The Best Tennessee Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue

Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue, a 501c3 charitable organization based in Middle Tennessee, is run primarily by volunteers. Proverbs is totally dedicated to all animals they rescue. All medical care, regardless of cost, is provided as is training when necessary. A cradle to grave dedication is established by the care provided to neonates all the way to seniors who may need hospice care. Every animal rescued is cared for like a cherished family pet. Funds for medical care and food are raised by a variety of events, such as bake sales, golf scrambles, and participation in large media campaigns such as The Big Payback or through regular donations on our website.

Lucky Farms Animal Rescue

Lucky Farms Animal Rescue is a nonprofit dog rescue focusing on Giant breeds such as Great Danes and Saint Bernards. Giant breeds have a hard time in a shelter environment and are much harder to adopt out. We also have a squishy face division focusing on English bulldogs and French Bulldogs. We rescue, rehab and find amazing homes for these deserving dogs

McKamey Animal Center

McKamey Animal Center (MAC) opened its doors in 2008 with the mission of Saving Animals, Helping People. MAC's vision is to eliminate animal overpopulation, cruelty, and neglect by creating a culture of compassionate care, community engagement, and advocacy for animals by providing programs and education that support people and companion animals.

East TN Pit Bull Rescue

East TN Pit Bull Rescue was started by our dear founder Wendy Martin Jackson. Wendy loved this breed and fought hard against BSL, misinformation, and ignorance about this breed. Since Wendy's passing, we are continuing her mission and legacy to stand up and fight for this breed.

Big Fluffy Dog Rescue

Big Fluffy Dog Rescue is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping giant-breed, mixed-breed dogs in need. We value dogs of all breeds, but we specialize in what the name says: big, fluffy dogs. We have volunteers all across the eastern half of the United States who work to help homeless big fluffy dogs find a home to call their own. Big Fluffy Dog Rescue works to save Great Pyrenees, Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands and their mixes from euthanasia. We also have a fair assortment of honorary fluffies who don't fall into the traditional fluffy mold but are with us anyway and we love their tiny/non-fluffy selves as much as the others. Our dogs come in to rescue for many different reasons. Many were abandoned at high kill shelters. Some were turned in by owners who could not properly care for them and still others are failed livestock guardian dogs. Regardless of their origins, our goal for every dog we have is the same: a safe, happy home where each dog is a well-loved member of the family. Big Fluffy Dog Rescue has its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nashville Humane Association

As an entirely gift-based not-for-profit, Nashville Humane relies on contributions from supporters like you to do the work necessary to protect homeless, adoptable, and at-risk pets in Nashville, throughout middle Tennessee and across the globe. Simply put, we've been doing this a very long time. None of the amazing work that we perform daily for pets and their people would be possible without your support. We're not a government agency; we don't have the support of a giant national umbrella organization. We're a small, local shelter that is dedicated to saving lives.

Humane Society of Dickson County

The Humane Society of Dickson County was founded 30 years ago during a time of desperate need. In shelters across the country, millions of animals were dying, and in rural communities with no local solution for unwanted pets, the situation was dire. A grassroots movement in Dickson County, Tennessee, quickly grew with the mission to educate the public about spay/neuter and ensure every dog and cat has a safe home. HSDC is now an active and visible part of Dickson and the surrounding counties, providing a safe haven for homeless animals and adopting out more than 1000 pets annually. The HSDC is a no-kill shelter, with a large network of foster families and close partnerships with area animal rescue groups. The generosity of community and corporate donors provides 99.75% of funding for shelter operations, including veterinarian costs, utilities and pet food and supplies. The HSDC has become the local leader and advocate for homeless pets in Dickson County, but the future will depend on the strong support of caring individuals and businesses who believe all pets deserve a forever home.

Rural Animal Rescue Effort

Rural Animal Rescue Effort (RARE) is a 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit Organization based in middle Tennessee with a mission to rescue neglected and abandoned animals in rural areas with extreme overpopulation of companion animals.

East Community Action Network (East C.A.N.)

We are an all-volunteer, grassroots organization serving the East Nashville area of 37206, 37216 and 37216 (up to Dickerson Pike and Briley Pkwy). We fund-raise to facilitate healing and hope for the stray and forgotten dogs on the streets of East Nashville. We depend on our fellow neighbors to provide a safe haven while these dogs recuperate and search for their forever homes. We provide full veterinary care to the dogs we accept into our program. We do not have a shelter or facility.

Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary

Providing Lifetime Homes & Care to Senior Dogs Senior dogs, especially those with medical problems or disabilities, face a much greater chance of euthanasia at shelters than younger dogs because it is difficult to find adopters for them due to their shorter additional life expectancy and unknown veterinary costs. Most of these wonderful senior dogs are able to live happily with a good quality of life if given a chance. They make wonderful companions because they are mature, calm, and loving. It can be more difficult for them to settle in and, once they do, it is difficult for them to move again. For this reason we strive to find them forever foster homes where they can live out their retirement years as a beloved family member. Even once they've found their forever homes, we commit to providing them high-quality vet care for life.

Whiskers Fund

Founded by Heather Raco, Whiskers Fund works to help animals in desperate situations and match them with the perfect home. Our rescue is 100% foster based and facilitates adoptions across the entire United States.

Mercer Animal Rescue & Sanctuary

Mercer Animal Rescue purpose is to rescue, socialize, rehabilitate, and find forever homes for abused, neglected, abandoned and unwanted dogs, cats and horses. We rescue dogs from high kill shelters and the streets in the over-populated south. We transport them to the northeast states or the Chicago area where we hold adoption and fundraising events. All our potential adopters are pre-approved by submitting an adoption application and home checks are sometimes required. We want to make sure our dogs go to the best possible homes since they have not always had the best life. But it's all about the future‚ right?

Fayette County Animal Rescue

Fayette County Animal Rescue is a no-kill, non-profit animal shelter serving Fayette County, TN. We have a physical shelter which is located on 5 beautiful acres in Rossville, TN. Our primary focus is helping animals in extreme cases of abuse, neglect, injury or abandonment. We house between 70-100 cats and dogs at our shelter and in foster homes. OUR BEGINNINGS In 1998, two women decided to make a difference in the lives of the many animals that were suffering needlessly in Fayette County. Yvette Rose and Delores Cowan Provow began with two kennels in a garage and Fayette County Animal Rescue has now grown to a shelter that houses 70-100 animals in a sanctuary environment on 5 acres. The dedication and love for animals by these two ladies, and the will to make a difference in their community, spawned one of the largest no-kill organizations in the Mid South area. Heartbreaking years of struggle for these two founding members have given hope and a new life to thousands of animals that would have died needlessly on the rural roads of Fayette County. Their friendship and loving bond continues today for their life long mission of making a difference for all the needy animals that come to FCAR. Our shelter is now supported by hundreds of volunteers, all working tirelessly for the animals. Fayette County Animal Rescue is located in the third largest county in the State of Tennessee. Each month Animal Control picks up on the average 130 animals. All of these animals are euthanized after 72 hours. FCAR is the only No-Kill, No Cages Animal Shelter in Fayette County. Your donations are very important to our mission. We believe we can make a difference in our community and the animals that live here. Please join us in helping make this dream a reality.

Pet Community Center

We want every pet to receive the high-quality veterinary care they deserve. Providing affordable and accessible veterinary care services is the key to our success. Pet Community Center (PCC) operates The Phran Galante Center for Pet Wellness a high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter and vaccine clinic in Nashville, TN run by highly skilled veterinarians, clinicians, and nonprofit professionals. As of the end of 2023, we have served over 125,000 animals. Additionally, PCC is tackling barriers to veterinary care and provides outreach and support to pet owners who live in veterinary care deserts. The results of PCC's work include lower pet homelessness rates, lower shelter euthanasia rates, and improved public health and quality of life in neighborhoods across Davidson County.

Nashville Metro Animal Care and Control

Music City Animal Rescue (MCAR)

Music City Animal Rescue is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that rescues abandoned, abused, or neglected animals in and around the Middle Tennessee area. We are a foster-based home network of highly dedicated individuals that care for the animals in our homes until they can find their forever families. This network is dedicated to the complete care and placement process. From the moment an animal comes into our program, it is treated as part of a family. They are socialized not only with other humans, cats, and dogs at the appropriate time. We NEVER euthanize to make room for more and all of our foster homes are dedicated to seeing each and every animal through their journey to their forever home.

True Rescue

The foundation of True Rescue stands firm on helping voiceless animals find love & support from their human companions. Our mission works to support and collaborate with other rescue organizations, so we formed our 501(c)3 organization to provide sensible solutions. This animal rescue and others like us could not continue our important work without the support of our network of rescues, volunteers, and donors like you!

Misfit Hounds

In December 2014, I went to one of our local shelters to walk the hounds on our Christmas break from work. There I met an old, skinny Bluetick with horrible teeth, lumps all over and seizure prone. Harriet was left in the overnight box with two other hounds. Fast forward and Harriet was in my home with my other 4 hounds. After being dropped by a large rescue who didn't think she was worth the trouble, I decided to start my own. That's how Misfit Hounds was born. Harriet was my girl for 18 months but her impact will be with me to the grave. Misfit Hounds is a safe haven for the throwaways. We pull hounds in danger of euthanasia, rehabilitate them, vet them, spay/neuter and put them in a home environment until we can find their forever. We educate the public on what great family members Coonhounds, Foxhounds, Bloodhounds, and Beagles can be.

Friends of Gibson County Animals

Adopt a Golden Knoxville

Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society

The Humane Society is a low-kill shelter and operates as a Bissell Pet Foundation certified facility. The Dyer County/Dyersburg Humane Society was established in the 1980s with a vision to provide respectfully humane treatment to animals in Dyer County. Fulfilling its purpose, the shelter works with local rescues to rehome animals, as well as hosting a multitude of adoptions events throughout the year. Funding for the Humane Society is provided through city and county taxes, as well as private donors.

Operation Education

SOS Beagle Rescue

The SOS (Save Our Snoopies) Beagle Rescue is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of beagles by sheltering homeless or abandoned dogs and adopting them to loving homes. Our chapters are located in New Jersey and Tennessee. We do not, however, have an actual shelter or public facility for you to visit. All of our beagles are in foster care or with their owners.

Best Friends Sanctuary

BFS is the only shelter in Fentress County. We are a nonprofit, no-kill organization run by volunteers, grants, and fundraisers. We have a Fix Fentress program where we give vouchers to the ninety-eight% low-income citizens for spaying/neutering. Each month, we take vanloads of adoptable animals to shelters in OH, GA, NY, PA, New Jersey, and within our state, which have been vetted, spayed, and vaccinated. Our vet bill can run up to $5,000 a month. Our small shelter continually stays overcrowded.

C.A.R.E.S. (Companion Animal Rescue & Education)

CARE was created by a group of caring individuals that saw the necessity of creating a haven for all companion animals in need. We will pursue all options for the companion animals of Jefferson County, Tennessee, and help pet parents build relationships and find solutions that foster forever families. We will pursue a no-kill status and aid other welfare agencies in the same pursuit. We will approach others with kindness and remain deeply loyal to being a champion for all animals whether they are within our building or within another facility. We will embody the CORE VALUES of Companion Animal Rescue and Education and build a reputation founded on making a positive impact for four-legged and two-legged animals alike. CORE VALUES: Compassion, Selflessness, Kindness, Commitment, Hopefulness, Resourcefulness, Reliability, Progressiveness, Loyalty, Transparency, Dignity

Warren County Tn Animal Shelter

Our department has a wide variety of duties, including handling and containing aggressive, abused, or unfriendly animals that pose a danger to the citizens of Warren County. We also try to address the problem of unwanted or abandoned animals. We do our best to achieve this through adoption, rescue, or relocation of the animals picked up. However, some animals are euthanized due to the nature and temperament, or physical condition, of those animals.

Dogs 2nd Chance

Dogs 2nd Chance is a 501[c]3 non-profit dog foster group that was founded in the fall of 2007.We are a group of VOLUNTEERS that saw the need to help medium and large mixed breed dogs find permanent loving homes. We have evolved to help any size dogs. We are NOT a shelter. We receive no government funding and depend on our minimal adoption fees, donations and our own bank accounts. All of our dogs are fostered in our homes and become a temporary active member of our family. Fostering helps to socialize the dogs, helping them adjust to life in a family setting. The majority of our dogs were abandoned, dumped or found running stray. We attempt to reunite lost dogs with their owners by placing ads in local newspapers and online classified ads. Additionally, we rescue dogs from high kill shelters as space allows. We are caring for the castaways by saving one dog at a time. With our network of dedicated rescue volunteers, we match homeless and abandoned dogs with forever homes, locally and up the east coast to the New England area where there is a shortage of adoptable animals. Leadership Statement As the founder and president of Dogs 2nd Chance, I have seen our organization grow from a few women able to help just a few dogs to a volunteer base of 20 men, women, and teenagers who work tirelessly to save abandoned and abused dogs. We operate along side at least a dozen other rescue groups, but even with that, we have no where near the manpower or the money to help the many, many needy dogs in our area. Irresponsible pet ownership and animal cruelty are pervasive in the southeastern United States, and our region is no different. But by saving just one dog, we have enriched many lives: first the dog’s, then the adopter’s, and finally our own. Nothing is more gratifying than watching a starved and frightened dog blossom into a happy, vivacious pet who adores his family and whose family adores him. Our goal is a carefree, happy and healthy dog who feels safe and nurtured. Our volunteers come from many walks in life and from various ethnic groups and races. Yet we come together to work for the dogs, and in that we’ve developed friendships that have enriched our lives. We also have made an impact, though small, in our communities as we have saved needy dogs and placed them in loving homes. Our organization is unique in offering one-week trial adoptions, which has significantly decreased the number of failed adoptions. — Linda Sutphin

Streetdog Foundation

Streetdog Foundation itself began with a phone call. When founders Melanie and Kent were asked by a friend at another organization to check Memphis Animal Services for a lost American Bull Dog, their one-hour task turned into a lifelong mission (not to mention the rescue of three shelter dogs at the same time). Since that transformational day, Streetdog Foundation has rescued more than 1,500 endangered dogs from the streets and shelters of Memphis, all without a dedicated structure to house them. Streetdog relies on volunteer foster families to not only provide homes for our dogs, but also give them the love, security, and confidence they need to succeed in their forever homes. Whether temporarily fostering or adopting one of our rescues, everyone who takes in a Streetdog becomes part of our family. And because we’re focused on the well-being of all the canine and human members of our family, Streetdog’s primary goal is to find the right fit for both the dog and the household. We are not a first-come, first-served rescue; our volunteers work diligently to make sure every match has the highest chance of success. We appreciate your interest and hope the compassionate vision that brought Streetdog Foundation into being will inspire you to join us however you can.

ALIVE Rescue Memphis

ALIVE Rescue Memphis is a foster-based rescue program for homeless animals in the Memphis area. We aim to save as many lives as possible from kill shelters and the streets by ultimately placing them in their best-matched foster homes. We then match people and animals to their forever families and homes.

MidSouth Animal Rescue League

We are a Memphis, Tennessee based rescue, but several years ago, moved 30 miles outside of town to a large piece of property as we grew and wanted to do more and help more animals. We are a foster based rescue, we do not have a physical shelter that is open to the public. Most of our foster homes are in the Memphis area, considered the greater Mid-South area, which can be confusing, but is a tri state area of Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. We are not a shelter - our animals are fostered in volunteer's homes throughout the Mid-South area. We are staffed completely with volunteers, and try to respond to everyone as quickly as we can, but due to the volume of calls and emails we receive, we are not able to get back with everyone.