Where to find pets online

You should be able to easily ask questions through the site to make sure your furry friend of choice is a good fit for your home. In addition to general communication access, you may be able to schedule a preliminary meet up with your potential pooch before going through with the adoption process.

Some adoption organizations will require that you introduce your other dogs to your future floof beforehand to ensure you have harmonious hounds. Adoption organizations usually ask for a small fee to support the organization and facilitate the care of other dogs or animals in need. For example, some sites will require you to provide background references or allow routine post-adoption inspections to check on the status of your adopted pooch. Check out 12 Ways to Identify a Good Shelter to learn more!

Without further ado, here are some of our favorite places to find your future forever friend. Petfinder provides a nearly endless selection of dogs, cats, reptiles, horses, rabbits, and even barnyard animals.

The site even features an interactive quiz that asks you lifestyle questions and breed preferences to guide you towards your mutt match made in heaven. In addition, you can filter your search query by age, organization, compatibility with other dogs or kids, and more.

Petfinder taps into rescues and shelters all over the U. You can sort through the animals available based on a variety of characteristics, and the site is updated continuously.

The animals available are currently in the care of various shelters, rescues, and individuals, so the terms of adoption including fees will vary from dog to dog.

Adopt a Pet lists dogs or cats from over 17, different animal shelters and rescues. And in addition to traditional, four-footed pets, you can also find a small number of rabbits, birds, reptiles, and other small animals listed on the site. Adoption requirements will vary depending on the listed adoption organization. Simple, easy-to-navigate interface that gives you the chance to search for a dog by breed, location, and age. You can view videos of many of the available pets in addition to photos.

Also, the terms of adoption will vary significantly, as the pets are currently cared for by a variety of shelters, rescues, and individuals. Terms and conditions will vary depending on the animal and shelter you select. Additionally, most of the animal profiles share numerous photos and quite a bit of info about the four-footer you have your eye on. Rescue Me helps dogs, cats, horses, birds, and other animals find forever homes. The site prompts you to filter the search results by breed type and shows you the rescue groups available across the United States.

This site has a lot of nice features, such as the ability to see the states in which a particular breed is available for adoption. The Salt Lake City facility alone is home to 1, dogs and cats in need of a forever home. The site also gives you the chance to search animals currently at other shelters and rescues in your area. Best Friends Animal Society hosts a pet compatibility quiz on the site, which makes it easier for you to find the perfect furry fit for your family.

As with most other adoption sites that tap into animals at a variety of physical locations, the specific adoption terms and conditions vary. If you have another pet, you should arrange to have them meet. Medical history. Is the pet spayed or neutered? Will the shelter provide this surgery or do they offer low-cost alternatives? Does it have all its shots and which ones are given as part of your adoption contract?

Pets come into shelters and rescue groups every day. Keep looking. Check as many sites as possible. Post your needs on Petfinder. Policies and procedures vary from group to group.

Find out as much about the group as you can … are they a non-profit, municipal, private, rescue? What will you need to bring including a vet reference, proof your other pets are altered, landlord permission, etc.

Is there an adoption fee? What does it include? This non-profit lists pets from more than 17, shelters and rescues across North America — it even has pets in Canada. Adopt a Pet's website is very straight forward, making it easy for people who aren't as technologically inclined. The site allows you to filter by location, age, and breed.

If needed, you can even put your own pet up for adoption with its Rehome program. The ASPCA is known for its tear-inducing commercials about abused dogs, but the organization doesn't want to make you cry. It wants to help you find a furry friend. If you're not near an ASPCA location, you can still use the site's local shelter portal to find all the pets up for adoption in your area.

Best Friends first launched in Kanab, Utah, in the s. Best Friends' mission is to "save them all" by ending all killings of homeless pets. Like most pet adoption websites, PetSmart Charities narrows your pet search down by zip code, breed, color, size, age, and sex.

The organization lists pets from various shelters and rescues in your zip code. Once you find the one you'd like to adopt, you reach out to the specific shelter or rescue and begin the process with them directly. PetSmart Charities also features horses, farm animals, rabbits, and birds. It allows you to search rescue networks across the country for whichever breed you want, and then sends you to that rescue's site — most of which will have an adoption option. Although it's not the most direct site, it's ideal if you want a specific breed but don't want to go through a breeder.

The Shelter Pet Project's site is pretty minimal, but that's not a bad thing. You can search as far as miles beyond your zip code, which can feel limiting, but still provides you with plenty of pet options.