Every day, stray, abandoned, lost, and unwanted dogs are sent to pounds all over the UK.
These dogs only have seven days from admission before they are euthanised if no one claims them.
The Dog Rescue Foundation estimates that up to 20,000 dogs are lost in this way annually.
The dog rescues in Scotland we have listed have strict non-destruction policies that ensure all dogs in their facilities live a long, happy and healthy life.
You can help make this a reality by adopting from any of the top dog rescue centres in Scotland listed here.
You will find both large and small dog rescues throughout Scotland and some rescue centres will focus on a specific breeds.
If you have no room for adoption, a small donation goes a long way towards facilitating their rescue and rehoming activities.
You can also volunteer at any of these facilities to show the rescued pups some much-needed love.
1.) Scottish SPCA – Scotland’s Animal Welfare Charity
Scotland’s Animal Welfare Charity has been working to prevent animal cruelty in Scotland for over 180 years.
The facility is now a national charity that not only champions animal welfare but also educates the Scottish community about the human/animal bond.
The Scottish SPCA is also actively involved in bringing to justice people who abuse animals.
The team at this dog rescue is also involved in the rescue, care, rehabilitation, and rehoming of all their dogs.
If you would like to adopt a pooch from the animal champions at this facility, fill out their online application form or visit their centre receptions which are open daily anytime between 1 pm – 4 pm.
You can also visit their adoption page to see all the dogs that are ready to be adopted.
All dogs at this rescue centre are neutered, vaccinated, and treated for any medical conditions before rehoming.
Any dogs that cannot be rehomed for any reason are kept at the facility and given a comfortable life.
You can also support the dogs at the Scottish SPCA through donations and volunteering.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: Kingseat Road, Halbeath, Dunfermline, Fife KY11 8RY
- Phone: 03000 999 999
- Website: https://www.scottishspca.org/
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
2.) Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society
Popularly referred to as PADS, this dog rescue centre in Perth is a long-established charity.
Founded in 1985, the facility has rehomed thousands of stray, abandoned and neglected dogs.
The well-loved dog rescue centre in Scotland has its kennels at Forteviot where pups of all breeds and sizes are offered love, medical care, and shelter.
PADS features a small veterinary unit where animals who have had major surgery can recover.
The unit also has a mother and child unit, where newborn pups and their mums can relax in a safe environment.
The PADS kennels house at least 30 dogs.
If you would like to adopt one of these lovable pups, fill out the online adoption form after you choose a dog from their adoption page.
If successful, you may get invited to the kennels to meet your soon-to-be canine companion.
Inspectors from this facility also follow up with scheduled visits after adoption to ensure you and your family are happy with your new fur baby.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: Forteviot Kennels, Forteviot, Perth, PH2 9BS
- Phone: 01764 684491
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://padsdogrescue.com/
- Social Media: Facebook
3.) Islay Dogs Rescue
This non-profit organization in Ayrshire is led by Lorraine Jardin. Lorraine and her team of volunteers are dedicated to helping dogs on death row as well as abandoned, abused, and neglected pups.
Since 2011, Islay Dogs Rescue has rescued and united hundreds of dogs with their forever parents.
The passionate and enthusiastic team and Islay also offer a wide variety of healthcare services to its rescues including behavioural assessments, neutering, veterinary health checks, flea and worm treatment, and more.
If you have a pet that you can no longer care for, whether due to illness or any other reason, Lorraine and her team can also help.
They will match your pooch with a suitable, loving furever home.
Before adoption, the team at Islay takes great care to ensure you and your dog’s needs and temperaments are a good match.
You will also receive 5 weeks of free insurance for your pooch if the adoption is successful.
- You can view their available dogs here.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: Glen Islay Farm, Cumnock, United Kingdom, KA18 2SG
- Phone: 07876561545
- Website: https://www.islaydogrescue.org.uk/
- Social Media: Facebook
4.) Dogs Trust Glasgow
If your dream is to rehome a dog in Scotland, Dogs Trust in Glasgow will help make it a reality.
This dog rescue centre has 66 kennels that are full of dogs waiting to meet you.
The facility is managed by a team of dog-lovers who are passionate about saving dogs from unnecessary destruction.
Founded in 1891, it is one of the largest dog welfare facilities in Scotland.
Dogs Trust welcomes you to visit during its open days so you can get a glimpse into their animal welfare activities and maybe even meet your forever canine companion.
In addition to adoption, Dogs Trust Glasgow also helps pet parents find new homes for their dogs if they are no longer able to care for them.
Before adoption, a team will visit your home and interview you and your family to ensure that you get the right dog for your lifestyle.
This dog rescue centre also offers dog training, medical care, and behavioural training for all its rescues.
- Visit the Dogs Trust website to see all the adorable adoptables available.
You can also support the dogs at this facility through donations, fundraising, sponsorship, corporate partnerships and more.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: 315 Hamilton Road, Uddingston, Glasgow, G71 7SL
- Phone: 0303 003 0000
- Website: https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/our-centres/glasgow/
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
5.) Borders Pet Rescue
Since 1988, Border Pet rescue has been dedicated to rescuing and rehoming dogs and other domestic animals.
The facility promotes responsible pet ownership through training and education as it dedicates its efforts toward rehoming stray and abandoned dogs in loving homes.
Each year, Borders rehomes over 200 pets which include dogs of varying breeds and sizes.
The dog-loving volunteers at this facility also offer behavioural training, veterinary care, neutering, microchipping, vaccination, flea treatment, and deworming services to all its rescues.
The team at this facility is also actively involved in spreading awareness about the benefits of neutering dogs such as minimizing the burden of unwanted and feral dogs.
If you are a new dog parent, visit the team at Borders for more education and support.
If your home is not big enough to accommodate an energetic canine, consider supporting Borders Pet Rescue through donations or volunteering your time and skills.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: Craigsford, Earlston, TD4 6DJ
- Phone: 01896 849090
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.borderspetrescue.org/
- Social Media: Facebook
6.) Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre
At this dog rescue centre, you can meet hundreds of loving canines looking forward to relocating to their happy forever homes.
This facility in Glencaple opened its doors to all stray, abandoned, and neglected dogs in 2003.
Since then, Dumfries and Galloway Canine Rescue Centre has successfully rehomed over 4000 dogs.
The volunteers at this facility welcome you to join them in the day to day running of the centre.
You can do so by offering services such as repair and maintenance of the newly refurbished facilities, fundraising, or helping pet parents learn how to provide better care to their fur babies.
Dumfries and Galloway also offers a variety of services to rescued dogs including behavioural training, medical treatment, and more.
This dog rescue centre also helps local pet parents locate their lost pets.
If you would like to adopt a pet from this facility, follow their simple but comprehensive 5-step adoption procedure.
The process also involves post-adoption consultations to ensure you and your pooch are perfectly matched.
If your current lifestyle does not accommodate a pet, you can still support the Dumfries and Galloway rescue centre through membership, donations, fundraising, leaving a legacy gift, or sponsoring a dog.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: Dovecote Wells, by Glencaple, Dumfries. Scotland. DG1 4RH
- Phone: (01387) 770210
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.caninerescue.co.uk/
- Social Media: Facebook
7.) Second Chance Kennels Fife
This registered Charity in Scotland was founded in 1999 by Ena and Frank.
The dog-loving duo started this dog rescue centre in Fife to help unwanted dogs who had nowhere to go.
Frank and Ena started with 4 puppies and have since grown to accommodate adult dogs of different breeds and sizes.
Second Chance Kennels are surrounded by large farmland with plenty of trails ideal for walks, socialising and playtime.
Ena and Frank work tirelessly to find the best homes for all their rescues while giving an enjoyable life to the dogs still in their kennels.
To adopt a dog from Second Chance Kennels, your home must have a secure garden and no children under 5.
Visit their adoption page to see the available dogs and meet your new pooch.
You can also support Second Chance Kennels through donations, sponsoring a dog, or volunteering at the facility.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: Second Chance Kennels, Balbeggie Avenue, Thornton, Fife, KY1 3NS
- Phone: 01592 771933 / 07841520074
- Website: https://www.secondchancekennels.org/
8.) Canine Campus Pet Rescue
This dog rescue and rehoming service is dedicated to the advancement of animal welfare across Scotland and the UK.
The facility has helped transform the lives of hundreds of abandoned and unwanted dogs in the UK and helped countless others find loving forever homes.
The Canine Campus Pet Rescue is also the premier animal organization in Scotland accredited as a food bank.
The dog-loving team at Canine Campus believes no dog should go without food.
They support homeless and low-income pet owners by donating pet food and other pet amenities.
This rescue facility also supports other animal welfare organizations when called upon to help.
All dogs brought to Canine Campus are given thorough medical check ups and treated by qualified veterinary professionals when needed.
They are also neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated before rehoming.
This dog rescue organization is also committed to rehabilitating dogs with severe behavioural problems and those considered ‘problem-pups’ by other rescues.
The adoption process at Canine Campus is stringent with their duty of care revolving around the dog’s welfare.
The facility runs thorough interviews, background checks, identity verification, and home checks to ensure that each pooch goes to the perfect home.
These strict measures have seen the facility successfully rehome over 500 dogs.
- You can start the adoption process by filling out their application form here.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: 2 Hamilton Road, Rutherglen, Glasgow, G73 3DG
- Phone: 0707564 303008
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.canine-campus.org/
- Social Media: Facebook
9.) Animal Rescue Centre Arbroath
This small charity is dedicated to saving abandoned dogs in Arbroath and Angus.
The Animal Rescue Centre takes in strays and dogs that people may need to surrender because they cannot meet the required standards of care.
The volunteer-led pet rescue organization offers all its rescues a variety of services including vaccination, spaying, microchipping, flea treatment, and deworming before rehoming.
Like most dog rescue centres in Scotland, the facility also asks for a small adoption donation to facilitate all these services.
If you would like to help this Animal Rescue Centre in Arbroath, you can donate or volunteer for office duties, kennel cleaning, home visits, maintenance, fundraising and other duties.
Visit the adoption page to see all the available dogs as well as those who have been successfully rehomed.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: 15 Kinaldie Holdings, Arbroath, Angus, DD11 5SH
- Phone: 07474567938
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.arcarbroath.co.uk/
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram
10.) Dog Aid Society of Scotland
This charitable organization was founded in 1956 to help injured and needy pets.
The facility’s primary objective is to care for puppies by offering a variety of services including parent training, neutering, veterinary care, and microchipping among others.
All the rescues at the Dog Aid Society of Scotland are also vaccinated and treated for any behavioural issues before rehoming.
The adoption process at this dog rescue organisation is rigorous to ensure all dogs go to suitable forever homes.
Application is done through an online form after which the team will conduct a home check to ensure your lifestyle and personality match your new pooch.
You will be allowed a 2-week settling-in duration after which a follow-up visit will determine whether the dog is suitable for your home.
Dog Aid Society of Scotland does not receive any financial support from the government and relies on well-wishers, donations, and membership fees to support all its rescue activities.
You can support the facility through fundraising, donating, or volunteering.
- View their available dogs here.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: 60 Blackford Avenue, Edinburgh, EH9 3ER
- Phone: 0131-668-3633
- Website: https://www.dogaidsociety.com/
- Social Media: Facebook
Small Dog Rescues In Scotland
If you are specifically looking for a small dog, some of the rescues listed above offer small dogs.
Not all dog rescues are saving large dogs.
In fact, many people give up small dogs because they can’t handle their usually wild temperament.
Many small dog breeds are more hyper or ‘excited’ than their larger more laid back breeds.
Conclusion For The Top Dog Rescues In Scotland
Adopting a dog is easy with the help of these dog rescue centres in Scotland.
However, it is a big responsibility.
Most dogs live an average of 15 years, so you and your family need to be committed to providing care, proper nutrition, and a suitable environment where they can thrive.
The teams at the above rescue centres are also committed to making sure every dog has a home.
Some of these facilities provide parent education on responsible pet ownership so you can reach out any time to find out more about caring for your adopted dog.
Remember, animal welfare is a human responsibility and the greatness of a society can be judged by how well its animals are treated.