Your Guide on Dog Rescues and Resources

Note: Below are the rescues in SoCal for now. I will add more states and countries as I know more.

The Journey to Adopt a Dog!

What an exciting and heartfelt decision that extends beyond just gaining a new family member—it’s about offering a second chance to a loving animal in need. This dog rescue guide will introduce you to various California dog rescues and the essential resources they provide to help you find your ideal dog. Whether you’re drawn to a particular breed, hoping for a quirky mix, or simply wanting to help an animal in need, dog rescues are the perfect starting point. Read on to learn how these organizations help forge lasting bonds between dogs and their new families and how you can be part of this wonderful experience.

Agoura Hills

• Life Animal Rescue (dogs and cats): Life Animal Rescue, our mission is to rescue homeless or abandoned dogs and cats and place them in permanent, responsible, and loving homes. L.I.F.E. promotes and practices an aggressive spay/neuter effort to help resolve the pet overpopulation problem. L.I.F.E. is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization relying solely on donations to continue its work.

Calabasas

• Dogs Without Borders: Dogs Without Borders is a non profit 501-c-3 rescue organization based in Los Angeles, California. DWB rescues stray and abandoned dogs from local shelters and as far away as Taiwan and Mexico. Spearheaded by Galit Reuben and backed by hard-working, dedicated volunteers, DWB stands behind their dogs offering their clients advice and support for the duration of their dogs’ lives to ensure happy and successful adoptions. Dogs Without Borders does not have a facility and relies solely on foster volunteers to house and care for their rescue dogs until they are adopted. DWB is proud to have placed over 6000 dogs since its inception and will continue to rescue thousands more with the support of generous donations, fosters, and volunteers.

Camarillo

• DaisyLu Ranch (senior dog sanctuary): DaisyLu Ranch, we are dedicated to providing a loving and safe home for senior dogs who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. Many of these dogs are terminally ill and require specialized care to ensure that their final days are filled with love and comfort. We believe that every dog deserves to be treated with compassion and dignity, no matter their age or health condition.

Los Angeles

• S.T.A.R.T. Rescue: START Rescue coordinates large-scale rescue-transport missions to save animals from overflowing and high-kill shelters, neglect, abuse, and abandonment. They focus primarily on saving animals at risk of euthanasia in California and animals living just over the border in Mexico. Sponsor a seat on the Rescue-RV today!
• and save a life!
• A Purposeful Rescue: Many amazing dogs get overlooked, or need a little extra work or care, and we aim to give those dogs a second chance. We strongly believe that we will not adopt our way out of the problem of pet overpopulation, which is why we focus heavily on prevention and community outreach. Primarily focused on South Central Los Angeles, we promote spay and neuter and education. We rely on the hard work and dedication of our volunteers.
• Foxy and The Hounds: Foxy and the Hounds is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue organization. Our mission is to help the ones that need us most! We believe every dog deserves a chance at life and we are committed to saving dogs from euthanasia in our local shelters. Foxy and the Hounds saves dogs of all breeds, sizes and ages and the dogs that are often overlooked. Our primary focus is to rescue and rehabilitate injured, neglected, abandoned and abused dogs from our shelters, owner surrenders and hoarding situations.
• Kennel to Couch: A Pit Bull Rescue, Kennel to Couch has teamed with shelters, trainers, and local community partners to sponsor Pit Bulls who have been at their shelters for the longest period of time. Through these partnerships, we will collectively promote Pit Bull Rescue. Our promise to our partnered shelters is to continue to grow our adoption sponsorship packages for our dogs. Within our partnership, the shelters commit to us by removing our sponsored dogs from the possibility of being euthanized due to overcrowding.
• Labelle Foundation: Labelle Foundation, a beacon of hope in the realm of animal welfare. Our foundation is dedicated to transforming lives through responsible pet ownership education, spaying, and neutering initiatives, vaccination advocacy, and comprehensive dog training. We confront the challenges within the rescue community head-on, driven by a resolute mission to put an end to dog homelessness. Aligned with our mission, we champion accessible veterinary care. Our support has extended to sponsoring spay and neuter clinics across California and Mexico, with ongoing plans to broaden our reach. Our unwavering commitment includes partnering with affordable specialty veterinary clinics and addressing the critical need for accessible and affordable care through advocacy and legislation.
• MaeDay Rescue: MaeDay Rescue is a non-profit dog rescue based in Los Angeles. We save hundreds of dogs a year from the shelters and streets through our foster-based program. Sometimes we save cats too! We save dogs of all breeds and all ages
• Outta the Cage: Outta the Cage, we put special focus on “at-risk” dogs, including seniors, special needs animals, and so-called dominant breeds. These dogs are often overlooked by potential adopters but, through targeted networking, promotion and training, they can become wonderful companions.
• Tales of the City: Tails of the City Animal Rescue are a group of dedicated volunteers donating their time, energy, hearts and souls to rescuing and placing pets that would otherwise be euthanized at our local shelters. We also extend our hand to help animals that are lost or cruelly discarded to run the streets of Los Angeles. It is a long road from “rescue to placement”. Our philosophy is “no-kill” which, to us means that the animals have a home with us for as long as it takes to place them. We never give up on an animal, whether they are seniors, have special medical needs, have been abused or neglected, or have a particular behavioral issue. We try to find the best home possible for them. Animals don’t end up in rescue because they had a wonderful beginning, but we try to make the rest of their lives as wonderful as they deserve. need, and the prevention of abuse and neglect of domestic animals through humane education.
• Tobie’s Small Dog Rescue: The mission of our Non-Profit Organization Is To Provide Temporary Care And Shelter For Stray, Abandoned And Relinquished Dogs, And To Place Into Responsible And Caring Forever Homes. We Also Try To Create Awareness And Support For The Humane Treatment Of All Animals And To End Animal Overpopulation Through Education And The Promotion Of Spaying And Neutering.
• Westside German Shepard Rescue: Westside German Shepherd Rescue of Los Angeles is a non-profit 501(c)3, no kill rescue committed to saving all types of German Shepherd Dogs from high kill shelters and adopting them to loving, qualified homes.
• Yogi’s House: Yogi’s House is a rescue that works tirelessly to save dogs from the euthanasia lists of overcrowded California shelters. As a foster-based rescue. We extend our reach beyond Los Angeles, welcoming fosters from all over California and adopters worldwide. At Yogi’s House, we want to make adoption a joyous, personalized, and hassle-free experience. Adoption is truly possible for all breeds, and we work to find adopters who meet the needs of all of our rescues. 

Riverside

• Underdog Heroes: The underdogs are those who are perceived as weak and less likely to succeed. They are regarded as disadvantaged, but they become triumphant against all odds. Most people would overlook strays, shelter dogs, abused and neglected animals; due to societal bias they are viewed as “damaged, wild, or unpredictable”, and not deemed to make good pets. Sadly, this misconception lessens their survival rate and adoptability. We are here to grant them a fair chance to have a better life, “one rescue at a time”. It truly takes a village of tireless volunteers, rescue networkers, shelter collaboration, fosters, adopters, and donations to save these pure hearts.

Santa Monica

• Love Leo Rescue: Love Leo Rescue is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abused, injured, abandoned and forgotten dogs. We provide medical care, training, and other services to the dogs in our rescue to help prepare them for adoption and forever homes. Many dogs we rescue require complicated surgeries and costly medical care. In addition, we launched a spay and neuter program which provides FREE spay and neuter surgeries to people and their pets living in low income and underserved areas. We are dedicated to helping battle the pet overpopulation problem through rescue and preventative programs.

Sherman Oaks

• Camp Cocker Rescue: Camp Cocker Rescue is an animal rescue group with a focus on cocker spaniels in high-kill shelters. Cockers as a breed are prone to chronic medical problems and often end up in shelters due to no fault of their own.  Our mission is to take on dogs with health conditions that require vetting and costly medical procedures, get them the proper care and find them loving forever homes.
• California Doodle Rescue: Our mission is to rescue, foster, and find safe loving homes for poodle mixed breed dogs affectionately known as ‘Doodles’. This includes Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, Aussiedoodles, Bernedoodles, Sheepadoodles, and many more. We support and promote humane animal regulation through the encouragement of neutering and spaying of dogs, to promote quality medical treatment and care of such dogs, and to provide suitable long term facilities for the humane care and treatment of lost and abandoned poodle mixed breed dogs.

Sunset Beach

• Safe Rescue Team: Our main focus is helping the voiceless, abandoned, neglected, and abused. We are dedicated to saving homeless and abandoned dogs that have compelling situations where they are in danger of abuse, neglect or euthanasia. Our dogs are never placed into a shelter after being saved. We only place our animals into loving and experienced foster homes until they are ready for adoption.

Sylmar

• Golden Years Dog Sanctuary (senior dogs and cats): Golden Years Dog Sanctuary, Our first passion is to provide a last loving home to senior and at-risk dogs. Our second passion is to foster at-risk cats and kittens from local animal care centers; caring for them and then finding them forever homes.We are committed to continue helping  shelters to improve and to maximize saving these precious lives. We strive to educate owners on the importance of spaying and neutering their pets, and the value of owning a senior dog or cat .  

Thousand Oaks

• Paws for Life K9 Rescue: Paws For Life K9 Rescue saves and transforms the lives of animals and people through innovative canine-centered programs that provide purpose, support, and opportunity through the Prison/Re-Entry, People & Pet Innovation Center, First Responder and PTSD Support, Adoptions, Transports, and Vet Tech Program.

Topanga

• Deity Animal Rescue Foundation: Deity Animal Rescue is a non-profit rescue organization based in Los Angeles. It is our passion and mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and place stray, neglected, and shelter dogs into loving, responsible, and committed homes. We do not discriminate on age, breed, or ease of placement. Rather, we choose dogs based on temperament and potential to be wonderful companions

Upland

• Balooja’s Foundation: Balooja’s Foundation operates an all-breed companion animal rescue, foster-care and adoption program in Upland, California. The emphasis of the rescue is on the dogs most in danger of being euthanized by the shelter system, especially Pit Bulls and Chihuahuas, along with senior animals and those with medical needs.

Van Nuys

• Pet Orphans of Southern California (dogs and cats): Pet Orphans of Southern California (POSC), a private non-profit animal shelter, is committed to reducing euthanasia in city and county shelters by rescuing and successfully rehoming healthy, clean, loving adoptable dogs and cats. With our new Vet Clinic, we want to be able to provide affordable vaccines, spay/neuter, microchip and health care to the lower income community.