The Best San Antonio, TX Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

San Antonio pets alive

San Antonio Pets Alive! is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Due to alarming euthanasia rates, San Antonio Pets Alive! (SAPA!) was founded in 2011. SAPA! is unique, it is the only high-paced, high-volume rescue in San Antonio, saving 5,000 at-risk cats and dogs from euthanasia annually. Since its inception, SAPA! has saved more than 70,000+ dogs and cats. SAPA! provides safety nets for the dogs and cats that fall through the cracks of all other lifesaving options and end up on the euthanasia list at the city shelter, often with just hours to be saved. SAPA! promotes the availability of these dogs and cats to other rescues, adopters, and fosters.

SNIPSA

Our mission is fourfold: to Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Rehome adoptable animals from high kill shelters and the community, and to encourage Responsibility within the pet owning population. By providing rescue, adoption, and offering low cost spay/neuter options, we are able to connect with our community and enrich the lives of our pet population.

Humane Society of the New Braunfels Area

While we are not funded by the city, the county, or any national humane organizations, the Humane Society of New Braunfels, a 501c3 non-profit, contracts with the City of New Braunfels and Comal County to house stray animals brought in by their Animal Control Divisions. We also accept stray pets brought in by citizens and if space allows, pets whose owners can no longer care for them. A small portion of our operating budget comes from the city and country contracts. We handle approximately 4,000 animals a year and at any given time care for approximately 100 cats and 100 dogs. The revenue we collect from our contracts covers approximately three days of care per animal and their intake vaccinations. If the animal stays longer, or needs any veterinary care, we rely on donations and adoption fees to cover those costs.

Footbridge foundation

Wendy Black fostered dogs for many years, and she always enjoyed walking them through the King William neighborhood and across the footbridge on Johnson Street. One day it struck her that the bridge itself was becoming symbolic. Around the time the dogs got the hang of their claws touching the metal surface of the bridge, they also forgot their desperate pasts and became ready to move into their happy futures. Shortly after this revelation, Wendy created a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and Footbridge Foundation was born. Over the last five years, Footbridge Foundation, along with the kind and dedicated help of donors, fosters, and volunteers, has saved the lives of thousands of dogs and cats. The organization is on track to rescue and adopt out at least 450 animals this year alone. To fund their charitable animal rescue efforts, Footbridge Foundation relies solely on the much-needed donations of generous supporters.

Mason's Haven

Mason's Haven is a tribute to our rescue dog Mason. He found us as a little puppy trying to catch up to some maintenance men in a golf cart. Once he saw us, he stopped and decided we might be a better alternative. After walking around trying to see if he was lost, we took him to our vet where we discovered he had the initial symptoms of Parvo. Luckily, we caught it early and Mason recovered. Mason brought a lot of joy into our lives but sadly, his life was cut short. He contracted Pythiosis, an infectious disease usually spread via infected water. By the time we determined the diagnosis, it was too late. The disease had spread to his lymph nodes. He passed away as Roger was saying goodbye. Since Mason's passing, Roger and I have volunteered at several rescues. In the course of those efforts, we have witnessed many of the challenges rescues face. Thus, Mason's Haven was formed. Our goal is to help other rescues through infrastructure support, transportation assistance, or working with challenging shelter residents. The dogs we feature on our site are ones we have taken into our rescue to help find homes . Some are seniors who have been in the system far too long thru no fault of their own while others were rescued from the euthanasia list.

Petunia's Rescued Friends

Formed in 2016, Petunia's Rescued Friends is named after a very special Opossum named Petunia. Petunia was rescued in Southern California as a baby, and was unable to be released. She was an amazing educational ambassador for all Opossums! Opossums do have very short life spans, but we were happy to have her in our lives for 3 years. Petunia absolutely loved educating the children who attended the Priceless Pet Rescue annual Pet Mania Kids Summer Camp Program. We have volunteered and fostered for Priceless Pet Rescue for many years....and consider them family. We moved to the city of San Bernardino, California...and our lives changed forever. The need for street rescue was downright overwhelming. We asked Priceless Pet Rescue for help. We are proud to say that hundreds of animals were saved off the streets because Priceless Pet Rescue said yes. We were, and still are absolutely blessed to have our Priceless Pet Rescue family in our lives. Now that we are here, living in beautiful Castroville, Texas...we want nothing more than to be a valuable resource to our city, and beyond. We want to help with the over population of street animals, and find them forever homes. All of our adoptable animals receive needed medical care, are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated.

Sierra's K9 Rescue and Rehab

Sierra's K9 R&R is dedicated to saving street dogs of San Antonio and surrounding areas. We want those dogs to know that there are people out there willing to help them and give them a voice.

Diamond Dachshund Rescue of Texas

In Dog We Trust

In Dog We Trust was formed for people to adopt trainable dogs for service dog training or good temperament pets. Many dogs have been returned to shelters by inexperienced people who fall in love with the look of a dog without really understanding what it takes to be a service dog. In Dog We Trust trains owners dogs with assessments as well as our rescues at no charge for veterans or first responders.

Saving Grace Rescue LBK

Paws Ranch Rescue and Animal Sanctuary

Paws Ranch Rescue and Animal sanctuary 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (PRRAS for short) that got its start in 2010 thanks to a publicly voted grant from Pepsi. We exist solely on grants, donations, and the help of our dedicated volunteers. Our goal is to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home or provide sanctuary to as many pets as possible. Over a thousand abused, abandoned, and neglected animals have already been saved by PRRAS. We at PRRAS along with the Alamo Area partnership for animal welfare (AAPAW) and other local rescues are striving to make San Antonio a truly NO KILL city. You can help by getting involved. Adopt a less adoptable pet, foster a pet, sponsor a special needs animal, become a volunteer, donate funds, pet supplies, or food, educate friends and neighbors about the stray pet problem, spay and neutering, and encourage them to adopt instead of breeding or buying. Together we can reach our goal of a Real No Kill City!

Tejas Rescued Pet Adoptions

Tejas Rescued Pet Adoptions (TRPA) is a 501c3 non-profit organization in action since 2005. Tejas consists only of dedicated volunteers who foster and care for rescued cats and dogs (mainly Chow Chows). TEJAS does not have a physical shelter but operates instead through the use of private foster homes and boarding. TRPA is based in Bexar County, Texas but covers the surrounding cities and counties. Tejas Rescued Pet Adoptions (TRPA) takes the necessary steps to make a rescued pet ready for adoption into a loving home. Our rescues arrive into our care from many different circumstances, requiring various degrees of medical attention. All vaccinations and veterinary care are provided prior to the adoption along with spay and neuters and a microchip. The rescues are fostered in private homes or boarded until ready for adoption.

Pause for Paws

Pause for Paws Inc. is a no-kill, all volunteer, foster-based 501(C)(3) non-profit, shelter in San Antonio, TX. We are a stray/street dog rescue, primarily taking in dogs directly from the streets in the San Antonio area and from people in the community who have picked up strays. We rescue, treat, rehabilitate, vaccinate, spay/neuter, and microchip all of our animals. We provide foster care in a loving environment while we match the animals with their forever homes.

TracysPawsRescue

Saving Grace Dog Rescue of San Antonio

Saving Grace Dog Rescue of San Antonio is a 501(c)3 foster-based rescue group dedicated to finding loving forever homes for the abandoned, stray, and homeless dogs of the San Antonio area.

Roxy's K-9 Rescue

We're a home-based rescue, which means all of our dogs are in foster homes learning how to be family members and loving companions. Roxy's K9 Rescue is a 501c(3) non-profit is run by volunteers saving dogs off the streets of San Antonio, TX since 2006.

Molino de Suenos/Windmill of Dreams Animal Rescue and Sanctuary

Olga Dib started rescuing in 1994, it was called "Second Chance" at that time, helping to find pet homes that friends, strangers and herself had found. Olga's dream has always been to find a home where all animals could live and not be forced to leave, due to various laws. In November 2011 Olga finds an abandoned deer ranch for sale, now known as Dream Mill, or the "Dream Mill" and houses more than 126 animals, including dogs, cats, birds, horses, donkeys, llamas. She hopes to raise awareness for the cruelty and neglect of animals. The main task at Molino de Sueños is to convert the animals rescued in need, into special friends that would be part of your family, part of our Animal Assisted Therapy program or part of our community education programs.

Protecting Animals Within San Antonio (P.A.W.S.)

Protecting Animals Within San Antonio (P.A.W.S.) is a foster-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit animal rescue. We are not a shelter and are 100% volunteer only. We do not have a facility.​​​​ P.A.W.S. is unique because we have been the ONLY foster-based rescue in Texas that saves animals, sponsors student groups AND teaches animal welfare education. ​​​We present the youth in San Antonio with an opportunity to be a part of something where they can make an immediate difference.At Harlandale High School, we sponsor the P.A.W.S. Club. These students choose which shelter animals to save and become a part of their rescue story. Students assist during spay/neuter events and help teach our humane education curriculum to elementary/middle schools and through this, the community learns about responsible pet ownership and how to prevent cruelty to animals. ​​To date, P.A.W.S. has rescued over 800 dogs and cats.We have sponsored over 1500 free spay/neuter surgeries to the public at large by hosting mobile clinics through SNIPSA. We have provided over 400 spay/neuter surgeries, eye enucleations, and amputations for community-owned pets in need. Over 300 students have participated in and been educated about animal cruelty and its prevention during our P.A.W.S. camps which were postponed when COVID hit.Every year we try to add new components to our curriculum. For example, in 2017, P.A.W.S. camp offered students the opportunity to work with certified CCPDT dog trainers to learn the tricks of the trade.

City of Converse Animal Care Facility

Converse Animal Care is responsible for: · Providing a safe humane shelter for unwanted, stray, abused, and impounded animals in accordance with state and city regulations in a cost-efficient and effective manner · Balancing the health, public safety, and welfare needs of people and animals · Enforcing animal related laws responsibly · Community outreach on responsible animal ownership · Investigating cases where animal care is questionable · Finding new loving homes for homeless animals at our shelter

Converse Animal Shelter Inc

In 1982, Casi began rescuing and re-homing dogs and cats as one of the first no-kill shelters in the San Antonio area. Our shelter was build on land donated by George Ammeman, with donations, volunteers and lots of hard work. Since then over 20,000 helpless, abandoned, unwanted, sick, and lost animals have come through our gates. We offer people a way to find a new best friend while saving a life. We also provide opportunities and community support events that advance responsible pet ownership and the humane treatment of pets. Please help us help these needy pets with a donation. No amount is too small. Visit our how you can help page for more ways you can help the Converse Animal Shelter.

Abandoned Pet Project Rescue

Wilson County No Kill Animal Shelter

Wilson County No Kill Animal Shelter is a 501c3 non-profit organization that has been committed to saving the lives of animals since 2015. Situated at 1059 CR 301, Floresville, Texas, it provides a safe haven for animals in need. The shelter offers various services such as pet adoption, fostering, and volunteering opportunities. It also conducts community outreach programs to educate people about animal welfare and promote responsible pet ownership. The shelter relies on donations and support from the community to continue its life-saving mission.

City of Schertz Animal Services

The Schertz Animal Services Division of the Police Department enforces the City’s Animal Ordinance and Texas Laws relating to animals, provides an animal adoption program, picks up and shelters stray, sick and/or injured animals, and investigates animal cruelty and neglect.

San Antonio Doberman Advocacy and Rescue

San Antonio Doberman Advocacy and Rescue (SADAR) • SADAR is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding homes for stray and abandoned Doberman Pinschers. • Our goal is to help as many Dobermans as we can by providing needed medical care, annual shots, heartworm treatment, and spayed or neuter prior to being adopted to their forever home. • We accept Doberman Pinschers from Animal Control facilities and from families who have circumstances where they are unable to care for the dog any longer. • The process of adoption involves application, personal approved home inspections and reference checks. • SADAR is always looking for dedicated persons interested in fostering Dobermans in their home. Please contact us if you can help foster dogs or contribute in other ways such as food, medicines, or monetary donations. • Our staff is strictly volunteers and all donations go directly to help Dobermans in need.

San Antonio Great Dane Rescue - Homeward Bound Dog Rescue

We are a 501(c)3 charitable organization, and we are the #1 great dane rescue in San Antonio and surrounding areas. We pride ourselves with all the volunteer work we do and everything we do for the dogs that we rescue. We are an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, the rehabilitation and the placement of all great danes and other breeds that are in the rescue. All our dogs will go to their forever homes neutered/spayed to prevent the euthanasia of all healthy dogs and to reduce the number of unwanted dogs being destroyed each year. We try to educate the general public why you shouldn’t buy a dog or puppy from a pet store and advise them about puppy mills. We evaluate the temperament of the dogs that come into this rescue and make sure that they go to the correct family. We ensure that all our dogs are in homes that will provide a safe living environment, that can give the attention and interaction that dogs deserve. These dogs of ours are not just pets — they are our family members. All of these dogs are in foster families throughout San Antonio and the surrounding areas and will stay there until the correct home will be found. They are NOT in a shelter in cages or runs, they are all in loving homes that share our beds, our couches for that short period of our lives.

City of Cibolo Animal Services

Bee Pawsitive Husky Rescue

At Bee Pawsitive Husky Rescue we save huskies & large breeds on the euthanasia list or dogs that are in need of URGENT help! Here at Bee Pawsitive Husky Rescue, we know that sometimes all it takes to change the world is a little support. Since our founding in 2022, we have been determined to make an impact. The core of our efforts is to save huskies and northern breeds from the euthanasia lists in shelters and abandon dogs. Through all of our endeavors we hope to display the conviction behind our beliefs.

Friends of Dogs Corporation

We are Friends of Dogs Corporation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit foster-based rescue located in Seguin, TX. Our goal is to network the dogs at the Guadalupe County Animal Control and find them forever homes. There are 2 parts to what we do at Friends of Dogs Rescue. 1. We are a team of volunteers that network the dogs that come into GCAC. We vaccinate, deworm, & give flea/tick preventative. We assess the dog for age, heartworm status, temperament, whether spayed/neutered and any medical issues. We video and take pictures that are used for networking to the public and rescues. We fund vet appointments such as skin scrapes, xrays, & more emergent situations. We have a team of transporters who aid in getting the dogs to partner rescues. 2. We are a foster based rescue. We will pull these dogs into our rescue if we have a foster step up. From there, we finish the vetting, prepare the dog for adoption, post profiles of the dog, and get the dog adopted into a happy forever home. Here we will share the monthly numbers of what we accomplish with our volunteer team, our amazing social media followers, and our foster team.

Southwest English Setter Rescue

Established in 2012, Southwest English Setter Rescue (SWESR) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization and is incorporated in the state of Texas. Our founding members and volunteers have decades of experience in animal rescue and specifically English Setter rescue. We share a love for English Setters and an in-depth understanding of this wonderful breed. SWESR dogs are rescued from shelters and hunting operations in the Southwest USA which includes Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and California. We also work with individuals in the Southwest USA who wish to rehome their Setters. All SWESR dogs live in foster homes where their energy level, temperament, training and other skills can be assessed prior to adoption. All our dogs receive a complete vet exam, are spayed or neutered, brought up-to-date on vaccinations, tested and treated (if needed) for heartworms and other parasites, given heartworm prevention, and micro-chipped. We welcome prospective adopters in the contiguous USA. Because our goal is to make the best possible placement for each dog, we work closely with prospective adopters to ensure a successful match. Because we require home visits before adoption, applicants in remote areas and/or outside of the Southwest USA may need to be patient while we locate a volunteer to assist us. We encourage adopters to drive to pick up their adopted Setter from their foster home whenever this is possible. If an adopter is unable to drive to the foster location to pick up the dog being adopted, transports within the Southwest USA may be arranged on a case-by-case basis on some routes through our network of volunteer drivers. SWESR is wholly dependent on our adoption fees and private donations to meet our expenses. All donations go directly to the care of our rescue dogs. We need volunteers to support our efforts, especially foster homes, in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California. Please consider making a donation or volunteering for SWESR.

Rosco's Rescue

The streets may have written their past, but you can help write their future. Help us be a part of the change. Whether you decide to donate, share a social media post, volunteer at an event, or open your heart and home to a rescue dog, your support turns our mission into a reality. Rosco's Rescue is fueled by the love, time, and generous donations of people just like you. Every cent contributes to a second chance. Rosco's Rescue is a 501c3. Tax receipts are available upon request. In a world where it’s easier to abandon than to stand up, Rosco’s Rescue provides a voice for the voiceless. We believe that every dog deserves a second chance, not just at life but at love. We focus on finding safe, and loving homes for at risk, sick, abandoned, neglected and homeless dogs. We go beyond matchmaking. Our dedication runs deep—we cover all medical expenses, bills, and support (belly rubs included) for each dog until they find their fur-ever home. That means, when you adopt from Rosco’s Rescue, you’re getting a furry friend who’s not just ready to love but is also healthy and happy too.