Animals, dogs specifically are considered man’s best friend. As true as that may be there are so many who live in shelters waiting for a forever home. According to ASPCA just over 3 million animals are adopted from animal rescues and shelters each year.
The majority of dogs are obtained through animal shelters or the humane society. Some people purchase dogs from breeders or pet stores.
You can help reduce the number of rescue dogs by adopting. We have put together a list of the best dog rescues in Utah that you should consider when adopting your next furry friend.
Next Read: Crate Training a Rescue Dog, According to a Dog Expert
I'm the most pup-ular dog at the park.
1. Second Chance for Homeless Pets in Salt Lake City
Address: 200 E. Gordon Lane, Salt Lake City, UT 84107
Phone: 801-590-8999
Email: adopt@utahpetadoptions.org
Location Type: Shelter
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: $200-$350 for Dogs, $25-$100 for long-term resident animals.
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, Bordatella Vaccination, Rabies Vaccination, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: A non-profit, no kill shelter that location seeks to find forever homes for homeless pets through adoptions. They also offer spay/neutering, pet supplies, and humane education.
Adoption Requirements: Make an appointment via email to view available pets. Applications are taken on site. You must be 18 years or older to adopt a pet. Here's a link to pets ready for adoption.
2. Underdog Animal Rescue and Rehab in Moab, UT
Address: 72 S 100 E, Moab, UT 84532
Phone: 435-260-8033
Email: underdogrescue17@gmail.com
Location Type: Shelter & Rescue
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: Varies
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location offers transport, vet care, and adoption services for abandoned or homeless dogs on Native American land.
Adoption Requirements: You must be at least 18 years old to adopt a dog. Email your application after selecting an available dog from the website here. You will then need to have a meet and greet with an adoption counselor and the prospective pet.
3. RSQ Dogs+ in St. George, UT
Address: 1838 W 1020 N Suite B St George, Utah 84770
Phone: 1-800-897-1136
Email: rsqdogsutah@gmail.com
Location Type: Rescue
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: $75 - $150
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location offers dogs and cats for adoption. They accept foster parents for animals in need.
Adoption Requirements: Fill out an application after viewing available animals. You must be at least 18 and an interview and home visit are mandatory for application approval. Animals must be housed indoors and cats must retain their claws.
View adoptable dogs here and application form here.
4. Paws for Life in Heber, UT
Address: 89 North 100 East, 89 N 100 E, Heber, UT 84032
Phone: 435-640-4752
Email: nancy@pflu.org
Location Type: Rescue
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: $100- $200
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location offers dogs for adoption. Transport from high-risk shelters, low-cost spay & neuter, emergency medical care for abandoned animals, and community outreach programs are also provided.
Adoption Requirements: Choose an animal from the website and then submit an application online. After review, a follow-up appointment will be made to complete the adoption. You must be 18 in order to adopt.
5. Fuller Menagerie Animal Rescue in Salina, UT
Address: 1225 Old hwy 10 (300East), Salina, UT 84654
Phone: 435-406-6779
Email: info@fullmermenagerieanimalrescue.org
Location Type: Rescue & Shelter
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: $125-$600
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location allows owner to surrender and also adopts out animals. You can also become a foster home for animals in need.
Adoption Requirements: To adopt a rescue animal, you simply need to select your new pet from the website. Next, fill out the adoption application and wait for the adoption specialist to schedule a visit. You must be at least 21 to adopt a rescue animal.
Can't keep the pup-arazzi away.
6. A New Beginning Animal Rescue in Layton, UT
Address: P.O. Box 1395, Layton, UT 84041
Phone: (801) 916-3924
Email: adoptions@anbrescue.org
Location Type: Rescue
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: $275 for dogs.
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location accepts owner-released animals and offers cats and dogs for adoption. They also offer vaccinations, microchip implantation, and spay/neutering of adopted pets.
Adoption Requirements: To adopt you must be 18 years old and be able to provide two forms of ID. You must agree not to declaw, or doc the tails and ears of adopted animals. A personal reference is needed, and animals must be housed indoors.
7. Nuzzles & Co. in Summit County, UT
Address:
Phone:
Email:
Location Type: Shelter & Rescue
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: Prices vary depending on animal type and age.
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location offers animal adoptions, a community clinic, rescues for farm animals, pet food pantries, and a sanctuary program. They also offer vaccinations, flea treatments, de-worming, microchip implantation, and spay/neutering.
Adoption Requirements: To adopt an animal you will need to email the rescue to inquire about available pets and to set up an appointment. Applications are taken on-site and you must be at least 18 to adopt.
8. Hearts 4 Paws in West Valley, UT
Address: 4540 West 3100 South West Valley City, UT 84120
Phone: 801-867-9564
Email: hearts4pawsdogs@gmail.com
Location Type: Rescue
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: Varies
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location accepts owner-released dogs, and dogs rescued from local shelters that were scheduled for euthanasia and offers dogs for adoption. They also offer vaccinations, flea treatments, de-worming, microchip implantation, and spay/neutering.
Adoption Requirements: You must be 18 years old with a valid ID to adopt. Fill out an application after selecting a dog online on their Facebook page or Petfinder. Once the application is reviewed, a contract will be signed and the adoption completed.
9. Rescue Rovers in Salt Lake City, UT
Address: PO Box 71551, Salt Lake City, UT 84171
Phone: 435-565-4031
Email: rescuerovers@gmail.com
Location Type: Rescue
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: Puppies $250, Adults $200, Seniors $100
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location rescues dogs from high-kill shelters that are nearing their euthanasia date. They care for them, nurse them to health and house them until adopted out to forever homes.
Adoption Requirements: You can fill out a general application for a rescue dog, or list a specific pet you were interested in. A meet and greet will be scheduled and the foster family will choose from three potential homes for the pet. Applications are valid for 6 months. In-home visits may occur.
View doggos ready for adoption here.
10. Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, UT
Address: 2005 S. 1100 E. Salt Lake City, Utah 84106
Phone: 801-574-2454
Email: utahadoptions@bestfriends.org
Location Type: Shelter
Designation: 501(c)(3) non-profit
Fees: $75 for dogs and $200 for puppies (younger than 6 months)
All animals offered for adoption will be vaccinated, treated for parasites, spay/neutered, and implanted with a microchip. These services are included with the adoption fee.
Services Offered: This location offers rescued and abandoned animals of various types. They also accept volunteers, foster families, and donations.
Adoption Requirements: Fill out an application listing the type of animal you are interested in and wait for 72 hours. An adoption specialist will contact you to help match an available animal to your needs. View adoptable pets on this page.
Is It Better to Adopt From a Shelter or a Rescue?
Animal shelters and animal rescues both serve to help animals in need.
Depending on where you live, shelters and rescues may be one and the same, though, in other areas, they are different facilities. Both offer animals a second chance to find a home with a loving family.
They also work to help manage the stray animal population in any given area. If you are considering adoption, you may be wondering which location is the best when to comes to choosing a new pet.
Animal Shelters
In many cases, animal shelters are partially funded through the local government. Pet owners are able to hand over pets they are no longer able to care for and those that have picked up off the streets.
Pets that have been surrendered due to abuse are also housed in animal shelters. You can find dogs, cats, birds, and many other types of animals in a shelter.
Due to the sheer number of animals accepted and situations considered, shelters are usually filled beyond capacity.
This often leads to many animals being put to sleep if they do not find a new home within a certain time frame.
Animal Rescues
Animal rescues are most often privately run locations that accept or rescue a limited range of pets. This can be animals taken from abusive owners or even those who were living in a homeless situation.
Often, rescues will work to rehab pets with health or behavioral issues before adopting it out to a new family. Rescue animals also are able to live in a variety of foster homes prior to being adopted out. These facilities often operate fully on donations.
Rescue vs. Shelter: Which is Right For You?
Animal shelters are a good place to adopt a pet if you are looking for easier requirements and a shorter wait time. If you are looking to save the life of an animal in need, this is an ideal option. You can also visit with the animals to see which one may be a good fit for your family.
Animal rescues help the animals to stay social and retain their ability to live with people. If you are looking for a specific type of companion animal and don’t mind a lengthy adoption process, this is a good option.
