of a forever home. Our animals are fostered in homes where they are provided with love, food, medical care, and socialization until adoption into a new loving home.

Wichita Pug Rescue

Franklin County Humane Society, Kentucky

The mission of Franklin County Humane Society is to care for our area's homeless animals, to re-home as many animals as possible, and to improve animal welfare throughout our community. As an open-admission shelter, we accept all cats and dogs in need. We are an independent 501c3 organization, and we are contracted by the City of Frankfort and the Franklin County Fiscal Court for animal control services.

Mispits and Friends

To provide a temporary safe haven for all dogs: all breeds, big and small, puppies and adults, fluffy and bald, differently-abled -- we help them all. We aspire to bring people and dogs together. Together, we create a family. Mispits and Friends Rescue is a non-profit organization formed in January of 2018.

Ariel Bully Rescue

Ariel Bully Rescue focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing bully breed dogs, in particular pit bulls and pit bull mixes. We help those abandoned on the street, abandoned in boarding facilities, and in shelters in Lousiville, Kentucky. Usually the dogs we take on have medical issues and/or behavioral issues due to neglect. They may also have suffered abuse. Our program of care involves: • allowing them to decompress in a safe, calm environment. • providing needed vetting, addressing any nutritional challenges through a diet of real food, and natural, holistic supplements. • training with our expert trainers to overcome any negative patterns and allow them to be a well adjusted dog. • love and care from a suitable foster parent.