There are several excellent small dog rescues in Scotland. These centers provide a safe space for unwanted and abandoned dogs. The devoted volunteers at these rescue organizations try their best to find homes that promise to cherish their dogs forever.
This article will discuss some of the best rescues in Scotland that offer small dogs for adoption, their services, and contact details.
Before you scroll further down this list of small dog rescues in Scotland, check out: 7 Best Labrador Rescues in Scotland! (2023) and 5 Best German Shepherd Rescues in Scotland! (2023).
1. Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society
Established in 1985, Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society (PADS) is a rescue organization with a Scottish Charity status. It started as a local dog rescue and has now re-homed thousands of abandoned dogs from across Scotland. This rescue aims to provide shelter for every unwanted dog in the country, and they home nearly thirty dogs at a time.
The dogs are provided veterinary care at a small hospital unit in the facility. Consequently, no matter how sick or injured they are, they are always treated with love and attention.
There is also a unit for mother dogs to take care of their puppies in a safe environment. The kennel is run by a devoted staff of four who are experts in the re-homing process.
You can visit their website to access the application form. It will ask you to fill in the details necessary to match you with the perfect dog for your home. Once the staff finds a suitable dog, you will be asked to visit the kennels and meet the dog.
Each dog is assessed for medical and behavioral issues and provided rehabilitation, but their condition will be disclosed to you at the time of adoption. The adoption fee is £180, including vaccinations, deworming, flea treatment, and neutering or spaying procedures. You will take home a happy and healthy dog with you and a lifetime of support from PADS.
Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society Details:
- Location: Forteviot Kennels, Station House Road, Forteviot, Perth
- Phone Number: 017-6468-4491
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society
- Social Media: Facebook
2. Islay Dog Rescue
Islay Dog Rescue is next on our list of small dog rescues in Scotland that are dedicated and passionate about rescuing and re-homing dogs. Owned and operated by Lorraine JardineIt, this non-profit organization is run with the support of volunteers, foster families, and sponsors.
The rescue volunteers happily take in any dog that needs help and work their best to find a home where they will be loved and cared for the rest of their lives. They treat each application with fair judgment.
The process of applying for the adoption of a dog is simple. You can fill in the application online and wait for seven days to contact them for further details. Due to a high influx of applications, it can even take up to three months for them to find a perfect match for you.
Islay Dog Rescue recommends that clients think carefully about adopting a rescue dog. Most rescue dogs have a history of trauma and negligence, making them vulnerable to separation anxiety. You must ensure that your home will be the perfect new home for them to live in for the rest of their lives.
When you get a pet from Islay Dog Rescue, the dog comes with five-week free insurance and various services from the organization. They assess the dogs thoroughly for all health and behavior issues and provide rehabilitation accordingly.
In addition, the pets are treated for fleas, dewormed, and spayed/neutered. A certified vet checks and health tests them regularly. The rescue center offers lifetime support to its clients.
Islay Dog Rescue Details:
- Location: Glen Islay Farm, Cumnock, United Kingdom
- Phone Number: 078-7656-1545
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Islay Dog Rescue
- Social Media: Facebook
3. Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is a well-known rescue center with a Scottish Charity status. The rescue is run by a dedicated team of volunteers who have unconditional love for pets and strive to ensure that every pet gets a home where they are cared for.
One of their popular programs is Pet Food Banks which helps feed pets who are already in loving homes but on the verge of being abandoned due to financial instability.
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home have an open-door policy allowing cats and dogs across East and Central Scotland to find a loving home. It includes dogs with any health condition, diseases, and behavioral problems that will be treated here with the utmost attention.
You can check the available dogs on the website and register your interest. The volunteers will look for the best match and contact you to fill in the application form on the phone. Next comes the interview with a few additional questions, and you can take your dog home!
The adoption fee for the dogs is £150; for dogs above nine years of age, it is £80; for puppies, it is £200; and if you get a pair of dogs, you will only have to pay £180. The dogs are vaccinated, microchipped, and treated for fleas and worms.
You also get a starter pack with your dog, which includes a 3 kg bag of Virbac dog food, a tote bag, two dog park vouchers, treats, toys, a tick remover, and a portable bowl. They also have a program to take in surrendered dogs, so if you wish to give up your dog to a reputable rescue that genuinely cares about your pet, they’re the one.
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home Details:
- Location: Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, 26 Seafield Road East, Edinburgh, EH15 1EH
- Phone Number: 013-1669-5331
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home
- Social Media: Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn / YouTube / Twitter / TikTok
4. Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Centre
Next on our list of pet rescues in Scotland is Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Centre, a charity dedicated to rescuing and re-homing dogs that have been abandoned, neglected, and often abused.
The center was opened in 2003, and with the help of locals and residents of Dumfries and Galloway, it gained sufficient funds to become a re-homing facility. Now the organization is a company limited by guarantee run by a dedicated board of directors and a passionate staff of volunteers.
They have an easy five-step process for dog adoption. First, you register through a home-finder form on their website by answering basic questions about your lifestyle. Second, the re-homing team finds the perfect match for you and invites you to visit the dog and spend some time with it. Third, a staff member conducts a home check by visiting your home and assessing its safety.
Then, you can take your dog home after signing the adoption papers and paying a fee of £175. You will be asked to bring an identity disc for the dog’s collar. This fee includes microchip, vaccination, flea and worm prevention treatment, and spaying or neutering of the dog as per their age.
You will also receive PetPlan insurance for four weeks. Finally, the rescue will contact you to follow up on how the adopted dog is faring at their new home.
Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Center Details:
- Location: Dovecote Wells, by Glen Caple, Dumfries, DG1 4RH
- Phone Number: 013-8777-0210
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: Dumfries & Galloway Canine Rescue Centre
- Social Media: Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
5. Dog Aid Scotland
Last on our list of small dog rescues in Scotland is Dog Aid Scotland, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organization based in Edinburgh. They re-home dogs from home to home through foster families.
Applicants who are not working full-time or have a partner who stays home are preferred, but there is an exception when the dog is already used to being alone for long hours. They only re-home the dogs within Scotland. All the dogs up for adoption live with their current owners until they find a new home.
The re-homing fee is £150 for puppies up to six months of age, £100 for dogs eight years, and £50 for older dogs. These dogs come vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. Additionally, they come from loving families and are well-behaved and well-socialized.
To assist you further, SCIO offers lifetime support to its clients. They also assist owners with low income financially to help with the veterinary costs of the dogs.
If you wish to surrender your dog, you can contact them to find a new home for the dog while you hold on to them. Similarly, if you want to adopt a dog, you can contact them to link you up with a dog that needs a new home. This streamlined process alleviates the stress of transition from the old house to the new home.
Dog Aid Scotland Details:
- Location: 60 Blackford Ave, Edinburgh EH9 3ER, United Kingdom
- Phone Number: 300-365-2500
- Website: Dog Aid Scotland
Frequently Asked Questions
The biggest setback will be for people who want a specific breed of dog as soon as possible. It’s not always easy to get the exact type of dog you want unless you’re very patient.
Rescues are volunteer-run operations and they’re typically home-based.
For puppies, eight to ten weeks is the earliest they should be adopted. For older dogs, it’s never too late.
Conclusion for “Best Small Dog Rescues in Scotland”
Overall, if you’re looking for small dog rescues in Scotland, there are a few essential things to remember. These rescue centers are working very hard to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home dogs. You should conduct thorough research and stay true to your decision to get a rescue.
For instance, the best way to ensure that you’re adopting from the right place is to check the organization’s reputation, see if they have charity status, and visit them to see if they have been truthful about their facility online. You can further look for testimonials and reviews before finalizing your choice.
For more guides similar to this list of small dog rescues in Scotland, check out:
- 4 Best Cocker Spaniel Breeders in Scotland! (2023)
- The 5 Best Cockapoo Rescues in Scotland! (2023)
- The 5 Best Dachshund Rescues in Scotland! (2023)
Before you adopt from a shelter in Scotland, learn more about small dogs by watching “10 Surprising Facts About Small Dogs (#6 is Baffling)” down below:
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
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