The Best Seattle, WA Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

Resilient Hearts Animal Sanctuary

Resilient Hearts is a 501(c)3 nonprofit rescue that rescues animals from high risk situations and unites them with their forever families in the Puget Sound area. As a queer led organization, we are committed to accessible and inclusive programs for our entire community, and maintain a community safe space for anyone to share our animals.

Motley Zoo Animal Rescue

Motley Zoo Animal Rescue is the revolution of rescue. As a rock and roll-themed, foster-based, volunteer-powered rescue, we take in animals that have no one else. "Animals" primarily means dogs and cats, but as the name "zoo" implies, we take all kinds (as long as we have a foster home/ resources for that species). We work with shelters and owners who cannot keep their pets and through extensive veterinary care and training, we rehabilitate them and place them in loving, forever homes where the animals will never again be abandoned. More than 30% of the animals we take in are special or medically needy and require more extensive and expensive care. In all we work with all ages, breeds, many species and all different types of humans too- treating each as an individual so they can find the life and love they deserve.

Auburn Valley Humane Society

AVHS is a local, independent 501(c)3 non-profit, which relies on pet licensing fees, vulnerable pet housing agreements with the City of Auburn, shelter services, spay and neuter services, Thrift Store sales, Cat Cafe Sales, and generous donations from the community to fund the shelter, clinic, and educational programs.

Greyhound Pets, Inc.

John A. Hern Jr. founded Greyhound Pets, Inc. in 1985. John was a Coeur D'Alene, Idaho businessman who built a foundry business and owned Industrial Park real estate. Among John's many and varied interests, he held greyt admiration for ex-racing greyhounds and became committed to their care and welfare. As the greyhound racetrack opened in Coeur D'Alene John started a small side business providing feed and racing equipment to track kennels. He demonstrated his commitment to the dogs by being instrumental in building a track sponsored Greyhound Welfare Committee that reviewed track and kennel policies. John's first greyhounds were Roo and Babe, the two greyhounds featured in the GPI logo. John adopted several greyhounds after Roo and Babe. Ace was one of his favorites and was the subject of many of John's stories. John was the executive director of Greyhound Pets, Inc. for many years and oversaw expansion to include the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern Canada. John's generous bequest to the organization he founded has provided for GPI's continued prominence in the ex-racing greyhound rescue effort. The volunteers who continue in the efforts John began, honor his colorful leadership in finding homes for ex-racers. John is remembered and his love for ex-racing greyhounds honored in the Hern Greyt Works, GPI's kennel facility in Woodinville, WA.

Juno's Den

Welfare for Animals Guild (WAG)

Since 2001, WAG has placed dogs into new, loving homes. Our rescues come to us in many ways: owner surrenders due to unplanned life changes, over-populated shelters, and strays found wandering streets and fields. Prior to adoption, all of our rescues are spayed/neutered, receive all vaccines, are micro-chipped, and all other medical needs are addressed.

CHEW Dog Rescue

CHEW Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to rescuing abandoned dogs, dogs scheduled for euthanasia due to shelter space limitations, and other dogs who need us. We are always looking to find additional foster homes and acquire funding for other essential elements of dog rescue to allow us to help more dogs in need. We strive to place our dogs in safe and loving forever homes. Additionally, we promote responsible dog ownership through the facilitation of educational and recreational activities and events. CHEW (Canine Health Education and Welfare) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization.

The Pit Bull Pen

We are an all volunteer rescue specializing in bully breeds. We are facility based and prefer our dogs experience the home environment with their foster homes because the care they receive is superior to a shelter environment. Spay/neuter, microchip, vaccinations, training, socialization and lots of love are critical for producing well balanced and well behaved dogs.

Homeward Pet Adoption Center

Homeward Pet's mission is to transform the lives of cats and dogs in need through compassionate medical care, positive behavior training, and successful adoption while building a more humane community.

Seattle Humane

Founded in 1897, Seattle Humane proudly promotes the human-animal bond by saving and serving pets in need. We are one of the region's leaders in animal adoption, education and welfare. Seattle Humane is more than a shelter we are a community resource center, providing adoption services, a pet food bank and support for pet owners, low-cost spay/neuter surgeries and wellness exams, humane education for all ages and more. Our work is made possible by the support of a generous community, and through our outreach, advocacy and services we strive to ensure that animal companionship is accessible to all.

Old Dog Haven

Old Dog Haven is a small nonprofit group using a large network of foster homes to provide loving, safe homes for unadoptable senior dogs in need in western Washington. When we have room and the means, we take these dogs into our homes. We care for them as members of the family in permanent foster homes (what we call ‚Final Refuge‚) and provide all needed veterinary care for as long as they have a good quality of life. In addition, we assist rescues, shelters and owners in finding new homes for senior adoptable dogs through our website, social media and referrals.

The Humane Society of Mason County

The Humane Society of Mason County (HSMC) is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that serves the Mason County area of Washington State. Our organization adheres to a philosophy of a no-kill shelter and animal rescue. We believe in providing second chances for companion animals whether they are abandoned, abused, neglected or homeless. We believe that all animals deserve the chance to live, thrive and be loved in "forever homes!" It is our sincere desire to provide aid when needed and to create opportunities for these needy animals to have a second chance at life.

Save A Mutt

Red Waggin' Rescue

Red Waggin' Rescue is a Washington State dog and cat rescue. We are a foster-based non-profit founded in 2012 in Eastern Washington. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and find homes for abandoned dogs and cats in need, ensure healthy pets through pet food education, cultivate the younger generation's love of animals, and build a community where animals are valued and celebrated. Every animal deserves to be loved and find a forever home! 100% of your donation will go directly to help animals in need.

Center Valley Animal Rescue

The Olympic Mountains provide the backdrop to Center Valley Animal Rescue (CVAR), a ranch with 32-acres of pastures, ponds, barns and shelters for large animals. The central building is home to small animals, an office, a medical room and storage. This animal rescue is the vision of Sara Penhallegon who in 2002, formed a 501(3) C Charitable Organization on the Washington State Olympic Peninsula. Sara and a handful of friends created a network of carefully screened foster care families to temporarily care for animals that were being signed over due to abuse or neglect or by people who simply could no longer care for them.

The NOAH Center

In 1988, Northwest Organization for Animal Help first opened its doors at our original shelter location on Camano Island. For more than ten years our staff and volunteers worked diligently to help animals in the community. As the need for help grew in our own community and across Washington state, we knew we had to expand our resources to better serve our mission to save more animals. After years of serving animals in our local community, we expanded our horizon by adopting a new approach to our facility, programs, and services. In 2003 we debuted our current location in Stanwood, WA where we introduced our expanded adoption and brand new transfer and low-cost spay/neuter programs. Since then we have created partnerships with more than 100 different shelters to transfer animals at risk of euthanasia to our facility for the second chance they deserve; we have developed the second-highest volume spay/neuter clinic in Washington state; and we have continued to expand our efforts to ensure healthy, adoptable and treatable animals across Washington state and beyond are given a second chance.

Saving Great Animals

Saving Great Animals is a matchmaking rescue organization focused mainly on dogs in the Greater Seattle area. We work tirelessly to match the best pet to your family based on breed, lifestyle and other factors. With more than 8500 lovingly homed since 2007, we are proud of our dedicated team and foster homes for bringing new life to pets with loving homes to last their lifetime. We adopt out only after a dog has been spayed/neutered, updated on shots, has received proper medical care and chipped. We are dedicated to lowering the dog reproduction population, which leads to millions of lost lives. We use a trial adoption program, which includes training and counsel, and dogs are only adopted after that period. As a result, our return rates are very low. We love every single animal we rescue and we are cradle to grave, staying in touch with adopting families for years, often adding new furry loves to their homes. Adopters must sign a contract, and this is to ensure that if for some unforeseen reason, the dog needs to be rehomed, he/she is returned to Saving Great Animals for rehoming. Our dogs are never to see a high-kill shelter again in their lifetime.

Seattle Beagle Rescue

Seattle Beagle Rescue is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit, Federal Tax ID #03-0377785, dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing of unwanted beagles, education of owners on responsible dog ownership, and education of the public on the beagle breed. We are a volunteer run organization that relies solely on tax deductible donations to help dogs from shelters that may be overcrowded and assist private homes that can no longer care for them, as well as dogs from other rescue organizations that may be overwhelmed with beagles needing new homes and laboratories releasing beagles from testing. We have partnered with high kill shelters, international rescue groups, domestic rescue groups and individuals to safely bring pups to the Pacific Northwest. We are able to provide various types of assistance for beagles in our rescue, such as foster homes, training or medical care until each beagle can be placed in an appropriate loving, permanent home. In some cases, we may be able to provide hospice care for beagles that may not be adoptable due to health issues, but still deserve the love and warmth of a home in their final days. We are a foster based rescue and do not have a traditional kennel facility. Our dogs are cared for by their foster families until we find a forever home for them. Therefore, our process to meet dogs and to adopt our rescue dogs may be different than an animal control facility, humane society or animal shelter.

Underdog Pet Rescue and Rehabilitation

Underdog is a foster-based rescue located in North Seattle, servicing the Greater King County area. We prioritize intake for urgent community needs, as well as high-risk shelter animals that may need extra support or time. Our priority is to help full shelters and stressed people find support for their animals in need.​ Underdog is a group founded by rescue professionals who have seen the need first hand for dedicated, experienced rescues to provide support to overburdened communities, rescues, and shelters. Among our board members and volunteers, we have experience in most professional animal industries: shelters, rescues, veterinary hospitals and clinics, day care, dog socializations and training, and more. We want to use our experience to help animals needing that extra time, resources, and love to get the outcome they deserve.

Left behind K9

We support the greater-Enumclaw community through the following actions: Offering low-cost spay and neuter surgeries. Providing financial support for emergency care in life-or-death situations for injured pets. Educating the community about the importance of adoption, spay/neuter, and general animal care. Donating pet food and supplies for families in-need. Assisting other animal rescues and shelters.

City of Shelton Animal Shelter

Shelton Animal Shelter is at capacity. We cannot accept any additional strays or surrenders at this time. Shelton's Animal Control officers protect public and private property by helping to provide a safe environment for both residents and their pets. These officers also manage operations of the Shelton Animal Shelter, located at 902 West Pine Street. Our Animal Control partners with several local organizations to coordinate support and adoption of dogs, including Adopt-a-Pet and the Kitsap County Humane Society.

People for Animal Care and Kindness - PACK

The Humane Society of Jefferson County, WA

The Humane Society of Jefferson County WA operates the only open admissions animal shelter in Jefferson County. We provide care to all stray and unwanted dogs and cats impounded by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Port Townsend Police Department, and the Washington State Patrol. We provide loving care until they are returned to their owner or adopted into a new loving home. Every Jefferson County resident is welcome and encouraged to surrender a cat or dog that they can no longer care for to us. We will work for the best for the pet, We provide much needed services to the community, including low-income family spay/neuter clinics, wellness clinics for vaccinations and microchips, humane euthanasia and cremation service. All of our directors and officers are volunteers and do not receive any form of compensation. All of the donations received by HSJCWA go toward the operation of the animal shelter. The Humane Society of Jefferson County, WA. was incorporated as a Non-Profit Corporation in October 2008 and was granted tax-exempt status under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code in March 2009. The Secretary of State of the State of Washington registered the Humane Society in its Charities Program in March 2009. During the years 2009 to 2011 HSJC provided a paid shelter attendant to assist the Sheriff’s Animal Control Officer and to keep the shelter open when he was on call. HSJC organized volunteers to help with the kennel cleaning, walking and socializing the dogs, and cleaning cat cages and socializing the cats. In November 2011 Jefferson County and HSJC made an agreement for HSJC to rent the animal shelter facility from the County and to have the complete responsibility for the operation of the shelter. HSJC was made the agent of the County to issue dog and kennel licenses and to collect shelter fees as specified in County Code. HSJC also entered into an agreement with the City of Port Townsend to provide open admittance shelter services to the City and the City of Port Townsend made HSJC its agent for the issue of animal licenses to residents of the City. Currently, HSJCWA employs a small but mighty team of 7; all of whom are dedicated and diversely talented individuals. HSJC has made many significant improvements to the shelter facility and will continue to improve both the facility and the service to the community.

Haven

We are pleased to announce our new nonprofit animal rescue and welfare organization, known simply as Haven. And the opening of Haven House, an innovative home-care model designed to support animal sheltering needs on the island. We know one-on-one human interaction and loving care are best for homeless dogs and cats. We also know there have never been enough foster homes on Vashon to fully provide for Island animals in need. Haven House creates a best-of-both-worlds scenario. Here, animals needing new homes or interim care live with our experienced caretaker in a residential setting, with dogs in one house on the property and cats in a second. At Haven, there are couches, not kennels. There are private spaces and play areas, and dogs and cats are allowed on the bed to curl up to read, cuddle or take a nap. Haven’s home-care model embraces sheltering rather than being a shelter. Surrounded by forests and fields, animals are given refuge, love and all they need to thrive. For years, Haven’s founding team has worked in the Vashon Island and regional community to ensure the well-being of animals and support the people who care for them. You have known us from the gentle care given in exam rooms at the vet clinic and private home support visits for at-risk animals. From our work leading missing pet recovery efforts and success in reuniting cat and dog companions with their owners. From the compassionate care given to homeless pets and our record of placing animals into true forever homes. We have also provided help with injured and orphaned wildlife or general animal welfare concerns and have often been the voices at the end of the phone line when support of any kind was needed. We are honored by the friendships built and the partnerships established with islanders who have joined in this work. Now, as Haven, we are here to help, serve, and protect animals in need and their people. At Haven, we believe rescue is unwavering and uncompromising. Always help the animal in front of you. No question. No hesitation. Taking each as the unique individual they are and doing everything possible to make that individual whole. Healing bodies, hearts and spirits. Some may have medical issues, which may mean there is not a happily ever after for them. But rescue means you always rise to do the right thing. Give the animal everything they need for as long as they need it. Making sure that, above all, they know they are safe and know love. These are our guiding principles. Our True North. We also believe you always try to help the people who need assistance. This doesn’t mean all problems can be solved. But when someone reaches out, we do everything possible to support them, even though it may be complex or uncomfortable. When a community member needs to rehome a pet, Haven steps up to help, using a time-tested evaluation and adoption process to ensure solid placement. As a no-kill, socially conscious organization, euthanasia is only considered when recommended by a veterinarian if no treatment is available or by a professional behaviorist if treatment is determined to have been unsuccessful or not possible and there is a public safety risk. In rare cases where animals may not be adoptable, we surround them with love and a fear-free transition over the rainbow bridge. Our Haven Cares program provides pet guardians in need with food and support for dogs and cats, including interim sheltering care when owners have temporary medical or housing issues. We also provide free vaccinations, microchipping and spay or neuter services for community members with financial hardship, offering vet transportation if needed, and financial assistance for veterinary care on a case-by-case basis. Because lost and found pet support is so much more than a flyer or social media post, Haven uses expertise gained from more than a decade of search and recovery efforts to bring lost animals home. We also engage our rapid response team anytime an animal is in harm’s way — be it stuck up a tree, in a well, over a slope or in the road dodging traffic. We do all this and more, though our support may often be as simple as being there to listen and let a community member know they are not alone. Haven was intentionally built on a foundation of strong ethics. As a nonprofit, we recognize the trust put in us and honor the duty of care and responsibility we are bound to uphold. We are fiercely dedicated to serving the Vashon community, and with the launch of Haven, we look forward to continuing to provide comprehensive support for animals and building on the relationships that have long been at the heart of our work. Just as we have always done and always will do.

Pasado's Safe Haven

Pasado's Safe Haven investigates animal cruelty and provides sanctuary and rehabilitation to animals who have suffered from abuse and neglect. We advocate for better laws to protect animals and work to educate the public about how they can help end animal cruelty. Our programs help save the lives of thousands of animals each year and inspire people to reimagine their relationships with all beings.

Dalmatian Rescue of Puget Sound

Dalmatian Rescue of Puget Sound is a network of people who are passionate about Dalmatians. Our mission is to keep them out of shelters. We work with shelters and other rescue groups in the Pacific Northwest and sometimes beyond. We bring them into our homes, and give them the loving care they deserve. When we can't take them into our homes, we look for people who can. In an emergency, we might even send one to a boarding kennel. We look for ways to get them needed medical care, even if it means we pay for it ourselves. We carefully screen our adoptive homes, seeking a home that is a good match for both the dog and the family, in an effort to make it it a lifetime home. We also educate the public about Dalmatians, even if it means discouraging interested adopters.

Rescue Unleashed

Rescue Unleashed is a nonprofit formed by a small group of volunteers. Passionate, inspired, animal lovers. Between us we have over 15+ years of combined animal foster and rescue experience. These experiences led us to want to do even more within the global animal community. Rescue Unleashed will be utilized to support animal welfare and rescue groups in the United States and across the globe, with an emphasis on executing high impact rescues and volunteer activities each year.

Royal Hounds

Royal Hounds is a nonprofit, tax exempt organization in the Seattle area of Washington State and comprised solely of volunteers, who give graciously of their time and love, to this noble breed with the common goal of finding secure and loving homes for the many ex-racing and retired Hounds that grace us with their presence. At Royal Hounds, our mission is to facilitate the placement and adoption process of ex-racing and retired Greyhounds, and those bred for the racing industry. Specifically, ● We value compassion and respect for people and animals. ● We value the humane treatment of greyhounds before, during and after their use by the racing industry. ● We advocate education on the importance of responsible pet ownership. ● We believe every greyhound deserves life as a beloved pet. Our volunteers are committed to finding homes FIRST, and then determining what type of dog will best suit the approved adopters lifestyle and needs. Greyhounds are all different, having different temperaments and personalities. While some may seem similar, no two are alike. They require the correct setting if they are to thrive in their new home and adjust easily to their new life. Adopting from us usually means that there will be a waiting period as we go through the process to match the right dog to your home. During this time we suggest that you research the breed and prepare yourselves for a change in your lifestyle once your dog arrives. We work closely with Victoria, Australia based non-profit Racing 2 Rehome to find forever homes for retired racers.

Washington Alaskan Malamute Adoption League

Washington Alaskan Malamute Adoption League (WAMAL) was formed in 1998 by Cindy Neely to help with Malamute Rescue in Washington State and since then has expanded into Oregon. WAMAL's mission is to rescue, rehabilitate as needed, and find new homes for Malamutes in need. Our mission includes increasing public awareness of the unique characteristics of the breed, promoting responsible ownership, and providing education and support to our community. We strive to ensure that every Malamute we rescue receives the care, love, and attention they deserve and are dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of these wonderful dogs. Serving the greater Northwest we are also part of a national rescue network, Alaskan Malamute Assistance League (AMAL) that covers other areas of the US. WAMAL provides hope to families that must rehome their malamutes when life has taken a sharp detour; training support to those families desperately working to keep their 4-legged family members; works with shelters and takes into rescue strays and those pups needing an extra level of thoroughness in the adoption process; and, actively recruits adopters and foster homes. We are a 100% volunteer run, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is celebrating over 20 years! Our volunteers come from all walks of life and locations and WAMAL is only able to do what we do because of this generous and dedicated team of volunteers. They truly make it possible to save the lives of this gentle, stubborn, and loving working breed. WAMAL has rescued many hundreds of malamutes to date and each holds a place in our hearts.

Discovery Bay Wild Bird Center