With just under 100,000 dogs and cat entering Maricopa County shelters each year, shelters in the area have their work cut out for them. Here are some animal shelters in the Valley that are doing their best to help each and every animal find their forever home.
Arizona Humane Society
Founded in 1957, the Arizona Humane Society has a lot of accomplishments under their belt. It has its own TV show starring adoptable pets from the shelter, it has been the voice for the animals among lawmakers and it has provided refuge for tens of thousands of homeless animals annually. www.azhumane.org.
Arizona Basset Hound Rescue
Specifically rescuing basset hounds, blood hounds and basset hound mixes, this rescue groups has saved more than 1,400 dogs since 1998. This group has no physical location and relies completely on volunteers who foster dogs for at least two weeks while they are evaluated and treated for health or behavior problems before they go on to their forever homes. azbassetrescue.org.
Mingus Manor Animal Sanctuary
Mingus Manor was formed to help senior pets whose owners can no longer care for them due to medical illness, moving to a nursing home or a terminal diagnosis. The group has dedicated a facility for the lifetime care of the dogs (who must be 10 years old or more) who are not adopted. www.mingusmanor.com.
Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA
As the largest and oldest no-kill shelter in Arizona, AAWL & SPCA rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes more than 2,500 dogs and cats that have been abandoned or surrendered by their owners. aawl.org.
Valley of the Sun Dog Rescue
This no-kill animal shelter specializes in American pitbulls and American Staffordshire terriers. This family-run organization relies on foster homes and volunteers to help them with their ill, injured, maimed, abandoned or simply unwanted animals. www.valleyofthesundogrescue.org.
Safe Haven for Animals
With no time limit on an animal’s stay, this nonprofit finds joy in matching animals with their new owner and seeing them off to their new forever homes. www.azshfa.org.
Animal Benefits Club of Arizona
This nonprofit, no-kill rescue, rehabilitation and adoption shelter for dogs and cats is 100 percent volunteer-based with every dollar of donations going to animal care and support. With the many success stories, it’s easy to see how the donations help. www.animalsbenefitclub.com.
Desert Labrador Retriever Rescue
DLRR is a network of volunteers who work hard to ensure that every Lab has a loving forever home. DLRR takes in dogs from the pound, other animal shelters and strays, gives them medical care and attention they need until finding the perfect, new owner. www.dlrrphoenix.org.
HALO Animal Rescue
HALO stands for Helping Animals Live On, which is exactly what the group is here to do. This rescue shelter specializes in providing refuge to pets that might otherwise be euthanized at other Valley shelters because they are injured, sick or too scared or young to be adopted when they arrive. www.halorescue.org.
