What is a Dog Shelter?

A dog shelter is a facility where pets that have been surrendered or picked up as strays are available for adoption. They usually house both dogs and cats. In a search for “dog shelters near me,” you may come across three types of dog shelters.

What is a Dog Rescue?

Dog rescues are usually run and supported by volunteers and often run out of private homes. Many times, they use foster pet parents to take care of pets until they find a suitable adopter. Pet rescue groups usually focus on either cats or dogs, although some will take both.

What is a Dog Sanctuary?

A dog sanctuary is a permanent home for animals that are not available for adoption. It’s usually a farm setting, or at least several acres of land, and is not open to the public. The term “sanctuary dog” describes a dog that has been rescued from harmful or dangerous environments and taken to a dog sanctuary where they can receive the necessary care and rehabilitation. Sanctuary dogs may have health issues, complicated histories, or origin stories involving abuse or exploitation that make adoption difficult, and a dog sanctuary provides them with a safe and nurturing environment to heal and recover.

What is a Dog Breeder?

Most reputable dog breeders raise litters from AKC registered purebred dogs, although some mixed breeds, such as Cavapoos or Goldendoodles, are not recognized by the AKC, and therefore, those breeders are not registered.

Find Your Perfect Dog

To find your perfect dog, search “dog adoption near me” or browse Petfinder, where you can access our network of more than 11,500 shelters and rescues with thousands of dogs and puppies looking for a good forever home. You can refine your search by breed, color, age, size, gender, location, and other criteria to find the pup of your dreams.

Where Can You Adopt a Dog? Differences Among Dog Rescues, Shelters and Sanctuaries

Q: Where Can You Adopt a Dog?

Dogs add so much to our lives, and there are so many dogs that need good homes. Before you adopt, think about what kind of dog you really want and do research into the different breed characteristics. Plus, make sure you’re acquiring your dog from a reputable organization that has the dog’s best interest at heart.

Shelter volunteers walking dogs together

Where Can You Adopt a Dog? Differences Among Dog Rescues, Shelters and Sanctuaries

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