British Columbia Rescue Organizations & Shelters

 
Please Note: Breed specific rescue organizations are listed under the individual breed sections of this website.

For ease in finding a rescue organization near you, the shelters/rescues are listed under specific regions. Please note that some of these rescue groups do provide services/foster care throughout the province and/or in regions beyond their listing.

Shelter & Rescue Listings in British Columbia

Select from the following menu for listings of
Rescues/Shelters across British Columbia:
 

Vancouver / Lower Mainland

  • Animal Advocates Society
    Animal rescue, especially chained, abused, neglected dogs. Advocating against all animal cruelty, including puppy mills, feral cats, and farm animals.
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Email: animaladvocates@telus.net 
  • Big Heart Rescue
    Big Heart Rescue works within the Province of British Columbia with a special focus on remote First Nations Reserves, such as Bella Bella, Shear Water, and Bella Coola on the Central Coast, and Kuper Island in the Gulf Islands. We are funded 100% by generous donations from the community members and supporters with proceeds going directly to the care and rehabilitation of companions in need of medical intervention, training, and re-homing.
    Tel.: (604) 583-3647
    E-mail: bigheartrescue@gmail.com 
  • BCSPCA — British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
    The BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the quality of life for the animals of the world.
    — BC SPCA Administration Centre:
    1245 East 7th Avenue
    Vancouver, BC V5T 1R1
    Tel.: (604) 681-7271 or 1-800-665-1868 toll-free outside the Lower Mainland
    E-mail: info@spca.bc.ca
    BC SPCA Locations — List of all BC SPCA locations. 
  • City of Coquitlam Animal Shelter
    A municipally run no-kill for adoptable animals shelter.
    500 Mariner Way
    Coquitlam, BC
    Tel.: 604-933-7387
    E-mail: shylton@coquitlam.ca 
  • Cross Our Paws RESCUE
    A small group of dedicated volunteers who love animals and have joined together to help rescue, provide medical care, rehabilitate and rehome abused, abandoned, homeless animals.
    North Vancouver, BC
    E-mail: crossourpaws@yahoo.ca 
  • District of North Vancouver Animal Welfare Shelter
    A government funded facility, which provides a temporary home for animals until a responsible life long home is found.
    299 Mansfield Place
    North Vancouver, BC
    Tel.: 604-990-3711
    E-mail: paws@dnv.org 
  • Fraser Valley Humane Society
    A non-profit, registered charity, located in Mission, B.C. There to help their communities and their animals in need.
    33103 N. Railway Avenue
    Mission, BC V2V 1E3
    Tel.: (604) 820-2977
    E-mail: fvhumanesociety@telus.net 
  • Home At Last Dog Rescue BC
    Home At Last Dog Rescue BC is a newly established home-based, non-profit all volunteer organization committed to saving abandoned, neglected and/or abused dogs. We are dedicated to placing our dogs in need into permanent, safe, caring new homes, giving them a second chance for a better life.
    White Rock / Surrey, BC
    Email: maureen.haldr@gmail.com
    Website: www.homeatlastdogrescuebc.ca 
  • Langley Animal Protection Society (LAPS)
    The LAPS was formed by a dedicated group of volunteers due to the closure of the Langley SPCA. The Langley Animal Protection Society is a registered non-profit society with charitbable status.
    26220-56th Avenue
    Aldergrove BC V4W 1J7
    Email: langleyanimalshelter@lapsbc.ca
    Tel.: (604) 857-5055
    Fax: (604) 857-5057 
  • Loveabull Rescue Society
    “Our mission is to help rescue, rehabilitate, and find loving homes for stray, abandoned or unwanted dogs. We focus primarily on Bully breeds however we don’t discriminate against other breeds.”
    Surrey, British Columbia
    Email: loveabullsociety@gmail.com
    Website: www.loveabullsociety.com  
  • Pekingese Rescue of BC
    “We are a non profit that rescues Pekingese and will take in other breeds needing help when we have room. We take in owner surrenders and we rehabilitate behavior issues and train before posting for adoption. We are our own Pekingese shelter and do not use foster homes. All our rescues live with our founder, located in Vancouver BC.”
    Email: lisabogardi@hotmail.com 
  • Regional Animal Protection Society (RAPS)
    A registered charity that operates two shelters in the City of Richmond, British Columbia.
    Richmond, BC
    Tel.: 604-275-2036
    Email: raps.shelter@telus.net 
  • Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue
    Founder, Rory O’Neill is a dog behavioral consultant, trainer and rescuer, saving animals worldwide. Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue focuses on Canada, yet at the same time, helps groups in other parts of the world desperate for help. There were thousands of dogs and cats left behind starving and breeding after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans; Tiajuana, Mexico, where breeders abandon small dogs like chihuahuas by the hundreds; Baja, Mexico, where spay and neuter is infrequent, and friendly, beautiful dogs are rapidly breeding and being killed inhumanely. Rory O’Neill helps match people wanting to give a loving home to a pet, to animals desperate and deserving of a life. She also has contacts with many overcrowded shelters, where darling cats, dogs, puppies, and kittens, don’t always have much time before the “shelter” euthanizes them. People adopting from Rocky Mountain Animal Rescue are literally saving a dog or cat from a life of misery and/or no life at all.
    — Based in Calgary, Alberta but providing worldwide rescue.
    Website: www.rockymountainanimalrescue.com
    E-mail: rockymountainanimalrescue@gmail.com (preferred method of contact due to time)
    Phone: 403-673-3224 Office (voice mail)
    Cell Phone: 805-722-5906 (no voice mail, for urgencies) 
  • Royal City Humane Society
    — New Westminster, BC — A no-kill shelter for animals in need.
    E-mail: info@rchs.bc.ca 
  • S.A.R.A. Society (Save Animals through Rescue and Adoption)
    A non-profit organization, completely run by dedicated volunteers. S.A.R.A. Society is a no-kill shelter located in Surrey, British Columbia.
    Surrey, BC
    E-mail: sarasociety@gmail.com 
  • SAINTS – Senior Animals In Need Today Society
    An end-of-life sanctuary for senior and special needs animals that have nowhere else to go.
    Mission, BC
    E-mail: adopt@saintsrescue.ca 
  • Whistler Animals Galore Society: WAG
    WAG is the safety net for lost, abandoned, and harmed animals in the region. From Whistler to Lillooet, WAG offers hope to all animals in need.
    8000 Nesters Road
    Whistler, BC
    Tel.: 604-935-8364
    E-mail: wag@whistlerwag.com

Victoria, Vancouver Island & Other Islands

  • BCSPCA — Nanaimo & District Branch
    The BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the quality of life for the animals of the world.
    2200 Labieux Road
    Nanaimo, BC
    Tel.: (250) 758-8444
    E-mail: nanspca@shaw.ca
     
  • Big Heart Rescue
    Big Heart Rescue works within the Province of British Columbia with a special focus on remote First Nations Reserves, such as Bella Bella, Shear Water, and Bella Coola on the Central Coast, and Kuper Island in the Gulf Islands. We are funded 100% by generous donations from the community members and supporters with proceeds going directly to the care and rehabilitation of companions in need of medical intervention, training, and re-homing.
    Tel.: (604) 583-3647
    E-mail: bigheartrescue@gmail.com
     
  • Dog Bless Rescue Partners
    A registered non-profit animal rescue group located in Victoria, BC, with a mandate to save the lives of companion animals who would otherwise be euthanized in US shelters.
    Victoria, BC
    E-mail: dogbless@shaw.ca
     
  • Mosaic Rescue
    A registered non profit society dedicated to the rescue and adoption of small and medium sized mixed breed dogs who end up in US kill facilities.
    Victoria, BC
    E-mail: info@mosaicrescue.ca
     
  • Vancouver Island Dogs Rescue Society
    We are a non profit, incorporated society who helps dogs in Western Canada with a main focus on dogs from British Columbia. Our purpose is: (a) to rescue dogs in need; (b) to rehabilitate, foster, train, put up for adoption and find homes for rescued dogs (c) to provide pet ownership education; (d) to provide support for new dog owners and foster dog parents.
    Email: info@islanddogsrescue.com
    Website: www.islanddogsrescue.com/
    Facebook: www.facebook.com/VancouverIslandDogsRescueSociety
     
  • Victoria Adoptables
    Animal Adoption Information Portal — Providing a place for rescue organizations, shelters & pounds in Greater Victoria, Vancouver Island & the Gulf Islands to post animals in need of homes.
     
  • Victoria Pet Adoption Society
    A registered non-profit organization that operates through Shaw Pet Hospitals in Victoria, BC, Canada. VPAS’ goal is to re-home unwanted pets to good, approved homes.
    1782 Stellys X Rd.
    Saanichton, BC
    Tel.: 250-412-3827
    E-mail: victoriapets@gmail.com

Kootenay Region

  • BCSPCA — East Kootenay Branch Cranbrook
    The BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the quality of life for the animals of the world.
    3339 Highways 3 & 95
    P.O. Box 2
    Cranbrook, BC V1C 4H6
    Tel.: (250) 426-6751
  • Creston Pet Adoption and Welfare Society
    The Creston Pet Adoption and Welfare Society (PAWS) is a registered, non-profit society committed to finding safe, comfortable homes for abandoned and unwanted animals in the Creston Valley.
    Tel.: (250) 428-7297
    E-mail: pets@pawscreston.ca
  • GALS-Global Animal Lovers Society
    Our main focus is to help curb the global pet over population issue by being involved with spay and neuter clinics around the world! We volunteer at clinics, fund-raise and collect supplies necessary for these clinics to continue! We also help in placing animals that have no where to go after these clinics. Spay and Neuter! It is the only answer to our global problem of the ever-growing pet population!
    When able, GALS takes in ‘urgent’ dogs through requests from various shelters in Canada. All dogs that are taken in, are spayed/neutered and vaccinated prior to finding fabulous forever homes!

    Invermere, British Columbia
    Tel.: 250-342-1007; Cell: 250-688-7387
    Email: info@globalanimallovers.com
    Website: www.globalanimallovers.com

Kamloops / Okanagan

  • Angel’s Animal Rescue — ‘Break the Chain of Abuse’
    — Serving Merritt and surrounding areas (Merritt, Logan Lake, Ascroft, Cache Creek)
    2460 Torgerson Road
    Merritt, BC V1K 1R5
    Tel.: (250)-378-5223
    E-mail: gwc.9@hotmail.com
    Website: www.angelsanimalrescue.ca
     
  • BCSPCA – Kamloops Branch
    — Serving Kamloops, Barriere, Savona, Logan Lake, Pritchard and Chase.
    1211 – 8th Street
    Kamloops, BC V2B 2Y3
    Tel.: (250) 376-7722
    Fax: (250) 376-7723
    E-mail: kamloopsspca@shawcable.com
     
  • BCSPCA – Kelowna Branch
    — Serving Kelowna, Rutland, Joe Rich, Peachland, Westbank, Winfield and Oyama.
    3785 Casorso Road
    Kelowna, BC V1W 4M7
    Tel.: (250) 861-7722
    Fax: (250) 868-2830
     
  • BCSPCA – Vernon & District Branch
    — Serving Vernon, Coldstream, Lumby, Armstrong and Falkland.
    4800 Haney Road
    Vernon, BC V1H 1P6
    Tel.: (250) 549-7297
    Fax: (250) 545-2910
    E-mail: vernon@spca.bc.ca
     
  • Kamloops & District Humane Society
    The Kamloops & District Humane Society is a registered charitable group which is made up of dedicated volunteers who have worked tirelessly on behalf of companion animals and their owners since 1993. We shelter and adopt out homeless pets as well as offering a low cost spay/neuter program.
    Kamloops, BC
    Tel.: 250-376-1366
    Email: kamloopshumanesociety@gmail.com
     
  • Paws it Forward Dog Rescue
    “Our rescue is based in Kelowna, BC and is 100% non-profit, run completely by volunteers and generous donations. Paws it Forward Dog Rescue is committed to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing dogs in need. All our dogs are spay/neutered, vet checked, microchipped/tattooed and vaccinated prior to adoption.”
    Kelowna, BC
    Website: www.pawsitforward.org
    Email: pawsitforward@hotmail.com or pawsitforwardvolunteers@outlook.com

Cariboo / Northern BC

Breed Listing

Would you like your Rescue/Shelter listed here?

While we would like to be able to offer all not-for-profit, legitimate Rescue Organizations the opportunity to be included in the listings, we are concerned about unintentionally including organizations who are questionable in their rescue practices. Therefore, we request that all Rescue Organizations complete a Rescue Questionnaire in order to be accepted for inclusion on the website.

We do not recommend, endorse or support any one organization over another and we will never knowingly list an organization who runs a puppy mill, backyard style breeding operation, or sells their dogs (or any animal) to brokers, pet stores or retailers of any kind. We reserve the right to refuse any listing/link as well as the right to immediately remove the listing/link of any organization who has already been listed at our sole discretion.

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