The Best Maine Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

Blessed be the Bullies

Welcome to our page! We are a 501c3 nonprofit foster based dog rescue located in Maine. We strive to provide more than just a new family member. We provide links to other businesses that support our mission. We provide training tips and how-to on helping your new pet (or even a current one) live their best lives. We have testimonials from some of the wonderful families that we have impacted with our rescue.

Rescue Charlie's Friends

Rescue Charlie's Friends was established in 2018 because we love dogs and want them to have the best life possible. Many dogs lost their homes due to fire, floods or hurricanes. Others have been abandoned, neglected or abused. Whatever the cause, our mission is to rescue them and match them with a loving forever family. Most of our dogs come from high-kill shelters. The shelters do the best they can but due to limited facilities, dogs can't stay long. Dogs must be moved out quickly or be put down. These are Charlie's Friends. These are the dogs that we focus on. We stay in touch with shelters and volunteers in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and elsewhere. We bring the dogs to Maine where Fosters care for them until they are adopted. We rescue as many dogs as we can but we always need more help.

Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland

The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland nurtures the connection between people and pets to advance animal welfare and improve the quality of life in our community.

Midcoast Humane

Pope Memorial Humane Society

Pope Memorial Humane Society was founded in 1989 in response to the needs of homeless animals ‚their protection, care, and adoption. With support from many animal lovers and a substantial mortgage, our founders purchased the land between Dexter Street Extension and Buttermilk Lane in Thomaston, Maine, built the shelter, and opened it to the public in November 1991. From these humble beginnings in 1989 to the 10,000-square-foot facility built in 2015, thousands of animals have been lovingly tended, rehabilitated, and adopted.

Miracle German Shepherd Dog Rescue of Maine

Miracle German Shepherd Dog Rescue of Maine is a 501(c)3 Non Profit corporation (EIN 82-1137182). Based in Mid-Coast Maine, (Belfast area) we do our best to assist German Shepherd Dogs in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, as well as dogs from the Southern states and California as space permits! Each dog that comes into our program is carefully evaluated and then placed into a foster home. Once we have spent some time getting to know each dog, we make the dog available for adoption.

Give a Dog a Home

Give a Dog a Home Rescue helps pets in need through sheltering, adoption, education, spay/neuter, and community outreach. Engaging the hearts, hands and minds of our community to promote the humane treatment of animals through humane education, animal protection and community service.

Humane Society Waterville Area

Since 1970 HSWA has been a safe haven for animals in need. Our guiding principle is always quality of life for the animal. We are a high-adoption, open-admission facility. We don't euthanize animals due to lack of space or poor health. We are proud that we go the extra distance with every animal that comes through our doors. Every life is precious and deserves a fighting chance.

Animal Orphanage Old Town Maine

Pittie Posse Rescue & Sanctuary

Pittie Posse Rescue and Sanctuary has three missions: Rescue of animals: from overcrowded shelters in high-kill cities across the country (pulling from locations that are overwhelmed, such as, but not limited to, the South) as well as from owner surrenders, cruelty cases, and criminal seizures of dogs. Rehabilitation and training of rescued dogs in our care so we're adopting out dogs that have already completed basic obedience. Lack of manners and difficulty training this often-stubborn breed is one of the number one reasons adopted dogs get returned. We then carefully place dogs in loving adoptive homes. Our rescue is unique in that we stay in touch with adoptive families‚ we invite them into a private group where they can keep us updated on the dog, ask for training support, get vet questions answered, and share success pictures of their new pup. To make the world a better place for the bully breeds and the rescue workers who run themselves ragged to save them: educate the public on the plight of the breed and model responsible dog ownership: including offering on-site training to the public, video training, spay and neuter support, and advocacy.

Franklin County Animal Shelter

We are a non-profit animal shelter focused on providing temporary care and shelter to stray, homeless, and abandoned animals within our community. We are a no-kill shelter, which means we never euthanize animals due to a lack of space.

PAWS Animal Adoption Center

To provide care for homeless dogs and cats until they can be placed in permanent, responsible homes while promoting humane values in our community through outreach and educational programs.

3 Dogs Rescue

We believe rescue is traumatic and often an overload on an animal who relies heavily upon their senses. No matter what the dog's origin, the past was their home and was what they knew. Rescue pulls the animal from a familiar place, vets, spays and neuters, puts them in vehicles, crates and kennels, and immediately places them in a new environment. Even in the best of circumstances any human or animal would suffer a sensory shock at all this imposed change. Our ultimate goal is to remain conscious of the senses of the dogs as we move them to a better life.

Almost Home Rescue

In 1990, a dedicated group of Old Town/Orono citizens, concerned about the well-being of homeless cats and dogs in their communities, founded The Animal Orphanage. Thousands of lost or abandoned animals have found food, shelter, medical treatment and the comfort of a caring staff at the Orphanage over the years. Every effort is made to reunite the animal with its loving owners or arrange adoption into a new home.

Ellie's Legacy Animal Foundation

Ellie's Legacy Animal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, volunteer-run, foster- based dog rescue organization based out of Southern Maine. Our ability to help dogs and to continue as an organization relies totally on the generosity of public donations. We are passionate about pet adoption and place our rescued animals in responsible, loving, forever adoptive homes. Our area of focus for helping dogs in need is currently Texas. Yes, there are dogs in need of rescue everywhere, but we are drawn to helping Texas dogs due to the sheer numbers of homeless, abused, and neglected animals located in this state. We have been able to build a wonderful network of local Texas rescuers, fosters, veterinarians, and transporters to aid in our rescue. Our dogs are mostly stray animals found by Texas locals, dogs from Texas shelters, and some owner surrenders. We quarantine our dogs a minimum of 30 days in a Texas foster home and give appropriate veterinary care before they are transported to their Maine adoptive homes. We comply with all the health requirements mandated by the State of Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry.