The Best Denver, CO Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2025

Summit Dog Rescue / Pod To The Rescue

We are a small volume rescue with a huge focus on humane education. We rescue dogs and cats and work with our adopters/fosters and the general public to educate about how to best support our companion animals so that their placements can be successful. Unwanted pets is at epidemic levels, and without education we won't make progress. Our rescue is unique in that we are run by multiple certified dog trainers and behavior professionals. We have a podcast called Pod To The Rescue, which is produced with the goal of providing evidence based behavioral support to adopters and fosters.

Jailbreak husky rescue

Jailbreak Husky Rescue is a 501(C)(3) and PACFA licensed organization based out of Colorado that aims to rescue, rehabilitate, transport, rehome and advocate for Siberian Huskies and other northern breeds that are at risk of being euthanized, abandoned, or in neglectful or abusive situations. Our mission has a specialized focus on pregnant or nursing northern breeds, including pre-natal and postpartum care, whelping, bottle, syringe and tube feeding, and breed-focused litter care and development.

Ho-Bo Care Boxer Rescue

Ho-Bo Care Boxer Rescue is a non-profit, all volunteer group in Colorado. We have been active and engaged in our community since 1972.

My Fairy Dawg Mother Rescue LLC

The Fairy Dawg Mother works with trusted partners in Colorado and nearby states to bring dawgs to the Denver Metro area, where they will have a better chance at adoption. We do our best to select dogs that will be highly successful candidates for placement with a new furever family, but change can be stressful for even the most easy-going dawg. Because of this, we work with foster families to start getting them stabilized, learn about each dawg's individual temperament, and provide training and guidance to the dawg.

PawsCo

PawsCo is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization based in Denver, Colorado. PawsCo is dedicated to reducing pet homelessness by partnering with animal shelters and other rescues in order to help the most in-need animals ‚ those animals not thriving in a shelter setting.

Soul Dog Rescue

Soul Dog is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue organization founded with the mission to spay/neuter and protect animals. Soul Dog is proactive in animal welfare, advancing the need for spaying and neutering our pets to reduce overpopulation. We travel to rural communities on Native American reservations, where spaying and neutering will only happen if it is nearly free or very convenient. Soul Dog works with volunteer veterinarians to provide the spaying and neutering service at no cost to the public. Donations are used to defray the costs associated with medications, supplies, and the operating cost for clinics.

Colorado Saint Bernard Rescue

Colorado Saint Bernard Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit that was founded in 1997, all volunteer organization dedicated to the rehoming of unwanted, abandoned, and abused Saint Bernards and Saint Bernard mixes.

Colorado Corgis and Friends

Colorado Corgis and Friends is a 501c3 Dog Rescue specializing in Corgis and other lowrider breeds. Established in late 2019 by a group of Corgi-loving people who love and understand the Corgi breed and love all other dogs as well. The founding members have over 100+ years of experience owning Corgis and 50+ years in Rescue. It is our pleasure and passion to help homeless dogs in need, help struggling owners rehome their pets, and offer advice on training issues typical of this herding breed.

A Friend of Jack Rescue

A Friend of Jack Rescue is a Colorado, foster-based 501(c)3 non-profit rescue dedicated to finding loving, lasting homes for unwanted dogs and puppies.

RezDawg Rescue

RezDawg Rescue collaborates with several rescues in NM, AZ and CO to ensure the safe and comfortable transport of unwanted animals to rescues, shelters and fosters where they will have a chance at a forever home. We relocate dogs and cats from high-intake shelters, animal control facilities, and reservations in the Four Corners area to animal rescue partners and forever homes in Colorado. We provide transportation to foster homes and other partner organizations, offer medical care and low/no cost spay and neuter services, manage a network of foster homes for temporary shelter, and run adoption events so that these animals can find forever homes.

Harley's Dream

Harley's Dream was established in 2016 in honor of Harley, a senior one-eyed puppy mill survivor who became the face and voice of the puppy mill dogs, earning the distinction of being the 2015 American Hero Dog for his work. Our mission is to create awareness and educate the public about the cruel commercial dog breeding industry (also known as puppy mills) and to rescue and rehome senior dogs in need.

Taysia Blue Rescue | Siberian Huskies & Alaskan Malamutes

Taysia Blue Rescue is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. We are a family of volunteers and advocates dedicated to helping local Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, and their guardians. We are funded solely and supported by, the generosity of individuals and corporations in our communities. All our dogs are located in approved foster homes in the metro areas of Omaha, Lincoln, Kansas City, Des Moines and Denver. Taysia Blue does not have a physical building and does not have set hours of operation.

Foothills Animal Shelter

Foothills Animal Shelter is an open admission facility serving Jefferson County in the state of Colorado and is a member of the Metro Denver Animal Welfare Alliance. We are driven to make lives better for animals and people in our community. We are a Socially Conscious Animal Welfare Organization, creating the best outcomes for all animals that enter our care. We place every healthy and safe animal for adoption. We assess the medical and behavioral needs of homeless animals and ensure these needs are thoughtfully addressed. And, we alleviate suffering through thoughtful euthanasia.

Mamco rescue dogs

Our mission is to ensure that all rescued animals are treated as valuable members of society through quality veterinary care, regular grooming, and excellent nutrition. We are a foster based, 501c3 non-profit rescue, dedicated to the health and wellbeing of mother dogs and cats and their litters. We see our rescue dogs and cats through pregnancy, birth (whelping), nursing, weaning, and adoption. In addition to providing necessary care, we also work to socialize, train, and evaluate each animal to ensure that they find permanent forever homes. This involves establishing close and trusting relationships with our volunteers, adopters, and the community.

NOCO Humane

Welcome to NOCO Humane, your community partner for comprehensive animal welfare services in Larimer and Weld counties. We have expanded our reach and our impact, taking on the sheltering and care of animals in Weld County in light of the dissolution of the Humane Society of Weld County. Join us as we heal, nature, and protect more than 10,000 animals in the year to come!

Dumb Friends League

One of the ways the Dumb Friends League can fulfill its mission to end pet homelessness and animal suffering is to influence the laws and policies that protect animals and enhance their welfare. Our Advocacy team works with policymakers, animal welfare agencies, law enforcement and the community to drive the policies that make Colorado a leader in protecting our furry family members. We hope to help you stay informed on issues in Colorado and across the country that impact animal sheltering and welfare and continue to make systemic changes that benefit animals and the humans that love them, now and in the future

Mile High German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue

We provide a second chance for German Shorthaired Pointers (GSPs) who have been abandoned, neglected, abused, surrendered or otherwise displaced and adopt them into permanent, loving homes that will nurture and appreciate their energetic, affectionate and loyal personalities.

Retriever Rescue of Colorado

RROC was created in 2006 by people who had volunteered for years with single-breed rescues and recognized the need for a group that could take any of the retriever breeds. With a shoestring budget and a handful of volunteers, the expectation was that RROC would save about thirty dogs a year. That estimate was shattered within a few months and RROC has saved well over 2000 retrievers and continues to welcome over 200 dogs in need annually.

Mountain Pet Rescue

Mountain Pet Rescue is a Colorado nonprofit organization dedicated to finding forever homes for pets in need. We focus on active dogs that face euthanization or are considered unadoptable in other areas of the country, but are in high demand in Colorado’s mountain communities. Pets come into our lives and touch our hearts. Sometimes they change us forever. For Sybil Miller, that pet was Boris – a Bernese mountain dog who would have continued to swelter under Florida’s sun if Sybil hadn’t flown from Colorado to rescue him. Sybil had been looking for a Bernese but couldn’t find one in a Colorado shelter; the breed was so popular there, no one had one available. When she contacted the Florida shelter, they were thrilled that Boris had finally found a loving home and could be the mountain dog he was meant to be. The experience taught Sybil that certain dogs that are in high demand in Colorado mountain communities, such as Labradors, Newfoundlands, Huskies, and Heelers are often considered unadoptable in other states. With the help of a group of dedicated volunteers, Sybil decided to start a local rescue dedicated to finding homes for these types of dogs. And so Mountain Pet Rescue was born. We are a foster-based rescue in Grand County, CO that focuses on rescuing active, energetic “mountain” dogs by working with overcrowded shelters in and outside of Colorado. Our Board of Directors strives to match each dog with its perfect home by assessing its temperament, evaluating the potential foster and adoption home, and following up with the pet owner to ensure a healthy and enjoyable relationship.

sloppy kisses animal rescue

Sloppy Kisses Animal Rescue is a volunteer-based organization that was founded in 2018 by a group of animal advocates in Colorado. It was formed to rescue as many stray and homeless animals as possible by partnering with shelters in areas that are inundated with stray and relinquished animals. Sloppy Kisses Animal Rescue works to transport the animals to Colorado, fosters them in temporary homes, provides for their medical needs, brings them up to date on vaccinations, spay/neuters them if they aren't already, and adopts them to permanent homes. This is accomplished through working with a network of volunteers, foster caregivers, local veterinarians, animal trainers, and donations! We also work with our local community to provide assistance with re-homing pets and providing resources such as behavioral and medial to people who are considering surrendering their pet in an effort to keep pets in their homes and out of the shelter system.

Do Over Dogs - A Second Chance At Life

Do Over Dogs is a foster-based, 501(c)(3) organization that gives at-risk dogs from the shelter environment a second chance at life. We focus our rescue efforts on dogs and puppies that are at high risk of euthanasia.

Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue

Since 2010 RMPR has successfully rescued, vetted and re-homed over 11,000 animals and we are still going strong! Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue is a licensed non-profit animal welfare organization whose mission is to save unwanted puppies, adult dogs, and cats from being euthanized in overcrowded kill shelters. We transfer, spay, neuter, and place these animals in our Colorado foster network until they are ready for adoption to their forever homes. The benefits of a foster home are tremendous, we provide the socialization that these animals cannot experience in a traditional shelter setting, enabling them to grow into balanced animals that will thrive in their forever homes. ​We promote our animal welfare organization through our public adoption events, and benefit New Mexico communities with our SPAY IT FORWARD program that provides life saving vaccines and spay and neuter services. Since 2012 we have spayed/neutered over 4,000 dogs and cats in our public Spay Program. In addition to these programs, we provide donated food to areas in need through our food network connections and educate the public about the need for spaying and neutering of their pets, proper exercise, feeding, grooming, and training.

Colorado Animal Welfare League

Colorado Animal Welfare League (CAWL) is a 501(c)(3) animal rescue organization founded with the mission to protect homeless animals in Colorado and the surrounding states of Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, and New Mexico. We are currently made up of a small group of committed volunteers trying to save one animal at a time. As an all volunteer administration, any donations made to CAWL go directly to servicing the needs of the animals we save. The focus of CAWL is to expedite the adoption of difficult to place animals such as those with black fur, advanced age, or special needs. We rescue a lot of animals that would otherwise be euthanized for medical conditions, fearful behaviors, or just simply just for being a black dog in a shelter full of black dogs. Our rescue animals stay with foster families until their adoption while we work toward growing into a shelter. Thus, most of our expenses come from foster support and veterinary bills to treat our sick and injured animals. Our goal is to also be very proactive in animal welfare and to advance the awareness of the need for spaying and neutering our pets to reduce overpopulation. Our mobile spay/neuter clinic, the SNOW Mobile, is taken to rural areas with limited veterinary resources, inner-city areas, and Indian reservations where spaying and neutering will only happen if it is nearly free and comes to them. Our intention is to work with local vets to provide the spaying and neutering service at no cost to the public. Donations will then also be used to defray the costs associated with paying the veterinarians for their time, medications and supplies, and the operating costs for the mobile clinic itself.

Yoga Animals Rescue Foundation

Yoga Animal Rescue Foundation is a Colorado Foster-Based Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation organization, dedicated to taking all possible action to save animals in need. Our efforts, as well as the efforts of our fosters, go into using proven naturopathic remedies and love and affection to heal animals in homes. We socialize our animals with events such as Yoga and Movie Nights to help them learn they deserve to give and receive love and affection! Our animals can’t wait to be in your loving home!

Poso Dog Rescue

We are a small Colorado based Dog Rescue team, dedicated to providing a loving and caring environment for our rescues, while also working to break the cycle of owner surrenders. POSO is working tirelessly to ensure that each dog receives the attention, medical care, and love they deserve. We hold monthly group training classes for the community (yes, even those without a rescue dog), providing free training for our foster families and our adoptive families. We are doing more than just rescuing dogs, we are changing the pattern of surrendering by providing knowledge and education through our community. Our origin story is rooted in our passion for animals and our goal to make a positive change in both the lives of a dog and their human to break the pattern and ensure less dogs are returned to shelters. With over 15,000 Dog Rescue organizations in the United States and over 1.5 billion websites out there, we believe our story, our mission and our approach sets us apart. POSO is a Dog Rescue doing more than rescuing dogs. Foster, Adopt, Donate, Share our name. We want you to hear our genuine voice as you explore our site, and we hope you feel the warmth and care that defines our rescue mission. So take your time, get to know us, and join us in this journey of love and compassion.

Pepper's Senior Dog Sanctuary

Pepper's Senior Dog Sanctuary (PSDS) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Littleton, CO. Founded in 2019, the mission of PSDS is to provide a compassionate, loving, and lifelong home where elderly dogs are cared for during their good days, bad days, and last days. In 2023, the ASPCA estimated 359,000 dogs who entered U.S. shelters were euthanized. Shelters exist to provide temporary placement for unwanted or homeless animals with the goal of adoption; however, shelters are often challenged with adopting out senior dogs due to age, health issues, mobility challenges or special needs. Our sanctuary offers a collaborative solution to help ease the overcrowding of local shelters, while providing quality, lifelong care to dogs who may otherwise be euthanized. Senior dogs are referred to us by local shelters who have run out of alternative options. From there, our dedicated team of volunteers and staff welcome these dogs with open arms, giving them the chance they deserve. Our facility includes communal bedrooms, a year-round indoor dog park, 50 acres of outdoor area to exercise and play, and an onsite medical and rehabilitation clinic. When our precious seniors finally come to the end of their journey, our team provides round-the-clock hospice care to ensure they are well cared for up to the moment they take their last breath.

Mile High Dachshunds Rescue, Inc

Mile High Dachshunds Rescue, affectionately known as Team Doxie, is a group of dedicated volunteers who are all about giving second changes to dachshunds who have found themselves abandoned, in a shelter or relinquished to us. Located in the Denver area, we are non-profit rescue, that matches dachshunds with individuals and families for “happy ever afters” since 2015.

Snow Capped Shepherd Rescue

Snow Capped Shepherd Rescueis a Denver, Colorado based, volunteer-run non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. We rescue abandoned, abused, neglected and stray White German Shepherds and German Shepherd mixes. We do not have a shelter, instead all of our rescued dogs are housed with caring foster families…a temporary stop on their way to happily-ever-after.

Evergreen Animal Protective League (EAPL)

The Evergreen Animal Protective League (EAPL) was organized in April, 1981 to aid lost, abandoned, and suffering animals through rescue, shelter, and education. Since that time, the League has provided a better life for thousands of cats, dogs, and other pets.

Front Range Freedom Rescue