In this article, we’ve featured 15 of the best dog rescues in Scotland. Continue reading to learn who they are and how you can support their activities.
1. Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home
Since 1883, Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has welcomed lost and abandoned pups of all breeds and sizes. This animal rescue home was founded by a group of animal-loving residents of Edinburgh and the Lothians. The organisation has continued to grow to accommodate the increasing demands to help more pets in need.
This dog rescue centre has remained focused on its mission to rescue, reunite, rehabilitate, and rehome lost and stray pets. EDCH has also worked hard to maintain a safe space where mistreated and unwanted pets can get a second chance to live in a happy forever home.
EDCH has an open intake policy and accepts all pets, however badly off they may be. This includes pets with poor physical conditions, behavioural problems, severe health issues, and mental health problems. Pets who are found and brought to this rescue are also treated to the best quality vet care and training before they can be re-homed.
Get in touch with the friendly animal-lovers at Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home to learn more about their services and find out how you can adopt a pet. You can also support the rescue’s good work by making a donation, fundraising, kennel or cat sponsorship, volunteering, or gifting in wills.
2. Dog Aid Society of Scotland
This dog rescue is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Dog Aid Society receives no government funding and operates fully through membership, legacies, and donations. The dog rescue organisation in Edinburgh was founded in 1956 to help pups of all breeds and sizes find new, loving homes,
Dog Aid Society of Scotland is invested in the wellbeing of each pooch that comes through their doors and encourages responsible pet ownership by training parents, providing veterinary aid for pets in need, and providing neutering vouchers and pet waste disposal bags.
The society also offers financial assistance to low-income dog parents through its neutering and veterinary aid schemes. If you would like to adopt a pet, the Dog Aid Society of Scotland welcomes you to check out their catalogue of available pets.
Reach out to the friendly professionals at this dog rescue organisation to find out more about their services, adopt a dog, or inquire about their re-homing process as you make a donation.
3. Scottish SPCA
Scotland’s Animal Welfare Charity in Balerno was started in 1930. The animal rescue centre serves pets and families in Edinburgh and Lothians. Originally set up as a horse rescue farm, the centre has since evolved to accommodate dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, fish, small birds, equines, rodents, reptiles, and snakes.
This organisation has a team of dedicated animal rescue officers who offer emergency services to animals who need urgent help. The officers respond to a variety of unusual rescues such as trapped animals and others.
Scottish SPCA offers a variety of services to rescued pets including giving them lots of love and care until they can be reunited with their parents. Pets who need medical attention are treated to first-class care at the Fishcross National Wildlife Rescue Centre. The organisation has a strict policy to never euthanise a healthy animal.
The rescue centre also helps parents who would like to adopt a pet. Get in touch with the friendly team at Scottish SPCA to find out more about their services or make a donation.
4. Mrs Murray’s Cat and Dog Home
This registered animal rescue facility offers love and care for lost, stray, and abandoned dogs and cats. Mrs Murray’s Cat and Dog Home serves the pets and families of Aberdeen and helps over 1500 animals annually.
The home was started by Mrs Susan Murray in 1889. The home started as a place of refuge and shelter for strays and has since grown to accommodate re-homing and pet care services. The charity depends entirely on donations from well-wishers, legacies, and public support.
This dog and cat rescue organisation offers a variety of services including dog boarding services for parents who cannot take their beloved pets with them while travelling, microchipping, finding lost pets, and pet re-homing services for pets whose parents are unable to provide the care that they need.
Pets rescued by the police and local authority dog wardens undergo a series of treatments including vaccination and flea treatment. Reach out to Mrs Murray and her team at this dog rescue to adopt a pet or donate.
5. Dog Action Workshop Group Scotland
DAWGS is a registered Scottish charity founded by Mike Gibb, Jill Inggall, Brenda Rae, and Karen Sutherland in 1994. The animal-loving group started by helping out other animal charities before offering their re-homing services to a local veterinarian in Aberdeen.
The team started this pet rescue organisation believing in the value of each pet and their right to a safe and loving home. Today, DAWGS has re-homed over 3000 dogs and has maintained its reputation as a rescue centre that truly cares about animals.
DAWGS offers a variety of services including re-homing pets whose parents can no longer care for them, unwanted dogs, strays, and dogs in need. The team of dog-lovers ensures each pup gets proper medical care and carries out thorough home checks on potential parents before adoption.
You can help the DAWGS rescue organisation by donating, volunteering, joining the DAWGS best friend scheme, fundraising and sponsorship, will and legacy donations, or adopting a pet.
6. Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust was founded in 1891 and one of the largest dog welfare charities in the country. The dog rescue organisation in Glasgow aims to connect abandoned and stray dogs with their forever parents so they can enjoy a happy life.
The charity organisation has centres around the country at convenient locations where pets can be taken for treatment, rehabilitation, and re-homing. Dogs Trust also offers dog training, behavioural modification, dog care, and dog school services.
This dog rescue organisation welcomes you to get involved by offering sponsorship, fundraising, membership, philanthropy, corporate partnerships, and more. Dogs Trust also offers rehoming services for pet parents who no longer have the capacity to take care of their beloved pets. The team carries out thorough home inspections and interviews on potential pet parents to ensure your pet goes to a loving home.
Reach out to the friendly team of animal-lovers at Dogs Trust to find out more about their work as you make a donation.
7. Scottish Animal Welfare
Scottish Animal Welfare offers rescue, care, rehabilitation, and re-homing services to pets in Glasgow. The facility is a 24-hour animal welfare organisation offering assistance for animals who are injured, distressed, or in danger.
The animal rescue organisation offers a variety of services including treatment for injured animals and those with diseases, wildlife rescue, re-homing services, and facilitates adoption service for potential parents.
You can support the Scottish Animal Welfare organisation through donations, reporting animal cruelty, or adopting a pet. Get in touch with the rescue facility to make further inquiries or ask for advice on how to better care for your pooch.
8. Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society
PADS is a renowned rescue charity located in Perth. The dog rescue facility offers love, care, food, and shelter to unwanted, abandoned, stray, and lost pets. The facility was founded in 1985 by Sylvia Hales, an ardent animal lover.
Sylvia led a team of concerned pet-enthusiasts to uncover the deplorable conditions in a Perth dog pound and together, they decided to create a clean, warm, safe space where rescued animals could thrive.
Today, PADS hosts over 30 dogs in their kennels and has a small hospital unit where rescued animals in need of medical check-ups can get quality veterinary care and recover from operations. The facility also has a “mother and baby” unit where new parents can feed and care for their puppies in a relaxed, sanitary environment.
You can help PADS by alerting them about stray dogs, adopting a dog, or making a donation. Get in touch with the friendly team of animal lovers at PADS to find out more about their services.
9. Animal Rescue Centre Arbroath
This small animal rescue charity is conveniently located in Arbroath, the largest town in Angus. The facility is dedicated to helping unwanted, lost, or stray dogs and helping them find loving forever homes.
Animal Rescue Centre Arbroath offers a variety of services including rescue, rehabilitation, treatment, and re-homing for dogs of all breeds and sizes. The rescue charity welcomes you to look through their portfolio of available pets and re-homed animals to see what they do.
You can also get involved and help the animal rescue centre by donating, volunteering for kennel cleaning, dog walking, office duties, maintenance work, rabbit socialising, and home visits, as well as fundraising. Get in touch with Animal Rescue Arbroath to find out more about their services and adopt a pet as you make a donation.
10. Islay Dog Rescue
This dog rescue facility in Ayrshire is operated by Lorraine Jardine and a team of dedicated volunteers from Glen Islay Farm. Lorraine and her team are committed to rescuing dogs on death row and offering lost, homeless, and unwanted dogs the love and care they deserve.
Islay Dog Rescue is passionate about re-homing pets with suitable parents and carries out thorough inspections to ensure all pets end up in happy, loving environments. Since 2011, the not-for-profit organisation has facilitated the successful adoption of hundreds of pets.
The facility offers a variety of services including health and behavioural assessments, veterinary health checks, neutering, spaying, flea treatment, and deworming to all its rescues. Lorraine and her team also, on occasion, help re-home pets whose parents are unable to properly care for them.
Get in touch with Islay Dog Rescue to adopt a pet, foster a pet, or make a donation.
11. Borders Pet Rescue
This pet rescue in Earlston offers rescue and re-homing services to domestic pets within Scottish Borders. The charity organisation was founded in 1988 and is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and rehabilitation of unwanted or abandoned pets.
Borders Pet Rescue offers its services to over 200 pets each year including dogs of all breeds and sizes. The facility also offers neutering services to reduce the burden of feral, unwanted, and stray dogs in society.
The animal-loving team at this animal rescue organisation also offers microchipping, support and education for new parents, and pet adoption services. You can look through the website to find all types of pets to adopt including dogs, cats, exotics, and small furry animals.
You can also help this organisation by making a donation, sponsoring a kennel, fundraising, leaving a legacy, volunteering, or participating in an event. Get in touch with the friendly team at Borders Pet Rescue to find out more about their services and offer your support.
12. Berwick Animal Rescue Kennels
BARK is a registered charity in Berwick Upon Tweed. The facility offers rescue and refuge for unwanted and strays pets with the objective of re-homing them where possible. The facility operates north and south of the Scottish Border and other areas within 60 miles of its kennels.
This rescue organisation offers medical attention to all rescues, mental and behavioural assessments, and helps locate lost and found animals. If you are unable to take care of your pet, BARK can help you find suitable parents to re-home your pet.
For parents looking for a new furry companion to share their lives with, this rescue organisation welcomes you to read through their list of things to consider before applying for adoption. You can also browse through the portfolio of rescued and relinquished pets who need new homes.
Help out BARK by offering your services as a volunteer, making a donation, or donating products through the organisation’s rescue shop. Contact the friendly team at this facility to find out more about their services.
13. Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Centre
This dog rescue facility located near Glencaple in Dumfries was started in 2003. The canine rescue centre enjoys strong support from the local community including the media. This registered charity offers its services to all areas in Galloway and Dumfries.
Since opening its doors, Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre has re-homed over 4000 dogs with some from as far as Dorset. The dedicated team of dog-lovers at this rescue centre spend their time running the centre, maintaining the upgraded and refurbished facilities, raising funds, and advising pet parents on how to take care of newly adopted pets.
This rescue charity also offers behavioural modification services and pet location for lost and found pets in addition to accommodating stray dogs. The facility also offers a simple but in-depth 5-step pet adoption process that includes post-adoption follow-up services to ensure the pooch is safe in their new home.
You can help Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Centre by volunteering, membership, fundraising, sponsoring a pet, shopping, legacy, and donating. Get in touch with the friendly team at this rescue organisation to make further inquiries.
14. Until Every Dog Has a Home
This rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing charity in Aberdeenshire is a sanctuary for unwanted, stray, and lost and found dogs. The registered charity welcomes dogs of all breeds and sizes and specialises in pups with behavioural and aggression issues.
Until Every Dog Has a Home was started to help troubled dogs including those with a bite history. These dogs are often left in shelters with no one to guide them through their challenges and no families willing to adopt them.
The rescue centre offers these troubled pets rehabilitation services and equips them with the discipline and skills necessary to blend into a happy, forever home. UEDHAH uses innovative, humane, science-backed behavioural modification methods to help aggressive dogs succeed in their new homes.
You can help this rescue organisation by making a donation, or purchasing much-needed items from the facilities’ Amazon wishlist. Get in touch with Until Every Dog Has a Home to adopt a dog as you make further inquiries.
15. Edinburgh Samoyed Rescue
This small non-profit charity organisation is dedicated to giving pets love, care, and attention. The rescue facility in Edinburgh offers its services to dogs of all breeds and sizes including those who are too old or have health conditions that prevent them from getting adopted.
Edinburgh Samoyed Rescue offers a variety of services to rescued dogs including vaccination, flea and worm treatment, and microchipping. Before adoption, the professional team carries out thorough inspections and home-checks to ensure the dog is re-homed to a safe, comfortable environment.
You can help Edinburgh Samoyed Rescue through volunteering, fundraising, shopping online, donating, or adopting a pet. Get in touch with the friendly team at ASR dog rescue to find out more about their services.
