The Best Santa Rosa, CA Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2025

Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary

Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary is a primarily volunteer run nonprofit organization based in Petaluma, CA. Our mission is to provide a safe and loving home for large breed senior dogs (50+ pounds, 7 years or older) who have been displaced from their homes and/or abandoned for any reason, until they are adopted or to remain at the sanctuary until they pass on.

Compassion Without Borders

Compassion Without Borders was founded in 2001 by Christi and Moncho Camblor with the vision to provide a brighter future to animals in need on both sides of the border. CWOB works a multifaceted approach to reach animals in need via our four programs: Mexico Dog Rescue, US Dog Rescue, Veterinary Wellness Clinics & Spay/Neuter Services. We also actively participate with other rescue groups in the US and Mexico to provide outreach for humane rescue education & training via seminars.

The Humane Society of Sonoma County

The Humane Society of Sonoma County is a donor-supported nonprofit organization dedicated to kindness. With the generosity of our supporters, we save lives and enhance the well-being of pets and their people through kindness, innovation, and leadership. Programs like our Community Action team, Community Vet Clinic, and Free Vaccine Clinic provide vital support to our community.

Marin Humane

We're an independent nonprofit and not affiliated with The Humane Society of the United States or the ASPCA. Our tax ID (EIN) is 94-1156562. Our look may have changed a bit, but our mission, vision, and values remain focused on the animals.

Countryside Animal Rescue

Countryside Animal Rescue has rescued and rehomed approximately 4,000 homeless animals since it was founded in 2002. Countryside Animal Rescue is a small but dedicated organization with one full-time employee, four part-time staff members, and a wonderful group of volunteers. Each team member is deeply committed to the health and well-being of our animals, and their passion for rescuing dogs is truly inspiring. We primarily focus on our local community while also reaching out to neighboring counties. Our rescue accepts dogs that have been abandoned, abused, or neglected, as well as owner surrenders. This includes pregnant mothers, nursing moms with their puppies, and orphaned puppies. The animals are housed on our property, which allows us to get to know each dog individually. This personal connection helps us find the perfect homes for them.

North Bay Canine Rescue & Placement

Mendocino County Animal Care Services

PETaluma PET Pals

Petaluma Pet Pals is a 501c3 non-profit established in 1998 by a group of dedicated animals lovers simply wanting to make a real difference for companion animals and the people who love them! Our philosophy is first and foremost to encourage and promote spay and neuter, but we also roll up our sleeves and do everything we can to protect, love and care for animals that are in need. We rescue dogs, puppies, cats and kittens at risk of euthanasia at high kill shelters in the Bay Area and beyond. We rescue, rehabilitate, foster and find loving homes for dogs and cats that would otherwise be euthanized in a high kill shelter or have to defend themselves in the wild. We offer a spay/neuter discount coupon which is available simply by request. Our hope, is that by providing financial assistance, we encourage spay and neuter amongst the community, and decrease the number of animals who end up homeless and in our shelter system. We loan humane traps for feral or community cats to those who are working to Trap, Neuter and Release (TNR) and are practicing proper colony management, including feeding and other care.

Sonoma County Animal Services

Sonoma County Animal Services (SCAS) is an Open Admission Municipal Shelter. We never euthanize for time or space. While we accept animals regardless of breed, age, medical history or behavior, we carefully manage the intake of owned animals to ensure space for all animals in our care. This means that there is often a waiting list for an owner to surrender an animal to us.

Soft Paws Rescue

• We are a dedicated group of volunteers advocating for the dogs. • We are a Non-Profit 501c(3) Animal Rescue Group based out of Sonoma County, CA. • We primarily rescue injured dogs, bottle babies put on euthanasia lists, or other severe medical cases. • We save as many lives as we can every year. We rescue and rehabilitate dogs in need. Most of our pups comes from a wide variety of backgrounds including high kill shelters, owner surrenders, hoarding cases, and more. We then place each pup into loving foster homes until they are adopted into their perfect fur-ever homes. We are a 2 person team who volunteers and are practically on call 24/7 to help the voiceless find their voice. Please note both of us work full time jobs and try to be as responsive in a timely manner as possible.

Dogma Animal Rescue

Dogma Animal Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, volunteer based organization serving Sonoma, Napa, and Marin Counties. We are dedicated to saving homeless and abandoned dogs from overcrowded animal control facilities throughout the State of California. We especially focus on pregnant dogs that are in danger of abuse, neglect, or euthanasia. Dogma Animal Rescue places dogs into temporary foster homes where they are socialized, spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and treated for any medical or behavioral conditions limiting their adoptability. We actively search for permanent homes for foster dogs by producing and hosting mobile adoption events and other special events that provide exposure to potential adopters. ​ In practicality, we are just a handful of dedicated animal-loving volunteers who rescue animals from a variety of sources - from county shelters, persons finding litters on their property or sadly abandoned on streets and near businesses. Often we stay up nights bottle feeding puppies, nursing sick or injured animals, or making trips to the emergency vet. We have no physical address for our organization - we all foster animals in our homes. We are NOT a shelter – we typically can't help people who need to find homes for their animals. Our purpose is to literally save lives by helping animals on the brink of death - animals scheduled for euthanasia due to overcrowding, or abandoned or orphaned animals.

Pets Lifeline

Before 1982 there were no local animal shelters or resources available to help the Sonoma community cope with the problem of stray and abandoned animals. This lack of animal services motivated a handful of dedicated animal lovers to create a local animal welfare organization. Thanks to the community, Pets Lifeline was established. THE EARLY DAYS It was in 1987 that Pets Lifeline bought the property on which it now stands and built the main shelter structure. The house on the property became a thrift store serving as a fundraising source for the fledgling shelter. Over the last three decades, additions and modifications have been made to bring the Shelter into its current living form. In 2000, the thrift store was replaced with the beautiful fenced dog yard and later, a new roof along with temporary mobile structures were added. THE GREATER GOOD In 2005, Pets Lifeline served on a national level when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, leaving people and their pets homeless. The Marin Humane Society called our shelter to ask if we would join them in a concerted effort to save a plane load of stranded cats and dogs flown in from New Orleans. We jumped at the chance and after a long night, the Pets Lifeline team left with approx. 12 dogs and five cats. Pets Lifeline worked successfully over the next several months to reconnect some of the animals with their original owners, found local homes for others and even placed puppies born during the process—the effort was a collective high point for everyone involved. WALKING THE WALK Today, Pets Lifeline (PLL) has adopted over 15,000 animals, staying with its core mission to find forever homes for the stray and homeless cats and dogs in Sonoma Valley. In addition, PLL offers a wide variety of programs, such as a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, dog training classes, a kitten fostering program, and a feral program that is the most successful in the county. The shelter prides itself on its Humane Education curriculum that offers an afterschool program and a 10-week summer camp. THE FUTURE With the celebration of these past 30 years comes the promise of being around for 30 more and the hope of raising money over the span of this year to help modernize Sonoma Valley's only Animal Resource Center.

Little Trooper Ranch

Animals are our first priority. We are a passionate team dedicated to animals and the humans who will love them. We primarily represent dogs, with a focus on the ones who are least likely to be seen. Our main goal is to find loving homes that are best suited for the animals in our care.

We Care Animal Rescue

Big Dog Rescue

ReMAP – Rescuing Moms & Puppies

Purpose: Everyone has a purpose in this life. Mine is helping dogs and puppies find their forever homes. While this is a business, it is also my life’s work. (ok, maybe being a mom is really my first life’s work….) One at a time: I host one litter at a time. I meet with one family at a time to help them choose a puppy. I talk with one donor at a time, etc. Slow: This is NOT speed adoption. I’m not trying to beat a record about how many dogs I can house and how many I can rehome in a year. It’s about making quality connections between people and pets. Bridge: I am simply the bridge between a dog-in-need, and their next forever home. It’s also a bridge for a person or family and their new pet. Family: These litters stay together until they’ve learned what they need to from each other. Then they join their next family. These moms get to raise their pups, in comfort and not in a rush, so that they get to be moms in whatever way they want to be. My human family, supporters and volunteers get to flex their nurturing skills to help these pets and in the process, tap into their own best self. Belonging: While these dogs are in my care, they belong to me, just like my own dogs. I treat them with respect and meet their needs, but mostly, I love them. They can relax and do what they need to, in order to move on to their forever home. Every person needs a purpose. In this business, mine is very hands on. But for supporters, donors, volunteers, they get to contribute to saving lives to whatever level they can. They belong to the ReMAP family. Solutions: I don’t have all the answers, but I know where to find them and how to tap into resources. I say YES more often than NO. Just like there is a home for every homeless pet, there is a solution to every problem. I have helped families realize that a puppy, or this puppy at this time, is not the right fit for their family. I don’t tell them that, I take the time they need in order for them to come to that decision on their own.

Redwood Coast Humane Society

Redwood Coast Humane Society is a 100% volunteer 501-C3 (non-profit) organization located on the Redwood Coast of Northern California serving the needs of local animals and pet owners. The Redwood Coast Humane Society (RCHS) was begun in 1987 when a small number of coast residents, concerned about the overpopulation of feral cats, and the treatment of unwanted dogs and cats, founded the Mendocino Coast Humane Society consisting of a Fort Bragg Chapter and a South Coast Chapter which covered the area in and adjacent to Gualala. The Fort Bragg Chapter soon after started a modest shelter operation. In 2000, several residents of Gualala and The Sea Ranch filed as a non-profit organization (501-C3) separate from the Mendocino Coast Humane Society and became the Redwood Coast Humane Society. The five founding members are Jackie Gardener, Mary Moore, Lisa Scott, Carol McQuarrie and Dagmar Moseley. Today the RCHS includes the coastal area from Elk at the north end to Timber Cove in the south.

Bay Area German Shepherd Dog Rescue

We rescue, rehab and rehome at risk German Shepherds, Malinois, Dutch Shepherds and mixes of related breeds in Northern California and Sacramento.

Greyhound Friends for Life

Greyhound Friends for Life volunteers have been saving the lives of racing greyhounds and sighthound mixes for nearly 30 years. Since its formation in 1991, the group has placed well over 3000 greyhounds into loving homes. During the 1980’s, Greyhound Friends for Life founder Susan Netboy and several other Bay Area people involved with sighthound breeds formed a loosely knit group designed to rescue and re-home sighthounds in need of intervention. In 1989, when an insider disclosed to In Defense of Animals that racing greyhounds had been acquired by Letterman Army Institute of Research (LAIR) for a terminal research project, Susan’s help was enlisted to find a way to free the greyhounds. Demonstrations, media attention, the intervention of then congresswoman Barbara Boxer, and a well-publicized lawsuit finally gained the release of 19 greyhounds and cancelation of the entire research project which was to include the acquisition of 100 additional greyhounds. The LAIR case led to Susan’s involvement in a dozen more cases of greyhounds in research and an increased knowledge of the internal workings of the racing industry which, in turn, led her to the realization that racing greyhounds were in desperate need of advocacy, as well as rescue. In 1991, Susan founded Greyhound Friends for Life and the nationally-oriented Greyhound Protection League as programs of the Greyhound Welfare Foundation. The group’s greatest strength has always been the hard work and dedication of its many volunteers. While Susan focused on national advocacy, Barbara Eineichner, Lita Nemeth, and Shana Laursen, in succession, provided foster facilities for the dogs; Barbara E. and Lita also acted as adoption coordinators. In 2006, Susan and the Board of the Greyhound Welfare Foundation asked Barbara Judson to take over as President of GFFL and to set it up as a separate organization. In January, 2007, Greyhound Friends for Life obtained its own non-profit 501c3 designation (Tax ID 20-5323161) with many of the same volunteers who had supported the group from its inception – and, fortunately, with many new volunteers who will carry us through the years ahead.