The Best San Diego, CA Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2025

Bunny's Buddies

Bunny's Buddies works tirelessly to save dogs from slaughterhouses, the streets and kill shelters in Asia and the USA.

The Animal Pad

The Animal Pad is a non-profit, all breed dog rescue that focuses on saving dogs from high kill shelters and the streets of Mexico. We get them vet care, place them in foster homes and then find them loving forever families. A few years ago, we turned our attention to the street dogs of Mexico as there is very little help for them. Since then, we have developed a large rescue network in Baja California and we have a sister shelter in Ensenada that we focus on taking dogs from whenever funds allow.

A Way Home For Dogs

We are a free Pet Recovery Service assisting owners on a global scale. We also secure evasive street strays primarily in the San Diego are (occasionally Riverside). If the strays are not claimed at the local shelter systems and are in danger of being euthanized, we become their safety net pending kennel space. We rescue, rehabilitate and rehome when the dogs are ready and safe to do so.

Amazing Strays Rescue

From day one, our goal has been to help all dogs who need it. Big, small, medical cases, senior or puppy; ASR stands by our commitment- Lisa, Our Founder

The Liberty Dog Network

The Liberty Dog Network was established in 2022 and is a small, Southern California based dog rescue. We rely on fosters/people to open their home to care for the dogs we rescue. We provide all medical care and supplies to our fosters, they provide the home and supply the love.

The Barking Lot

Located on 10 acres in San Diego County, we adopt to anywhere in the US and Canada. It's our goal to find an excellent match suited to both you and each of our Temporary Barkers. Having rescued over 9,000 dogs since our inception in 2006, we are primarily volunteer run with a soft spot for the underdogs. Our Temporary Barkers come from all over the world as we have partnerships with Soi Dog Foundation in Thailand, Four Paws in Cambodia/Vietnam and Ark119 in Korea from which we've taken in over 1000 dog meat trade survivors. We also rescue heavily from Mexico where the abandoned dog population is extensive, the neglect is vast and the stories are heart wrenching.

It's The Pits

It's The Pits is a 501c3 canine rescue that coordinates the fostering and adoption of dogs that haven't yet found their permanent home. We specialize in American Staffordshire Terriers (Am Staffs), Staffordshire Bull Terriers ("Staffy's"), and American Pit Bull Terriers, but will do our best to help all breeds, often by referral to other local rescues that specialize in that type of dog. You can find many of these on our links page. We are located in San Diego county, as are all of our foster homes. We work alongside our fosters to give the dogs a temporary and loving home before they are placed into permanent homes. We rescue dogs from various shelters, evaluate them, ensure they are healthy, and then match them with the appropriate family. We take pride in matching the best dog for the individual family that contacts us. We do this by matching the activity level of the dog to the family's needs, as well as making sure that the other pets in the home work well with the new addition to the pack.

Mad Mutts

Our goal is to assist in the rescue and rehabilitation of at-risk dogs from shelters that need a little more time, a more home-like environment, more individualized support, and/or have minor medical issues. So many AMAZING dogs just simply do not thrive or show well in a kennel environment. We aim to help rehabilitate and rehome these dogs with the goal of quality homes over quantity of placements. Our small rescue works with local shelters and rescues in Southern California to network, transport, foster, and adopt.

Tragic to Magic

We are in the Baja California region and see first hand the homeless, hungry, scared and sometimes sick dogs on the streets. We take the animals in and keep the animals in our homes until they are fully vetted and ready to find a new home. We are just 3 people doing the actual rescue so we attempt to operate on a one-in one-put bases. Therefore, we work very hard doing adoption events, networking with other rescues and using social media to find them homes. We have saved over 120 animals in 2017.

Heart of Gold's Shelter

Heart of Gold Legacy was established in December 2005 with the purpose of providing assistance to various organizations that promote the general welfare of animals. Gertrude Sissy, McGill, the benefactress of Heart of Gold Legacy, has given financial contributions to organizations that provide shelter and care to animals before the inception of the foundation. Sissy has been an active supporter of animal welfare all her life. With the help of Teresita Bacani, a long-time friend and business partner, Sissy's vision of helping the animals through the foundation came to fruition. A legacy has been finally fulfilled. To this date, many animal welfare organizations in the United States have benefited from the goodness of the heart of the foundation.

Frosted Faces Foundation

FROSTED FACES FOUNDATION IS A 501(C)(3) NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT DELIVERS THE PROMISE OF FAMILY AND QUALITY VETERINARY CARE FOR SENIOR ANIMALS WHOSE LOVE AND LIVES ARE IN JEOPARDY.

Mutt Scouts

Mutt Scouts is not a breed specific rescue. We're dedicated to saving every dog we can, regardless of age, breed, medical or behavioral needs. We are transparent about our Mutt's needs with fosters and potential adopters to ensure that once a dog becomes a part of our organization, they will know nothing but love and safety for the rest of their lives.

San Diego Humane Society

San Diego Humane Society, an open-admission shelter, is creating a more humane world by inspiring compassion and advancing the welfare of animals and people. Our lifesaving safety net has helped San Diego become the largest city in the U.S. to keep healthy and treatable shelter animals from being euthanized. We are a private, independent, nonprofit organization that is not affiliated with any other humane society or society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. With campuses in El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside, Ramona and San Diego, we provide animal services for 13 cities within San Diego County. We not only care for more than 40,000 animals in our communities annually, but also share the expertise we have gained through our innovative programs with shelters nationwide so they can save more lives in their communities. While our influence is expanding nationally, our top priority is meeting the needs of San Diego. We provide exceptional care for all animals through world-class veterinary medicine, shelter and most of all: love.

Mission Bay Puppy Rescue

Rescue orphaned puppies, pregnant and their litters. We partner with amazing rescue teams in Bakersfield CA, the San Diego Humane Society and Country Animal Shelters across California as well as others to save as many pups and mamas as possible.

Second Chance Dog Rescue

Second Chance Dog Rescue (SCDR INC, dba Second Chance Dog Rescue) is a non-profit 501c3 (#26-3642128) organizations dedicated to saving homeless dogs. We rescue, rehabilitate and re-home dogs, primarily from local shelters, as well as dogs surrendered by their owners for various reasons, and dogs from Baja California, Mexico. Once we receive a dog, we provide medical care, including spay and neuter, and any necessary rehabilitation.

Amazing Dogs Rescue

Last Chance at Life

In the early 2000s, animal lover and advocate Lisa Hamilton founded a small rescue called “Boxers ‘N Birds Rescue.” Being the hospital administrator for a premier North County veterinary hospital, she would often encounter people surrendering their pets for various medical reasons. Having a strong fondness for exotic birds and the Boxer breed, she would often take these surrenders into her own care, provide the necessary medical care, and find them new forever homes – hence the name “Boxers ‘N Birds.” Over the years the rescue gained many more volunteers and the number of animals being saved from year to year also grew. The rescue formed into a 501(c)3 nonprofit and changed its name to “Last Chance at Life All Breed Rescue & Adoptions.” While we still love the Boxer breed, we now take in canines of all breeds who are at risk of euthanasia at local shelters. Our foster based rescue allows animals to recuperate and rehabilitate in the loving care of a foster home until their special forever home is found.

Camp Pendleton Animal Shelter

Labs and More Dog Rescue

Labs and More Dog Rescue is San Diego's fastest growing and most active dog rescue organization. Since our inception, Labs and More Rescue, has been Volunteer-run and is committed to saving dogs from our shelter systems and strays dumped in Southern California. Labs and More rescues thousands of dogs each year, with over 400 of them needing life-saving medical care. Over the past decade, we are most proud of our long-term relationships with over 13,500 adopting families. Previous adopting families and their referrals account for over 50% of our adoptions, a high mark of achievement we are very proud of.

Saving Pets One at a Time

SPOT, Saving Pets One at a Time, is a leading San Diego County all-volunteer rescue organization whose main focus is to save dogs and cats in shelters who are at risk of euthanization and to help other dogs and cats in need as well. Our goal is to save treatable, trainable, manageable and misdiagnosed dog and cats. We rescue them and provide foster homes in order to give them the care, medical, behavior and training, they need until we find them their forever loving homes. Our ultimate wish is for all shelters to be empty ‚ meaning that no animal is abandoned, and no shelter kills one animal to make room for another. We promote and advocate for spay and neuter programs in addition to Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) programs for feral cats.

San Diego Animal Support Foundation

The San Diego Animal Support Foundation is a private, volunteer dependent, nonprofit (501c3) organization dedicated to improving the welfare of animals in overburdened, underfunded local shelters and rescues.

Passion for Pitties

It all began in 2011 with a beautiful American Pit Bull Terrier named Sage. She was a gorgeous white and fawn girl with the most majestic green eyes and the cutest pink spotted nose. Our founder, Elise, volunteered at the shelter five days a week for 5 hours a day to help the dogs see another day. Sage was a stray who had been living at the Chula Vista Animal Care Facility for over four months. In that time, no one came to adopt her - no one came to rescue her. Elise built a wonderful relationship with Sage and loved her immensely. One day, Elise went in to exercise Sage, but she was missing. Elise frantically searched every kennel, but couldn’t find her anywhere. Could she have finally been adopted? An employee finally told Elise the truth - that Sage’s time was up. The staff had evaluated her behavior and the poor sweetheart had lost some of the softness that she once had with other dogs. Life in a kennel had broken her spirit. Elise’s heart was shattered. The end of Sage’s story was the beginning of ours. Elise swore that her life would not be in vain. American Pit Bull Terriers are our passion and our cause. We advocate tirelessly for bully breeds through education, events, and fundraisers. Now, our main focus is pulling more dogs like Sage from the shelter before their spirits are broken. We believe that any dog can be rehabilitated with positive training, reinforcement, and gentle human touch and guidance. All dogs ask for in return is love and kindness. Pitties are loving, soft, gentle, smart, playful, loyal dogs who long for human companionship and deserve a family to love and be loved by. In honor of Sage, we vow to pull as many dogs into our rescue as possible and: Stop Animals Getting Euthanized Passion for Pitties is a 501(c)(3)non-profit organization. Please consider tax deductible donations to aide us in saving and advocating for bully breed dogs in Southern California and beyond.

Project Street Vet

Project Street Vet was formed in 2020 to provide free veterinary care for pets of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness mainly through ‚Street Vet Work, free pet clinics, and financial assistance. Learn more about our work here. 2022 was a phenomenal year for Project Street Vet thanks to our supporters, volunteers, partners, and team members. We are grateful for the increased impact on pets and their people that our teams were able to make last year compared to 2021 and are excited for the continued opportunity to grow our work for those we serve.

Wee Companions

Wee Companions is San Diego's only small animal rescue, in business for over 25 years. We take care of guinea pigs, chinchillas, rats, mice, rabbits and hamsters. Our mission is to rescue and find permanent homes for small animals in need. We are dedicated to educating the public about proper care of small animals and supporting their journey from adoption to life long care

Southern California German Shepherd Rescue

SCGSR is a 501(c)3 Charity, EIN: 20-5500458 – Donate with Confidence. Founded in August 2006, SCGSR consists of a dedicated team of volunteers. SCGSR rescues, rehabilitates, provides spay/neuter and veterinary care, and re-homes pets in Southern California. SCGSR has rescued and placed over 900 animals. Our rescues include German Shepherds, Great Danes, Poodles, many mixed breeds, cats and kittens, a chicken, and even a boa constrictor. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in San Diego County, we are funded through tax-deductible donations from adopters and individuals like you who care about the fate of these magnificent companions. Unlike larger organizations and humane societies, SCGSR has no paid or compensated volunteers or employees, allowing your donation dollars to go further in providing care for needy animals. We do not maintain an expensive facility, but instead are foster-based. SCGSR specializes in helping ill and unadoptable abandoned pets regain their health and placing them in caring, loving forever homes. Together, we can envision a day when companion animals will no longer face inhumane treatment, abandonment or perish in shelters.

Angels of Rawley Foundation

My journey in dog rescue began in the latter part of 2013 when I was asked to transport a dog from a high kill shelter to a rescue. For the next 3 years I spent many hours transporting, fostering, and coordinating dog rescues. In October of 2016 I was told to return 3 potentially neurologically challenged dogs back to a high kill shelter. There was no way that I could do this. With the help of my amazing family and friends, I took in these 3 wonderful souls named Laverne, Lenny & Squiggy and started Angels of Rawley Foundation aka ARF. Laverne, Lenny and Squiggy have all been adopted into loving homes and they are thriving and living healthy lives. These three amazing little dogs, have been the “foundation” of why the team at ARF loves to do what we do and save lives, no matter what breed or their needs. I believe that "things happen for a reason” and "timing is everything." I know because of Rawley this is where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing to carry on her legacy.

Baja Dog Rescue

Since the founding of Baja Dog Rescue, in 2010, we have rescued almost 12,000 dogs from some horrific conditions, in Mexico and California. We are a non-profit, 100% no-kill shelter. We operate on donations from the public and the time and money of our volunteers. We have raised funds to put rescued dogs through chemotherapy and to repair broken bones from car accidents or abuse. We aggressively treat puppies for Parvo, to our knowledge we have the highest survival rate of any rescue group in operation (85%). Many of our dogs are found starving or injured on the side of the road, often near death from being beaten and discarded by their owners. These dogs are typically days, if not hours, from death. We are the last resort for many of these dogs, other rescues will not take them due to the severity of their condition. The shelter is also used as a home for many dogs that are considered unadoptable. They continue to get the food, love, and medical attention needed to enjoy their lives. Baja Dog Rescue partners with where we are found every Saturday holding an adoption event. We are a rescue partner with the County of San Diego and are authorized to pull dogs from shelters. We rescue dogs that have been scheduled to be euthanized. We have a wide network that we use to rescue, treat, and rehome our dogs. We have a 50,000 sq ft shelter with almost 150 dogs inhabiting it at any given moment. We promote our available dogs, adoption events, and rescue operations through our Facebook site and our website. We go through almost 700lbs of dog food a week in addition to medical and cleaning supplies. All of our adoption fees and donations go right back into buying the food and medicine for the dogs at our shelter. We rely solely on the generosity of the public, our volunteers, and our own funds to keep the shelter repaired and to take care of the dogs. Our Challenges As a 501c non-profit, all volunteer organization we face many, many challenges, including feeding our dogs. We go through almost 600lbs. of dog food per week, and since our shelter is based in Baja California we receive no assistance from the Rescue Food Bank here in the U.S. All of our adoption fees and donations go right back into buying the food and medicine for the dogs at our shelter. No one in our organization takes a paycheck, and we rely solely on the generosity of the public and our own funds to pay for repairs to our shelter and major surgeries. We always welcome visitors and volunteers to our shelter. Volunteers can help walk the dogs, clean up pens, and help socialize or pups.

Small Breed Rescue of Southern California

Small Breed Rescue of Southern California is an all-volunteer, non-profit, foster-based organization funded by donations. We are dedicated to taking in and caring for small breed dogs, small reptiles, and select exotic pets primarily from public shelters and other rescues. We are education and science-focused to help ensure that the animals that go into their new homes and their new families are set up for success! Our rescue is uniquely structured to rehabilitate animals who are at high risk of euthanasia due to manageable behavioral challenges, such as small dogs who are declining in a shelter environment and reptiles/exotics that have not been properly handled over their lifetime. We develop organizational and individual relationships to accommodate these specific assistance needs, which is one thing that differentiates us from other rescue organizations. Another is focusing on the two groups of animals that most would not usually combine. Initially, we started working with behaviorally challenged dogs under 15lbs who were not sheltering well. Because of our team's different skill sets, we decided to also work with reptiles on the side. The pandemic and the current shifts in the economy have drastically changed our direction to where we now care for more reptiles and exotics than dogs! With these shifts, we have also had to drop our weight limit on dogs down to under 10 lbs due to a lack of foster homes. We are always looking for new foster guardians who want to help us in our mission to save more lives with stability, commitment, education, and support. We provide everything you need no matter the animal type. Inexperienced? No worries! We will match the right foster pet to your skill set and comfort level as well as provide you with the training and tools that you need. Consider joining our team to foster a dog that needs a little patience, guidance, and TLC to come out of their shell, or foster one of our reptiles like a bearded dragon, ball python, or leopard gecko! We have assembled a support team that consists of experienced individuals who bring particular skills from the animal welfare industry that enable us to grow, educate, and enrich our foster community in a manner that supports our specific needs and those of our animals. The same support is given to our adopters. We will help you get ready for your new companion before they go home. Our goal is to set you up on the path to success so there are no broken hearts if we can avoid them. SBRSC remains interested in and committed to the welfare of the animals beyond the adoption process by providing continued education, training tips, resource references, and an open-door policy to our supporters. ~

A New Life Rescue

A New Life Charitable Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation operated exclusively by volunteers. We have significant experience in animal rescue and have an established network of highly qualified individuals. Our team includes lifelong, committed volunteers with a broad range of expertise from veterinarians to professional animal welfare advocates, some having over 30 years of experience and each one committed to protecting and saving helpless dogs. We focus on doing the best for the animals that we rescue by properly assessing each dog and providing necessary veterinary care, while also implementing training and socialization programs. Our dogs are initially cared for at boarding facilities and foster homes, and when they are ready, we aim to match each dog with their ideal forever home. Our regular adoption events and social media outreach allow us to find the best homes.

Treat Them R+ght Rescue

Treat Them R+ght Rescue is a family operated animal rescue and sanctuary that is dedicated to the betterment of animal welfare. Although a small operation with limited resources, the founders of TTR+ acknowledge that there will never not be animals in need, and have set out to help as many as they can in whatever way they can. Established in 2021, Treat Them R+ght has only newly begun development to be able to better accommodate abandoned, mistreated, or otherwise homeless animals. With the help of donors, volunteers, local business partnerships, and friends’ and familys’ time and efforts, we hope to make our little farm an option for any animal in need. This will take time and money, but in the meantime, we already have an array of adorable mouths to feed, and we wish to help in the aid of fostering, training, and placement of animals in need. If we are unable to physically accommodate an animal that is in need of a home, we will help facilitate adoption through public outreach and social media networking. Treat Them R+ght not only believes that all animals deserve a loving home, but that they are also to be treated with kindness, treated to proper medical care, and to have their natural physical and emotional needs be met. Animals have feelings to, you know. At TTR+, we utilize fear-free, force-free, reward based training and handling methods to ensure that each animal that comes to us has the absolute best experience with humans it possibly can. We use Positive Reinforcement to teach essential skills to help animals navigate the human world, as well as work to modify unwanted behavioral problems such as excessive fear or aggression in animals that have been faced with trauma in their pasts. It’s a hard-knock life out there, but here at TTR+, there are no tricks, only treats.