This list showcases the top dog rescues & shelters in Indiana. These remarkable organizations have been recognized for their unwavering dedication to the well-being of countless dogs. We've compiled this list by gathering heartfelt testimonials from both the Sniffspot community and the wider public, ensuring a comprehensive perspective on these exceptional shelters.
#76 in United States, #1 in Indiana
We are a 501c3 organization specializing in forever placements of our amazing dogs into great homes! Spay & neuter is also at the top of our priority list as our major contribution to fighting pet overpopulation.
"Homeward Bound is amazing. Friendly, helpful staff. Knowledgeable founder, saving lovable floofs, what more could you ask for?"
— r. m.
Supporter
"I adopted my two current dogs from HBAWG 8 years ago and I’m not sure where I would be with..."
— anne m.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster, Supporter, Fan
#83 in United States, #2 in Indiana, #1 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Helping Paws is a foster-based rescue run 100% by volunteers. We do not have a facility, so all pets are fostered in loving homes until they find their forever families! We deal in all breeds and ages of pets, but we do have a soft spot for medical cases.
"Helping Paws has an amazing, caring staff. They are a wonderful rescue. We love their events and fundraisers they put..."
— mica g.
Adoptee, Supporter, Fan
"There was a very special dog that Helping Paws had available for adoption for about a year. She is a..."
— maggie b.
Adoptee
#98 in United States, #3 in Indiana
The Humane Society of Hobart (HSH) is a nonprofit animal shelter on a mission to build and strengthen pet families and has been saving the lives of homeless pets since 1954. We are small , but mighty! In 2023 alone, HSH sheltered more than 2,500 homeless pets, provided services to more than 1,000 pet families in need of resources and supplies, and returned 253 lost pets to their owners. We work alongside law enforcement when there is an emergency or criminal situation and animals are present. After law enforcement has secured the scene, we proceed to rescue the animals. Sometimes we work with the Indiana State Veterinarian to methodically document all that is needed to care for the animals or prosecute if neglect and cruelty is suspected. The staff and volunteers are true warriors that lead with courage and compassion, daily meeting the challenge of many animals coming to our door in need of emergency medical care and shelter.
"So wonderful"
— radine g.
Fan
"They are northwest Indiana heroes"
— holly j.
Fan
#98 in United States, #3 in Indiana, #2 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
"NLSDR is an amazing rescue. They kept our boy Rufus safe for 3 years before we adopted him! The adopters..."
— amy m.
Adoptee
"I have no personal experience, but have seen their name many times as a rescuer at a kill shelter...."
— teressa b.
Fan
#98 in United States, #3 in Indiana, #2 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Our Mission: Training Shelter Dogs as Service Dogs As a leading authority in medical alert assistance dogs, Medical Mutts is dedicated to training rescued dogs to be service dogs and to promoting collaboration between dogs and people through science, education, and ethical training. Originally, Medical Mutts was a business, but became a non-profit in 2019. We rescue approximately 90 dogs per year and 30 of them graduate to become service dogs. The other 60 are adopted out to loving homes. Over the course of 11 years, we have graduated 131 service dogs and rescued over 460 shelter dogs.
"I personally have no experience with this group, but consistently see their name as a rescuer pulling dogs from a..."
— teressa b.
Fan
"Medical mutts is an amazing organization. They rescue dogs and give them a new life by learning to by a..."
— keelie b.
#99 in United States, #4 in Indiana
As an animal shelter it is our duty to improve the lives of companion animals in the Gary IN area by providing a shelter alternative, spay & neuter assistance and adoptive services
"Awesome Mission."
— susan j.
Fan
#99 in United States, #4 in Indiana, #3 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Animal Care Services protects and promotes the health, safety, and welfare of pets and livestock in Marion County. The agency works with animal rescue organizations both locally and nationally. If you are thinking about surrendering your pet, please consider using our rehoming resources to help find a new home for your four-legged friend. Rehoming your pet on your own keeps it from entering the stressful shelter environment and keeps a kennel open for pets who need it the most. IACS works with Rehome by Adopt-a-pet.com to promote animals available for adoption that are not in the shelter. Visit this link to create a quick and easy profile and share your pet's story with thousands of potential adopters.
"IACS needs this help the most. They are bombarded daily with animals and could desperately use the resources. The public..."
— meagan.
Supporter
#99 in United States, #4 in Indiana, #3 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
The Humane Society for Hamilton County is one of very few open-admission, truly no kill shelters in the country. We believe every animal deserves a chance to live, love and be loved regardless of age, breed, special medical needs, or disabilities.
"Hamilton County Humane Society is one of the few rescues that are truly no kill. They pull animals from other..."
— teresa b.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster, Supporter, Fan
#99 in United States, #4 in Indiana, #1 in Fort Wayne
#21 in pit Bull
Pit Bull
Fort Wayne
We are now functioning as a rescue and are excited to be able to offer wonderful pitbulls in need of forever homes. We are still a very small group and are in need of fosters and donors to continue helping pit bulls in need. Please keep in mind that we are unable to help every pit bull in need, but we do strive to help as many as we can.
"FWPBC is just the best! I initially signed on to foster a dog. I immediately fell in love with..."
— marla n.
Adoptee, Volunteer / foster
#99 in United States, #4 in Indiana, #1 in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne
Everything we do from adoption and retention programs to clinic services, community outreach and education stems from our core value, love. We believe when pets have safe and loving homes, they thrive. And with their loving companionship, so do we. We're for people. We're for pets. We're for Love, Unleashed.
"Fort Wayne Humane provides the most holistic approach from medical care, compassion foster, pet food pantry etc."
— kaylene s.
Supporter
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana
Clancy's Dream brings help and hope to Border Collies in times of need. We provide rescue, medical, rehabilitation and adoption assistance for neglected, abused or abandoned Border Collies.
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana
We are a registered 501c3 all-breed rescue. We got our start rescuing parvo positive puppies/dogs from local shelters. In our first year we successfully treated nearly 50 puppies/dogs with parvoviral enteritis and adopted them into new homes. We have increased our reach and now accept a wide variety of medical issues. Our dogs and cats come from both in-state and out-of-state shelters and we accept breeder surrenders. We are proud to have matched over 1700 families with their new pets in the last year!
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana, #1 in Evansville
Evansville
Welcome! The Dubois County Humane Society is a no-kill shelter, located in Jasper, Indiana. We are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization founded in 1974 to care for homeless animals in our community. The Dubois County Humane Society receives no tax dollars or public funding - we rely solely on the support of the local community through contributions and our fund-raising events.
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana, #4 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Committed to helping central Indiana's pets in need since 1905. Find your new best friend today.
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana, #4 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
All of our rescues are rehabilitated for behavioral issues as well as all medical needs taken care of so that they may have the greatest opportunity for success with their new family. If at any time the family decides that the new addition is not working in their family they are able to bring them back to the rescue, we understand life happens & the animal always has a safe place to be returned. I do however strive for life long homes. I keep in contact with all previous adopters to offer support if needed or just to share in the joy that adoption brings to the animals as well as the new families. I’m trusted in the area & have the animals well being and best interests at heart.
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana, #4 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
We are a small, rural, city-funded shelter located in Rush County, Indiana. We approach each potential adoption with an open mind and focus on informing and educating adopters. We may say no if we feel the shelter animal, another animal, or human being is at unreasonable risk of serious injury or death. Our goal is to provide animals with a quality life with freedom from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain, injury, disease, or stress.
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana, #4 in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
FIDO is a non-profit, animal advocacy organization formed in 2005 that works with dog owners to improve the quality of life for their outside dogs with a focus on dogs living isolated on the end of a chain. FIDO partners with Indianapolis residents to find alternatives to continuous chaining as a method of dog containment while promoting the Indianapolis Dog Care & Treatment ordinances. One of our goals is to make it easier and more convenient for owners to bring their dogs inside the home to be part of the family. Our areas of focus are the marginalized, under-served neighborhoods of Indianapolis. The citizens we meet often just need information and access to available resources to provide a more humane level of care. Many of the dogs we help have never been to a veterinarian and spend most of their lives outside. Outreach and sharing humane education is a large part of the work we do at FIDO. We offer supplies and services to residents who are interested in working with us to improve their dogs' quality of life. FIDO partners with other organizations to provide spay/neuter assistance, which we require, for the dogs we serve. Our services are provided for free or at a nominal fee.
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana
PawSwaP is not your typical animal rescue organization. Like most other animal welfare groups, we aim to help community animals by providing them with proper vet care before finding them loving, forever homes. Our approach, however, is unique. We look to keep the animals in their current homes whenever possible. If that is not possible, we attempt to utilize foster homes until forever homes can be found. We help owners rehome their animals safely and responsibly without them ever entering a shelter facility.
#100 in United States, #5 in Indiana
We take purebred Great Pyrenees dogs from Indiana, into our rescue program as space allows. We also accept owner surrenders when possible. We are not a shelter. All of our dogs live in foster homes. These generous families help raise, socialize and treat any medical conditions the Pyr may have had prior to rescue. This gives you, the adopter, an advantage. By having Pyrs in foster homes we are able to learn a lot about the dogs prior to adoption. This makes it easier to match potential adopters to the right Pyr for their family. Foster homes are urgently needed. Please visit our adopt/foster page or contact us if you are interested in giving a homeless Pyr a temporary home. Foster Homes are desperately needed!!!
Welcome! The Dubois County Humane Society is a no-kill shelter, located in Jasper, Indiana. We are a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization founded in 1974 to care for homeless animals in our community. The Dubois County Humane Society receives no tax dollars or public funding - we rely solely on the support of the local community through contributions and our fund-raising events.
We are now functioning as a rescue and are excited to be able to offer wonderful pitbulls in need of forever homes. We are still a very small group and are in need of fosters and donors to continue helping pit bulls in need. Please keep in mind that we are unable to help every pit bull in need, but we do strive to help as many as we can.
Everything we do from adoption and retention programs to clinic services, community outreach and education stems from our core value, love. We believe when pets have safe and loving homes, they thrive. And with their loving companionship, so do we. We're for people. We're for pets. We're for Love, Unleashed.
Helping Paws is a foster-based rescue run 100% by volunteers. We do not have a facility, so all pets are fostered in loving homes until they find their forever families! We deal in all breeds and ages of pets, but we do have a soft spot for medical cases.
Our Mission: Training Shelter Dogs as Service Dogs As a leading authority in medical alert assistance dogs, Medical Mutts is dedicated to training rescued dogs to be service dogs and to promoting collaboration between dogs and people through science, education, and ethical training. Originally, Medical Mutts was a business, but became a non-profit in 2019. We rescue approximately 90 dogs per year and 30 of them graduate to become service dogs. The other 60 are adopted out to loving homes. Over the course of 11 years, we have graduated 131 service dogs and rescued over 460 shelter dogs.
Welcome to the 2024 Indiana Sniffspot Top Dog Rescue & Shelter List, highlighting the top rescues and shelters in Indiana chosen by the Sniffspot community and the public.
Sponsored by Sniffspot, the largest global network of private dog parks, each park offers secure, private bookings on private land, including fenced, water, indoor, and beach parks. As a hub for rescue dogs, our sponsorship underscores our dedication to supporting shelters and rescues. Explore Indiana dog parks on Sniffspot's platform.
We preapprove adopters to get the best idea of what fits best into their life style. If the adopter cannot keep our dog for any reason, the only option is to return the pet to us.
Does your dog ever growl when you walk by their food dish? Maybe they get possessive of treats, carrying them far away and giving you side-eye when you start to approach — or snarling at your other pets or children if they get too close.
As almost every dog owner is aware, the nose of a dog is an amazing thing. Just as they can pick up sounds we can’t hear, their sense of smell and ability to pick up scents is well beyond ours. In fact, dogs have 40 times the number of olfactory receptors as humans.
More than 80 million Americans rely on their service dogs to help them navigate the world. Task-trained assistance animals perform a huge range of life-changing—in many cases, life-saving—services: These dogs act as eyes for visually impaired handlers, provide mobility support, alert to seizures and blood sugar crashes, interrupt anxiety attacks, remind their people to take medications, and so much more.
You thought your dog was house trained. Your home was clean from puddles of pee, those dreaded middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks were behind you, and you loved every minute of dog ownership… until your four-legged best friend started using the bathroom inside again. What’s going on?
Ah, poop. We humans think it’s disgusting… but many of our dogs seem to love the stuff. If you’re wondering why your canine companion tries to eat feces (either their own or that of other animals) you’re not alone!
Do you have a water-loving dog looking to burn some energy? There are countless dog parks to visit throughout our country — but some of them become far too hot in the midday sun to be safe for your pets to play. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best dog water parks throughout the United States! At these locations, your pup can frolic, splash, and swim to their heart’s content.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Does your dog destroy every toy you give them? Is your house littered with remnants of fabric and stuffing of all different sizes? Are you tired of investing in “indestructible” toys only for your pup to still dismantle—or worse, get bored of—them in just a few days?
You’ve been told your dog needs regular exercise. There’s a reason “walking the dog” is a classic daily activity: Frequent excursions give your pup a chance to experience the world, maintain a healthy weight, and — most importantly — spend time with you! Consistent physical activity can also improve their strength, muscle tone, coordination, and mental ability over time.
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
Many dogs have gotten a bad reputation over the years for being "dangerous breeds." Rottweilers are among them. Like pit bulls and other large, blocky-headed types of dogs, these powerful and beautiful animals are often assumed to be aggressive.
Your dog is reactive. They’ll see another dog, person, or other stimulus in the environment (like a car or bike) while out on a walk and suddenly go crazy at the end of their leash. The barking, lunging, and growling feels embarrassing for you — and it’s clear that your pup isn’t having a great time either.
Does your dog display reactivity to other pets or people? Maybe they’re a new rescue pup and are still settling into your home. Or they were sick growing up, so you missed their critical socialization period. Possibly they’ve had a bad experience after being raised as a normal puppy.
Do you have a reactive dog or suspect you may have one? You’re not alone!
* All Sniffspot articles are reviewed by certified trainers for quality, please see bottom of article for details *
From 2009 to 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in the development of public dog parks. Designated spots for canine exercise have become commonplace in every major city in North America — many pet owners won’t even consider renting an apartment that doesn’t have its own fenced-in pet area for their canine companions.
Thousand Oaks, California has been a safe haven for Sniffspot host, Jen, since childhood. Having grown up in busy Santa Barbara, Jen, an introvert from an early age, would seek out solitude and serenity away from tourists attractions and droves of people visiting from elsewhere. “My grandparents own 60 acres about a 30 minute drive from here, and I grew up spending every summer and every holiday visiting them on the ranch,” Jen explained. “In Santa Barbara, we wouldn't go to the beach on the weekend because that's where everybody was, so you'd find places off the beaten path where the tourists weren't. For me, the ranch was just my happy place.”
Ellen is the host of Country Pasture Getaway, one of Sniffspot's most popular sniff spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great sniff spot host.
Just 20 minutes outside of the busy city of Portland, Oregon, and settled right on the banks of the Columbia River, you’ll find what countless visitors have flocked to the area in search of – mountain views, crisp, clean air, and running water for miles. What you might not expect to find, however, is a hidden oasis designed just for dogs and their people, owned and operated by a farming couple and enjoyed by visitors on two legs, and four.
Fran is the host of Ranch Setting, one of Sniffspot's most popular spots. She has taken the time to write up the lessons she has learned about how to be a great Sniffspot host.
Looking for a space to play with your dog no matter what the weather’s like outside? Look no further than our list of the best indoor dog parks in the United States! These climate-controlled spaces are growing in popularity as pet ownership increases throughout the country. As a bonus, many of them also offer dog training, boarding, grooming, or daycare services on the premises.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered! It’s hard to narrow down, but we’ve put together some of the best off-leash dog parks throughout the country so you can plan your next adventure — along with a checklist of what to bring, what to know beforehand, and some frequently asked questions.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog in Las Vegas? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at the best local dog parks to plan for your next adventure in Sin City.
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog? We’ve got you covered!
Looking for the perfect place to play with your dog in Portland? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at the best local dog parks and plan for your next adventure in the City of Roses.
Discover the German Shepherd Dog, a breed celebrated for its intelligence, loyalty, and versatility. Known for its impressive size and smooth, graceful movements, German Shepherds excel in various roles, including as guide, therapy, bomb detection, and police dogs, while being a devoted family companion.
Discover the Labrador Retriever, a breed celebrated for its playful nature, affectionate temperament, and trainability. Labradors are known for their friendly demeanor and adaptability, making them perfect family companions and versatile working dogs. As one of the most popular types of retrievers, Labs are ideal companions for various lifestyles and are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as an excellent breed for families.
Discover the Golden Retriever, a popular breed celebrated for its affectionate, playful, and trainable nature. Considered a large dog, Golden Retrievers were originally bred in Scotland for hunting and retrieving game beginning in the 1860s. Today, they're recognized by the Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club (AKC) as one of the most beloved companion dog breeds.
Discover the American Staffordshire Terrier, a distinct breed celebrated for its playful, friendly, and loyal nature. Often confused with the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, a separate breed of British origin, the American Staffordshire Terrier (AmStaff) is considered a medium-sized dog. While both breeds share some similarities, the AmStaff is generally larger and has been developed as a distinct breed in the United States.
Discover the Australian Shepherd, an AKC breed celebrated for its trainable, playful, and affectionate nature. Despite its name, the Australian Shepherd is actually a native breed to the United States, originally developed to breed on farms and ranches. Considered a medium dog, Australian Shepherds were bred for herding beginning in the 1950s. As one of the high-energy breeds, Aussies are known for their boundless energy and need for regular exercise, including aerobic exercise.