| General Rescues | Dog Breed Specific Rescues | Species Specialties | Other Links |

General (All-Breed) Rescues or Shelters

• Action for Animals Society - located in Burnaby, the Action For Animals In Distress Society is a registered non-profit, no-kill, humane animal rescue society dedicated to educating people to be responsible pet owners, fostering and adoption of abused, abandoned and neglected animals that would otherwise be euthanized.
• Animal Advocates of B.C. E-mail office@animaladvocates.com Phone (604)984-8826 - an all-volunteer registered charitable organization based in North Vancouver. They specialize in rescuing and rehabilitating animals that they feel have been overlooked by the official agencies, animal rights issues, and anti-cruelty action.
• BC SPCA - British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This is a province-wide organization with branches in many communities. This page contains a list of the regional branches, many of which list available animals online.
• Big Heart Rescue (Aldergrove).
• Black Dog Rescue - specializing in mothers and puppies. (Surrey).
• C.A.R.E.S. - Canadian Animal Rescue & Extended Shelter - located in Langley, CARES is a is a non-profit organization that provides a safe haven for homeless cats. Their goal is to find permanent, loving homes for these animals. Adoptable cats are listed on the webpage.
• C.A.R.E.S.S. (Companion Animal Resources & Educational Services Society) - a network of foster-homes and volunteers in Vancouver.
• The Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven Society - a private, non-profit animal welfare organization dedicated to saving homeless dogs and cats, to helping pets stay in loving homes and to cultivate respect and awareness for the rights and needs of animals. Animals for adoption are listed on their website.
• Coquitlam Animal Shelter - dogs, cats, and some other animals to be adopted in Coquitlam.
• Creature Comforts Pet Rescue - serving the Lower Mainland, Creature Comforts Pet Rescue is a not-for-profit, unregistered, privately run rescue with a special interest in exotic animals (turtles, rats, etc). E-mail CreatureComforts@shaw.ca.
• Critteraid - Email critteraid@vip.net.
• Delta Humane Society.

• Four Paws First Canine Rescue - located in Courtenay on Vancouver Island. Email fourpawsfirst@yahoo.ca.
• Fraser Valley Humane Society - Mission, BC. Phone 604-820-2977 or e-mail fvhumanesociety@telus.net. This is a non-profit registered charity that provides adoption services, "lost and found" pet assistance, help with pets during personal and natural disasters, and spay/neuter education and implementation.
• Friends of the Animals - located in Surrey, BC, this is an organization whose primary objective is to rescue mistreated or abused dogs, rehabilitate them in foster homes, and then find permanent homes for them. Contact info@fota.ca.
• Furever After Small Dogs Rescue (North Van).
• K.A.R.A. (Karen's Animal Rescue Association) - a non-profit all-volunteer rescue organization in Abbotsford. Email info@karaworld.com.
• Karen and Jim Bright - independent dog rescuers in Lumby (near Vernon in the interior). E-mail jbright@cnx.net Phone:250-547-6739
• Little Paws Rescue - an all-breed rescue that specializes in small dogs. They have contacts both on the mainland and Vancouver Island.
• New Westminister Animal Shelter. Lots of cats, some dogs, occasional rabbits, rats, and other small critters. Phone 604-519-2008
• North Shuswap Animal Connection - An all-breed rescue located in Lee Creek (North Shuswap). Contact Heidi Schmidt or Bob Ehlert. Phone: (250)679-8605
• North Vancouver Animal Welfare Shelter Email paws@dnv.org.
• P.A.W.S. (Pet Adoption and Welfare Society) - located in Creston. PAWS is a registered, non-profit society committed to finding safe, comfortable homes for abandoned and unwanted animals in the Creston Valley.
• Penticton Animal Control.
• Royal City Humane Society - a volunteer-run no-kill shelter in New West that has cats, dogs, and occasionally other animals as well.
• Surrey Animal Rescue and Adoption (SARA) Society. Phone: (604)580-8254. Contact Mala Brown.
• S.A.N.S. (West Coast "Spay And Neuter Society") is a volunteer-run registered charity established in 1990. They rescue and provide no-kill shelter to animals in need. They have two shelters, one in Mission and one in Maple Ridge. Phone: 604-826-7101
• The Rescuers - all-breed dog rescue in Vancouver. Contact Tracey Summers at tracey_summers@hotmail.com or phone (604)465-1380.
• Turtle Gardens Animal Rehabilitation Society's Safe Haven - a private shelter for unwanted pets, located in northern interior of British Columbia, in the village of Topley. They will take in dogs, cats, birds, turtles, fish or chickens. E-mail turtleg@uniserve.com.
• Vancouver Animal Shelter - the city shelter in Vancouver has a lot of nice dogs available all the time. Many of them have pictures and a write-up here. NOTE: this is a no-kill shelter.
• The WAG Way Animal Shelter - located in Whistler, BC.
• Walker's Animal Rescue Centre - a non-profit, no-kill, animal shelter located in Nanaimo, BC. 250-754-7081. Adoption center located at #112-55 Victoria Rd.

Dog Breed Specific Rescues

Go to the breed specific rescue page.

Other Species Specialities

• Bird Placement Program Parrot Refuge (Langley)
• Boston Magic Avian Rescue - a non-profit rescue organization located in Chilliwack. They deal with the fostering and re-homing of unwanted pet birds. Contact Sarah Gaffney 604-703-1874.
• British Columbia Rabbit Rescue - a non-profit organization for rabbit rescue throughout BC. Fostering, adoption, rabbit care information, etc.
• Circle F Horse Rescue Society - a registered non-profit, charitable organization that cares for horses and, when ready, adopts them out to appropriate homes. All horse care and organizational matters are provided by volunteers.
• Dee's Orphan Kitten Fund - located in Victoria, this non-profit volunteer society rehabilitates and adopts out feral cats and kittens. Adoptable cats and kittens are listed on their webpage. Contact by e-mail or by phone (250)727-2268.
• Ferret Information Rescue Shelter & Trust (FIRST) (Vancouver)
• Forgotten Felines - located in Richardson. Rescue and adoption of domestic cats, housing and care of ferals.
• Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary (Surrey)
• The Happy Cat Haven (Gibsons)
• Hearts On Noses - a Mini Pig Sanctuary in Maple Ridge. Contact heartsonnoses@shaw.ca
• HomeFinders - HomeFinders is a non-profit group in the lower mainland (New West) area. They take in cats and small animals, and run a turtle rescue branch. Phone (604)585-2261 or e-mail homefinderscanada@yahoo.ca.
• House Rabbit Society - this is the Vancouver Chapter of the House Rabbit Society.
• Meow Aid Cat Rescue (Vancouver)
• Rainforest Reptile Refuge Society - a santuary for unwanted reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids. They do not adopt out their animals, but offer a permanent home at the facility instead. (Surrey)
• S.C.A.T (Stray Cats About Town) - located in Tofino on Vancouver Island. Email kermode@island.net or phone 250-725-8700.
• Small Animal Rescue Email info@smallanimalrescue.org.
• Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue. This organization is a group of experienced volunteers who bottle-feed and care for orphaned kittens, cats with kittens, and sometimes orphaned puppies. Email rescue@orphankittenrescue.com or stepup54@hotmail.com. Phone 604-731-2913.
• Vancouver Rabbit Rescue & Advocacy - a registered charitable society dedicated to many aspects of rabbit rescue. Contact vrra@vrra.org or hopalong@mac.com
• Victoria Cat Rescue - Victoria Cat Rescue Corps provides foster care for homeless cats and kittens to be adopted out, offers spay/neuter and medical cost assistance to low income pet owners (applicable to all pets), and offers other support and educational programs to benefit local animals.

Other Good Information Sources (not necessarily BC)

• bcpetrescue.ca - Another site very similar to this one, with listings of rescues in BC and a message board.
• No Puppy Mills Canada - information on stopping pet overpopulation, and specifically, puppy mills.
• Amanda's Lost and Found Pet Site - an information source for anyone who has lost or found a pet in BC.
• New Hope Dog Rescue - an all breed dog rescue based out of Saskatoon, SK.
• Canadian Dog Rescue - this has many, many links for shelters, breed-specific rescues, and animals needing new homes all over Canada
• Canadian Dog Clubs - while not all of these clubs may participate in rescue, they are still good sources of information on your chosen breed.
• Kyler Laird's animal rescue resources - A list of rescue-related links for Canada and the US.
• Poohka's Rabbit Rescue - a rabbit rescue located in Saskatoon.
• Siberian Husky Rescue - this site has links, descriptions, and pictures for huskies needing homes all over the world! This is where I found my sibe, Maki. Sometimes information on these pages is out of date, though.
• Tails of the Tundra - another Siberian Husky rescue, this one for Pennysylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. E-mail tundratails@yahoo.com.
• Chinook Rescue - this rare breed of sled dog has occasional dogs needing rescue.
• Dogs in Canada - a Canadian dog magazine. The online version contains rescue lists and other information.
• Ruff 'n Stuff Consignment Pet Products - located in Cloverdale, this is a great place to find used pet supplies. The owner is also involved with rescue and features small animals for adoption in the store!
• Pet Net links for BC - links for all kinds of pet-related services in BC.
• ThePoop.com - info on dogs, breeds, training, rescue, and health.
• Top Dog Services - this site might be a good place to find breeders, rescue orgs, grooming, boarding, and other services.
• Netkin's Animal Companions - a site to help you deal with the grief of losing a pet.
• Rigor Ridge Rehabilitation - physiotherapy for horses, dogs, and other animals.

Back to top

Please let me know if these links are out of date!