The Best Phoenix, AZ Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

Sky Sanctuary Rescue

Sky Sanctuary specialize in the humane capture and rescue of stray, fearful and injured animals from the streets of Phoenix, Arizona, the surrounding desert areas and local shelters. We often rescue the abandoned, lost and forgotten animals. Fiercely advocating for the animals in our care. Often our animals have extensive and complex medical needs that require a profound level of specialty medical care. Not only do we invest in our animal's physical health, we utilize a trusted group of trainers to build confidence, empower and improve our animal's mental well-being in order to live peaceful, happy lives in family homes. We are very different from other animal rescue organizations. We are "boots on the ground" in our community while passionately fight for the dogs and animals no one else has the courage to take on. We have a knack for finding ourselves in pretty breathtaking scenarios- some call it divine intervention, others call it luck. We live by the mantra "if not me then who?". We are funded solely by public donations through social media. We are grateful for the opportunity to help these animals. We would go to any length to #SAVETHESTREETDOGS

Almost There: A Mom + Pups Rescue

My name is Geri Hormel and I am the founder of Almost There Rescue. What do we do at ATR? We save bitches. No, we don't go around seeking out malicious, unpleasant women and try to convince them to change their ways (although someone should!). We save dogs. Specifically, homeless, pregnant, large-breed dogs. We scoop those gals up from less than ideal situations and give them a place to birth and raise their pups. We work our tails off to give our pups the medical help, enrichment, socialization, and love that they need on their journeys to finding forever homes.

Puppy Luv Animal Rescue

Foster based, all breed, all size dog rescue.

The Pet Knot

The Pet Knot was forged to combine efforts of like-minded rescues and volunteers humbly striving to make a dent in the urgent pet over-population crisis. Our talents and strategies promote animal adoptions through online, in-store, and boutique-like options for adopters. All animals receive the highest level of medical care and grooming. Animals also receive appropriate adjustment time and basic social skills in foster homes in preparation for a new home environment. We help all animals including seniors, special needs, and those seemingly 'unadoptable' cases and work diligently to place each in the most appropriate permanent home possible no matter how long it takes. We call ourselves The Pet Knot because not only do we connect people with pets, we keep people with pets.

AZ Husky Rescue

A 501c3 non-profit helping the huskies in Arizona that need it the most. We intake from high-kill shelters within our state and provide medical care, rehabilitation, breed education and successful outcomes.

SOUL An Animal Rescue

Our amazing team of volunteers and fosters are committed to helping animals in our community. Our roots are in the veterinary medicine community and many of our fosters are veterinary students! Think you would be a good addition to our team? See our "Get Involved" page for more information on how to become a foster or volunteer! We are a foster-based organization operated out of Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding cities. We started as a small group of veterinary students with the hopes of offering a few kittens a second chance. We've grown considerably since then, all thanks to the helping hands of this amazing community

Living the Dream Rescue

Living The Dream Rescue is created and managed by people who care deeply for animals. We don't just want to save them, we love them, and we want to help them find lifelong happiness. Our staff and fosters give endlessly from their own pockets to ensure that our furry friends are cared for and comfortable up to and even post adoption.

Pets Return Home

Pets Return Home is a nonprofit organization providing canine behavior modification, training and convalescence support to municipal shelters, animal rescue organizations, and the Verde Valley community. Our mission: Save lives, enrich welfare and build adoptability of homeless animals, drives our every action. ​ Our team has extensive knowledge and hands-on experience working with hundreds of dogs with behavior, training or medical needs. ​ We are located near Clarkdale, AZ on a four-acre ranch bordering national forest, a canyon and the Verde River. Many of the dogs “free-range” on the fenced four-acre parcel. We have a 400 square foot (sq. ft.) medical clinic, six fenced play yards totaling over 4000 sq. ft., a 3000 sq. ft. agility/work yard and a 2100 sq. ft. kennel facility with ten 100 sq. ft. luxury kennels. ​ The location and facility layout enable dogs to socialize, exercise, overcome fears, build confidence & trust and earn adoptable status. ​ We welcome adopters, volunteers and visitors by appointment and are supported primarily through donations. ​ Our Behavior Development Philosophy Pets Return Home primarily accepts dogs with behavior or medical issues from reputable animal rescues, municipal shelters and the Verde Valley community as space permits. These dogs usually are saved from the kill-list at shelters, the unadoptable list for rescues or by owner surrenders. Our work involves ‘resetting the behavior’ of a dog using a variety of methods. We verify recognition of audible and/or hand commands, reinforce known commands and expose the dog to unknown commands. One driving philosophy of our work is that the dog’s new family must work with the dog to earn and build the bond, leadership and respect necessary to keep the dog stable, manageable and part of the family. ​ This is why every family adopting a dog from our facility receives post adoption training and instruction tailored for the dog they have just adopted and has been in our care for weeks, months or even years. ​ Every dog that arrives at our facility is placed in a three-day quarantine. During this time, they see, smell, hear and feel the surrounding environment without fear. The routines of the humans, other dogs and external influences are presented to them without their involvement. This initial observation time allows them to determine the rank of each dog in each pack on the property. In addition, they learn which humans are their primary caregivers and leaders. Likewise, the humans and other dogs on the facility have the opportunity to assess the ‘new student’. This introduction period is paramount to the success of our programs. ​ Pets Return Home currently uses three dog-packs that assist in helping behavior challenged dogs learn canine manners, discover trust, build confidence and implement acceptable behavior patterns. The pack members each have their own contribution to help guide the dog through its behavior growth. Our behavior development experts work with each dog individually and with the packs to increase predictable behavior. ​ After the initial assessment, each dog has continuous assessments to customize the behavior development program. There is no “cookie cutter” approach to behavior development at Pets Return Home. Each dog has a unique program customized to its needs. Socialization, exercise and challenge are other key components of our programs. ​ Each dog is taken off property for 1-5 mile hikes and swims (weather permitting) at least three times a week. The dogs are taken as a pack and individually, depending upon their level of development and needs. We have multiple ‘courage’ courses on the river and cliffs. We challenge the dog in pack and solo outings to help build trust and confidence. This by far is the most visible sign of a dog’s improvement. ​ All of the people handling the dogs have a deep understanding of dogs, their nature, behavior, operant conditioning, classical conditioning, punishers, reinforcers, and much more. We use methods to help dogs in the most humane ways possible, taking into account the dog’s psychological needs and natural ways of learning. We work with the dog so she can learn a new and more instinctual way of behaving.

K9 Konnection

K9 Konnection is a 501 (C) (3) Not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to the rescue, shelter, re-uniting, and re-homing of dogs in need.K9 Konnection is committed to a “NO KILL” philosophy. In addition, we strive to assist dog owners in being able to properly care for their dogs that prevent them from needing to be removed or surrendered to an Animal Shelter by providing informational resources and a food bank for those struggling financially. If you live in Wickenburg or the surrounding area you probably know some of the individuals currently working at K9 Konnection. Open hours to the public are Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. or by appointment. On the weekends we are normally at adoption events. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact us at 928-232-2611.

People for Paws AZ Rescue

People for Paws AZ Rescue is a non-profit 501(c)3 dog rescue that focuses on saving homeless and helpless dogs in Arizona. Our mission is to provide a safe space and forever home to all neglected, abandoned, and abused dogs as well as promoting compassion, in-home training, and humane treatment in the community. Most of our adoptable dogs have been saved from municipal shelters in Arizona. Each dog is in a foster home, which allows the dog to learn house manners, how to interact with a family, and receive lots of love. Since all our dogs are in foster homes, People for Paws AZ Rescue knows every dog’s personality, likes/dislikes, and special quirks allowing us to place them into their perfect fur-ever home! While in foster, all People for Paws AZ Rescue dogs are put through our “Doggy Boot Camp” training program that has been developed by a team of expert dog trainers to prepare them for life as your new best friend. All of our dogs are exposed to many experiences to set them up for success with their new family. P4PAZ Rescue is committed to giving adopters all information about our dogs to find the pur-fect match. Every dog is properly vetted and microchipped prior to adoption. Adoption fees help cover our rescue costs and allows us to continue saving more dogs. People for Paws AZ Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and receives no tax or government funding. We do not sell, rent, or share our supporter information with any other organizations or third parties.

Fedwell Farm Rescue

Fedwell Farm Rescue Inc, a 501(c)3 non profit organization, specializes in the rescue, adoption and rehabilitation of the Herding Dogs, with the occasional hound included.Fedwell Farm Rescue has moved to South East Arizona. Formerly we were located in North Scottsdale (Rio Verde), we are keeping our North Scottsdale address for mailing purposes only. Fedwell Farm Rescue, has been saving dogs since 2004 and has adopted out over 1800 dogs over the years. Our dogs come from shelters throughout Arizona, most from the euthanasia lists of county shelters. Typically, a county employee calls and asks for help with one of our breeds. If we have space, we send transport immediately and bring the dog to safety. We have picked up dogs in Nogales, Douglas, Wilcox, the Navajo Reservation, Yuma, Page, Kingman and Winslow for example.Once the dogs arrive, we treat any physical or psychological issues, spay/neuter and do whatever is necessary to prepare the dog for his or her forever home. Fedwell Farm does not "kennel" dogs and and they learn to socialize. Our dogs are ready for their forever home when they leave our care. We believe in a low stress environment and a low key adoption. Our motto is a happy adopter means a happy dog. We do everything in our power to help even after the the adoption. Every Fedwell Farm Dog will always be a Fedwell Farm Dog and we will work with the adopter to remedy any issue. If things don’t work out, we ALWAYS take our dogs back.

Forever Loved Pet Sanctuary

Our sanctuary serves a public need by housing a limited number of senior dogs. This provides relief to local shelters, which are often overcrowded. FLPS works with local animal rescues and shelters to identify senior dogs in need. Unfortunately, euthanizing senior animals at county shelters is common due to lack of space and a focus on younger, “more adoptable” dogs. We provide a variety of services: • Adoption services • ‍Foster homes • Hospice foster program • Education for animal caretakers • Medical/financial assistance for some fosters or adopters • Training for the dogs

Community Paws

We have been a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit in Buckeye, Arizona since 2014. We are completely dependent upon local volunteers and rescue organizations to foster animals in need. We hold numerous events throughout the year to generate donations to help local animals and individuals in need. ​ One of our proudest achievements is partnering with Chewy.com since 2018 to redistribute pet food deemed unacceptable for resale to animal rescues and charities in need. To date we've provided hundreds of thousands, if not millions of pounds of pet food, one bag at a time.

AZK9 Rescue

Luv of Dogz Fund, Inc

Luv of Dogz Fund Inc. is a 501 C-3 corporation which provides advocacy and resources for rescued/abandoned/homeless dogs and to the people who rescue and care for them. We are all volunteers and have full time jobs; rescuing needy dogs is our passion. We are actively involved in helping people who rescue dogs who are in many sad situations or turned in by their owners and helping unclaimed strays find loving, forever homes. We manage this funding and resource effort solely on DONATIONS to help cover complete medical care and foster care of rescued dogs. Adoptions from Luv of Dogz Fund occur only in Arizona. We are a group of dog lovers, rescuers, and foster home providers who are working together to find safe emergency foster homes and crisis services for homeless/abandoned/rescued dogs. We can assist with spaying, neutering, emergency surgeries and health supplies if we have the resources at the time. It is something that we do without getting paid at all, so please realize that we are all volunteers with full time jobs and families. Therefore, please be patient and allow us the courtesy of 24-48 hours to respond to you.

Better Days Rescue

We’re a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and we are all volunteers. Your donation goes to the care of the dogs, never to employee salaries. It’s about the dogs! We use a detailed application to identify potential adopters, and we place the needs of the dogs above all else. Happy Dogs = Happy Adopters. We strive for lifetime matches. We promote responsible dog ownership by educating the public on the selection, care, and training of dogs. Our dogs live in private foster and boarding accommodations, and are re-homed in the Phoenix metro area via an application process. Requirements vary by dog, and the adoption fee is $400. We help dogs of all ages; many or most are active breeds. We often take on urgent or complex medical cases, as well as dogs who require behavioral help before joining their new families. Our donors, volunteers, foster parents, and adopters, together with our veterinary team and professional trainers, help us to save dogs with confidence that we can provide the help they need.

Heidi's Village

Heidi’s Village operates using an innovative sheltering model that brings the animal welfare community and all necessary services under one roof. We partner with existing animal welfare organizations, most of whom are foster based, to expand and compliment their operations to save more pets together. We achieve this by providing: • Low-cost boarding to expand our Rescue Partners ability to say “Yes!” to pets in need when their network of fosters is full. • Affordable medical care at our on-site Veterinary Clinic to empower our Rescue Partners to accept animals in critical need of treatment without having to worry about cost. One partner rescue saved $25,000 in just 6 weeks by utilizing our Clinic instead of a private Veterinary office. We don’t just board for other rescues, we also have our own life-saving programs! • The Smitten Kitten Nursery – the cutest room in the entire Village! Our Nursery lovingly rescues and raises neonate kittens that require delicate 24/7 care. Core Values • Commitment: We execute our mission with an unwavering commitment to our community, our partners, each other, and the animals in our collective Village. • Harmony: We strive for an environment where collaboration, inclusion, diversity, and an openness to a broad range of ideas, backgrounds, and experiences are celebrated and recognized as necessary for our success. • Accountability: We expect excellence from ourselves and each other, holding each accountable for the unrivaled standards we strive to exemplify as an organization within, and for, our community. • Respect: We respect each other, our community members, and the animals in our care equally, recognizing that differences of opinions and methods are necessary to achieve innovative results. • Trust: We are both trustworthy and trusting of each other in words and deeds, honoring a firm belief in the good intentions, capabilities, and strength of humans and animals alike. • Safety: We are steadfast in our dedication to the safety of our people, our community, and the animals in our care.

Heart2Heart Animal Rescue

Heart2Heart Animal Rescue is dedicated to lowering the euthanasia rate in Maricopa County by rescuing dogs from the shelters and finding them adoptive homes. Many dogs do not show well when in a shelter, but will often blossom and become a whole different dog when they're no longer in that scary environment. Heart2Heart will give these dogs a chance to shine and show who they really are. Heart2Heart is a foster based rescue, which means the dogs in their care stay in homes and not cages. I believe this helps prepare dogs for their adoptive home by allowing them to learn house manners and introducing them to things they'd never experience in a shelter. Heart2Heart also has limited resources to take in pocket pets and birds to adopt out.

Paw Placement

Paw Placement is a non-profit 501(c)(3), no-kill organization. Our mission is to reduce euthanasia of dogs and cats through rescue, adoption, and education about responsible pet ownership. Paw Placement is an all-breed rescue, which means that we save everything from Pitbulls to Papillons! Our dogs are all in loving foster homes, we don't have a boarding facility. You can rest assured that every one of them is safe and loved until we find the perfect forever home. We know our pups very well, and we do everything we can to make sure they go to a home that is correctly equipped to handle the unique needs of each particular dog.

Heart of Infinity

Paw Kindness Animal Rescue and Sanctuary

Paw Kindness is a 501(c)(3), no-kill organization. Our mission is to reduce euthanasia of homeless animals through rescue, adoption and education about responsible pet guardianship.

Four Peaks Animal Rescue

Four Peaks Animal Rescue is predominately driven by the commitment of volunteers to minimize, if not eliminate the suffering of animals who, by virtue of their domestication and subsequent abandonment, are completely dependent upon others for their care and sustenance. We are a no-kill rescue organization seeking to accommodate all species of domestic pets. While many rescue services are reactive to the problem of animal abandonment, Four Peaks Animapic_dogandcat.jpgl Rescue is proactive in providing the education to the consumer designed to help break the cycle of abandonment. We are passionate in our belief that animal care education is the foundation for a rewarding interaction and lasting relationship. Education provides better communication and understanding between a guardian and a companion animal. Aspects of a prospective owner's education should include (without being limited to) an animals proper feeding, grooming, and medical care as well as its introduction to family and other pets, housebreaking, and obedience training.

Arizona Poodle Rescue

Cavalier Rescue Foundation

The Cavalier Rescue Foundation of Arizona is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization. We are a small team of volunteers dedicated to rescuing neglected and/or unwanted Cavaliers and placing them in qualified and loving homes throughout the Valley. All of our Cavaliers are owner turn-ins, breeder surrenders, or rescued from puppy mills. Our mission is to help every beloved Cavalier find a forever home where they will receive the lifelong care and attention they deserve. A majority of our dogs come from puppy mills found throughout the Midwest. A puppy mill is a large scale breeding facility where female dogs churn out puppies for a profit with little to no true care for the health and welfare of the dogs. These dogs are left to live in kennels for their entire lives with minimal human contact. The females are bred every heat starting at 6-10 months of age, and their puppies are sold either locally, online, or at pet stores nationwide. Our rescue is unique in that we often have to pay for our Cavaliers at puppy mill auctions. These events are held in states such as Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma where hundreds of dogs are tagged with a number, listed in a catalog, and one by one brought up to the auction block where they are simply sold to the highest bidder. We concentrate on purchasing Cavaliers from complete kennel sellouts. This means a breeder is selling everything; all their dogs, their buildings, kennels, equipment, etc. The money that we pay the breeder to rescue these Cavaliers will typically go to the person's retirement, and not be reinvested in other dogs. Also, this keeps the Cavaliers that we save from going to other breeders where they will use them again and again as money making machines. Cavaliers are an amazingly resilient breed, and no matter how they are previously treated they learn to trust and love their human companions. Rescued Cavaliers make wonderful pets, and the bond that forms between them and owner is indescribable.

Stay With Me Animal Rescue

Established In 2022, Stay With Me Animal Rescue Is A No-Kill Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Dog Rescue That Primarily Operates Within The State Of Arizona. We Are A Small, Foster-Based Organization Who Prides Itself On Quality Over Quantity, Educating The Public On Issues Surrounding Dog Ownership/Rescue, And Simply Helping Our Community Of Animal Lovers In Any Way We Can. We Save Canines Regardless Of Their Color/Breed/History, And We Base Our Ability To Intake An Animal Solely On Our Ability To Give That Animal What It Needs To Thrive.

HannahPearl Rescue

We are a non profit animal rescue located in Scottsdale. We rescue dogs that have been abandoned, abused, are at risk of euthanasia or have medical issues from the shelters here in Arizona. We also rescue many dogs in need from a small rescue in Mexico with our team of dedicated animal advocates that help us with the transportation and initial medical intervention. We are a foster based rescue so all the animals we take in go to loving temporary homes so that we can continue to provide their medical treatments. Fosters are critical in our mission and they provide a safe place for our rescues to heal physically, emotionally and mentally. Most of our Mexico rescues were initially street dogs that have been subjected to the most inhumane treatment by humans and have never been in a home environment. A lot of the animals in our care are in need of extensive medical intervention due to sickness, old age, disease or being abused. We pride ourselves on being a small rescue that go above and beyond and believe in quality over quantity to provide each individual rescue we take in all of the necessary vetting and rehabilitation they need to become adoptable so that they can be placed into loving forever homes. Once our rescues are medically cleared they are adopted out through HannahPearl or our trusted rescue partners. Once they are adopted we also provide additional guidance and anything else that is needed to help them adjust in their new homes. We always stay connected with our adopters and continue to get updates on their progress. We are lucky enough to have even made lifelong friends with some and we still get to see our rescue babies which is everything to us.

Home Fur Good Animal Rescue

Home ‘Fur’ Good is a 501(c)3 no-kill animal rescue organization whose mission is to eliminate the euthanasia of adoptable homeless cats and dogs in Maricopa County by providing quality medical care and adoption placements, as well as promoting spay/neuter procedures and providing outreach education for pet owners.

Poverty's Pets

Phoenix Animal Welfare Solutions (P.A.W.S.) consists of a group of concerned citizens who believe the state of animal welfare in the City of Phoenix to be inconsistent, insufficient and neglectful. Animal abuse continues to go unchecked in our underserved communities. We are advocating for cost effective changes regarding how the City of Phoenix addresses animal abuse, neglect and suffering in these communities. Our objective is simple: pet-owners must be held accountable, but this is only possible with adequate laws, enforcement, and joint efforts across departments. Poverty’s Pet was founded in 2006 by Kate Sivolella. As its name indicates, Poverty’s Pets aims to improve the lives of companion animals in low-income and under served communities. With a focus on free spay and neuter clinics, Poverty’s Pets continues to work to bring an end to animal suffering. In 2008, “The Columbus House” was established, earning its name after Kate’s first rescue dog, Columbus. This safe- house has seen nearly 1200 dogs pass through as they made their way to forever homes. Today every dog is cared for by Connie and Josh, who live at the house and love each dog as their own as they transition from stray to being adopted. Once castaways, to a beloved family member.

Pepper's Pals Rescue

“Pepper” is the name lovingly given to the female AmBully adopted by the Langley family in 2013. Never having rescued a dog before, the Langley family were introduced to the world of dog adoption through Pepper. Birth of Advocacy After bringing home Pepper, the Langley family underwent training and research to become well-versed in canine physical/mental health, all-breed advocacy, and rescue dog ownership. Legacy Lives On This little AmBully awakened a love for helping rescue dogs find their forever homes. The need for a foster-backed rescue in the Northwest Phoenix was realized in Pepper’s Pals Rescue.

VJ Ranch

VJ Ranch is a quiet, peaceful horse boarding and leasing facility in New River, Arizona. We border the Tonto National Forest for miles of trail riding! We provide a safe and comfortable environment for your horse and all the necessary accommodations for you. We are here to offer a helping hand if one is needed. We are also home to a dog rescue and always have wonderful dogs available for adoption! VJ Ranch is home to a dog rescue as well! We rescue all of our dogs and puppies from shelters when they are in immediate danger of euthanasia. All of our dogs live here at the ranch as part of our family until they find their forever home. We spay/neuter, vaccinate, deworm and microchip all of our dogs and puppies prior to them going home. We also work on housebreaking, crate training and socialization with them. Our goal is to find loving, forever homes for as many homeless animals as we can. Please schedule an appointment to come out and meet the gang.