Here’s what you need to know if you’re searching for the best dog rescues in Oregon. Owning a pet is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences you can have as a human. The bond of love and loyalty formed between a pet and its owner is unlike any other, and it can be a very exciting time when you finally decide that you’re ready for a pet of your very own.
While some people are already familiar with the fact that it takes a lot of attention and works to raise an animal, some are surprised to learn that choosing the best rescue for your family is just as time-consuming in some cases. There’s a lot to consider when looking into animal shelters and pet rescues.
For one thing, you need to decide if you’re specifically interested in puppies or adult dogs, whether you want to adopt a certain breed, or if you prefer big or small dogs. Many rescues are breed or size specific, but just as many are open to any dogs in the Oregon area.
Before scrolling down this list of dog rescues in Oregon, you can check out these other recommendations from our team at We Love Doodles: Best Dog Rescues in Eugene, Oregon and Best Dog Rescues in Washington.
Find a Dog Rescue Near Me in Oregon
If you live in Oregon and are ready to add a new pet to your family, look no further than this list. We took the time to research and compile a list of the best and most popular dog rescues in the state of Oregon, just for you.
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1. Greenhill Humane Society
Greenhill Humane Society is one of the oldest rescues on this list. This wonderful organization first opened its doors back in 1944 and has spent every year since rehoming puppies in the Eugene area. This rescue specializes in foster care, adoptions, and reuniting lost dogs with their families.
This rescue is also wholly devoted to keeping animals out of the kill-shelter system, and therefore places no time limit on the duration of an animal’s stay— each animal can stay at Greenhill until they find their new home, no matter how long that takes.
In addition to their fabulous work with rehoming animals, they also offer the local community a low-cost spay and neuter program to help families get their pets fixed without having to pay a ton.
Spaying and neutering are some of the most effective ways to minimize the number of animals that end up in the shelter system or on the streets, but unfortunately, the procedure is expensive which prevents many people from opting to fix their animals.
Greenhill Humane Society Details
- Location: Eugene, OR
- Contact: (541) 689-1503
- Website: Greenhill Humane Society
2. The Pixie Project
The Pixie Project is one of our favorite rescues in the state of Oregon. This non-profit rescue opened its doors in 2006 and never looked back. Since then, they’ve helped countless dogs find their loving forever homes in the Portland area.
This rescue works to make pet ownership affordable for everyone by offering low-cost medications when needed as well as low-cost spaying and neutering programs that the community can take advantage of when needed.
All of their puppies are super cute and ready to fill your home with love and joy. You can check out the list of adoptable dogs on their site.
The Pixie Project Details
- Location: Portland, OR
- Contact: (503) 542-3433
- Website: The Pixie Project
3. Rebel Souls Rescue
Rebel Souls Rescue is another great rescue in Oregon. This rescue is also a non-profit and they specialize in pulling at-risk dogs from high-kill shelters across the state. They’re dedicated and determined to help each dog receive the love, care, and patience it deserves, and they tenderly rehabilitate each puppy that walks through their doors.
No matter how long it takes to find a new home for one of their dogs, they are willing to offer the dog help and love until they are adopted. Given that many at-risk dogs might be those labeled as aggressive in high-kill shelters, Rebel Souls understands that many “aggressive” dogs are just terrified of their surroundings.
As such, they spend a lot of time working on behavioral training, exercise, socialization, and more to make sure that every dog is ready to be adopted into a family home setting. You can expect your new furry companion from Rebel Souls to come to your home crate trained, housebroken, and equipped with basic commands.
Rebel Souls Rescue Details
- Location: Redmond, Oregon
- Contact: [email protected]
- Website: Rebel Souls Rescue
4. A New Leash On Life
A New Leash On Life is a non-profit rescue located in Eugene, Oregon. This rescue is focused on rescuing as many dogs as they can from high-kill shelters across the state and then helping them find their forever home in the Eugene area. Unlike some of the other shelters on this list, ANLOL has a specialty that takes them outside of the state.
This rescue also brings in tons of animals that are found along the I-5 corridor (which stretches from Canada to Mexico) and brings them to their facilities in Eugene to find their new homes. ANLOL has a ton of wonderful partners that help them achieve its mission. Through these partners, you can adopt hundreds of dogs on the west coast.
A New Leash On Life Details
- Location: Eugene, OR
- Contact: (541) 484-1962
- Website: A New Leash On Life
5. Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon 
Last on the list of the best dog rescues in Oregon is “Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon.” The Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon is a rescue that is near and dear to our hearts. As the name suggests, this rescue specializes in the older dogs that either spent their whole lives in the shelter system or who ended up their after being surrendered or having their owners pass away.
Tragically, these loving and sweet dogs are often overlooked in favor of the younger and cuter puppies in the shelter, which often means that these senior dogs will spend the rest of their lives in a lonely animal shelter without the love they deserve.
To avoid this, Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon places all of their dogs into foster homes until they are adopted or pass away. All of the foster families are passionate about giving these dogs the special love and attention that they deserve in the final years of their lives.
Even though senior dogs are often overlooked, they are usually some of the best dogs to adopt. These puppies are so loving and loyal, and often love to spend time with you and snuggle as much as possible. We highly suggest that you consider adopting a senior dog, or even volunteering to foster for this rescue if you’re interested in helping long-term.
Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon Details
- Location: Corvallis, OR
- Contact: (541) 224-2488
- Website: Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon
How to Choose a Dog Rescue in Oregon
If you’re interested in adopting a dog in Oregon but don’t know where to start looking, we get it. The process is overwhelming and there are a lot of rescues to choose from. The best way to figure out if a rescue is right for you is to contact them and ask to schedule a time to learn more information.
They can help you understand the nuances of their organization, what to expect from your rescue dog, how to help out, and much more. They may even be able to guide you if you are looking for a specific breed. The adoption process usually involves filling out an application and discussing which type of dog you think would fit into your family.
Oftentimes these rescues are very well acquainted with the personalities of each puppy in their system and they’ll be able to help you find the perfect fit for your situation. You will likely also be asked to come to spend some time with your dog before finalizing the adoption.
In part, this is to assess you and your interaction with the puppy, but it also serves a few other purposes. These puppy meet and greets can help you decide if the disposition of your chosen dog is what you expected and you can see how your new dog may interact with you and others.
Conclusion For The “Best Dog Rescues in Oregon”
It’s very exciting to adopt a new dog into your family, but the process can sometimes be a bit daunting if you’re new to pet ownership. Thankfully the Oregon area has a ton of great dog rescues to choose from, each of which is dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and helping them find the perfect new homes.
Many of the rescues on this list are non-profit organizations that function primarily with donations, so be sure to look into how you can help these great rescues continue to make a difference in the state of Oregon.
Additionally, many of them are always looking for dedicated foster families to add to their network of volunteers, so you may want to look into that opportunity as well. We hope you found this list helpful, and we wish you luck finding your new furry friend.
For more guides similar to this list of dog rescues in Oregon, you can check out:
- Best Dog Rescues in Pennsylvania
- Best Dog Rescues in Western New York
- Best Dog Rescues in the North East
Before you adopt a dog from a rescue shelter in Oregon, you can learn more by watching “How to Prep For a Rescue Dog” down below:
Dr. Sabrina Kong graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in England in 2016 and has been working at a small animal clinic in Northern California since then. She grew up in the Bay Area and got her bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She also became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner through a program at the University of Tennessee.
When she isn’t in the clinic taking care of her four-legged patients, she enjoys traveling and trying new foods with her friends and her three-legged dog, Apollo. She adopted Apollo from her clinic when he was a puppy with numerous health issues. Dr. Kong truly cares about taking care of animals.