Where to adopt a dog in Salt Lake City

Rescuing a shelter pet is a great way to add a loving dog to your home. When it comes to dog adoption in and around Salt Lake City, you have plenty local dog rescues to choose from to find the perfect fit for your family!

There are many things to consider when adopting a dog, but lifestyle compatibility is one of the most important things. Questions to ask yourself include:

• What is our living situation for a dog?

• How active is our lifestyle?

• How will the other pets or kids in our home interact with this dog?

• Are we looking for a cuddly companion or an exercise buddy?

• How much does the dog shed or need grooming?

• Is this a dog breed that learns quickly or will need a long term training plan?

Make a list of the most important aspects of life with your new dog before you go to the rescue. Knowing what lifestyle you plan to provide for a dog will help the shelter staff focus on narrowing down which pets will be a good fit for you before you get wrapped up in choosing purely on looks and personality. Having an honest conversation about expectations with the rescue staff members ensures the highest likelihood for a successful pairing!

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Salt Lake County Animal Services

Sale Lake County Animal Services is a no-kill shelter located in Salt Lake City. This rescue’s focus is on stray and abandoned dogs, in addition to enforcing pet ordinances, licensing for most Salt Lake County municipalities, and providing shelter for lost pets. Salt Lake County Animal Services also provides community resources in a variety of areas of animal education.

Adoption fees:

• Large dog adoptions- $75

• Small dog (< 20 lbs) adoptions- $125

• Puppy (< 6 months) adoptions- $200

Adoption fees includes spay or neutering, up-to-date vaccines, and a microchip. Special fee waivers are available for senior citizens and veterans on certain adoptions.

Click HERE to see their list of adoptable dogs.

Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Animal Society is a no-kill shelter that runs their Salt Lake adoption center in Sugar House. You may have heard about the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab or their popular Strut Your Mutt event held every year around the country. While this national name now runs shelters in Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta, Southern Utah is the place where it all began. Best Friends is incredibly active in the animal advocacy space and has a goal of converting every shelter in the country to no kill by 2025.

Adoption fees:

• Dog adoptions- $75

• Puppy (< 6 months) adoptions- $200

Adoption fees includes spay or neutering, up-to-date vaccines, and a microchip. Special fee waivers are available for senior citizens. Best Friends also requires a meet and greet with your current pet if you are adding a second dog to your home.

Best Friends recommends visiting their location to see all available dogs from partner shelters but they do offer a small list of adoptable dogs online HERE.

Nuzzles and Company

Nuzzles and Co is a no-kill shelter that is most well known for their 16,000 square foot ranch in Summit County, though they also have a satellite adoption center in Park City. Nuzzles and Co rescues animals from kill shelters around Utah and then rehabilitates the animals at their ranch before seeking an adoptive home for the dog. They have a unique partnership with Navajo Nation that focuses not only on rescue, but community pet services and resources

Adoption fees:

• Adult dog adoptions- $150

• Puppy (< 6 months) adoptions- $375

• Puppy (6 months – 1 year) adoptions- $250

• Senior dog (7 years+)- $25

Adoption fees includes spay or neutering, up-to-date vaccines, and a microchip.

Click HERE to see their list of adoptable dogs.

Humane Society of Utah

The Humane Society of Utah self describes as an “open-admission shelter that has achieved no-kill standards.” Dogs here are primarily owner surrender and transfers from both in and out of state shelters. Their Pet Retention Program offers owners a variety of resources to assist owners with keeping their dog, as well as resources for private re-homing to avoid shelter life.

Adoption Fees:

• Dog adoption fees are individually based and range from $55-$600

Adoption fees includes spay or neutering, up-to-date vaccines, and a microchip, in addition to a month of pet insurance and a wellness visit with a local partner veterinarian. Fees may be reduced for dogs who have been at the Humane Society of Utah shelter for more than 14 days.

Click HERE to see their list of adoptable dogs.

Rescue Rovers

Rescue Rovers is a unique rescue organizations that places all adoptable dogs in foster homes in the Salt Lake area. Dogs are transferred in from high kill shelters and go straight into a foster home where training and socialization is able to begin immediately. Family fit is a very important part of the adoption process at Rescue Rovers and thus, they will accept three applications for each dog and then choose the most compatible. Adoptions are conducted through an appointment with the foster family or at one of Rescue Rovers’ community adoption events.

Adoption fees:

• Adult dog adoptions- $200

• Puppy (< 2 years) adoptions- $250

• Senior dog (10 years+)- $100

Puppies who complete a training course within 3 months of adoption are eligible for a $50 rebate.

Click HERE to see their list of adoptable dogs.

CAWS

CAWS, short for Community Animal Welfare Society, is another foster based rescue in the Salt Lake City area. CAWS primary focus is on animals that are not thriving in other shelters due to factors like illness, disability, age, etc. Foster families are highly involved in the adoption process in effort to maximize the success of the placement.

Adoption fees:

• Adult dog adoptions- $200

• Puppy (< 6 months) adoptions- $300

• Senior dog (10 years+)- $100

Adoption fees includes spay or neutering, up-to-date vaccines, and a microchip. Puppies who complete a training course within 3 months of adoption are eligible for a $50 rebate while adult dogs who complete a training course are eligible for a $25 rebate.

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Hopefully this list of resources helps you find the perfect type of dog for your family. Once your new friend is ready to venture out in public, check out our map of dog friendly places!