Adopt a dog

Consider adopting from your local shelter or rescue groups.  There are many homeless dogs waiting to be adopted.  

If you are on the fence about adopting a shelter dog, you may be surprised to know that about a quarter of shelter dogs are purebred, and that dogs up for adoption do not have serious behaviour problems.  You may also be unaware that most dogs in shelters are under two years old, and some are even puppies. 

If you are specifically looking to adopt a rescued northern dog, retired sled dog, or a puppy mill survivor, you can check with your local humane society or contact one of the rescue groups listed below.

You can also find adoptable dogs at Pet Finder or at Adopt a Pet.

If you are interested in adopting a northern dog, contact any of the following groups.  We are looking to build an extensive list of rescue groups; if you are aware of any that we may have missed, please contact us so that we can add them below. 

Quebec

Chiots Nordiques 

Ontario

Freedom Dog Rescue (Ottawa)

Northern Critters In Need (Ignace)

Northern Lights Dog Rescue (Thunder Bay)

Southern Connection Rescue (Southern Ontario)

Manitoba

Spirit of Hope Rescue (Winnipeg)

Manitoba Underdogs Rescue (Winnipeg)

Northern Manitoba Paws In Need (Thompson) 

Alberta

Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (Athabasca/Edmonton)

Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (Calgary)

EJ Rescue Canada (Airdrie) 

British Columbia

Northern Hope Dog Rescue Society (Vancouver/Victoria)

Heart Dog Rescue (Kootenays) 

Companion Animal Advocacy & Rescue Effort (Vancouver) 

You can adopt a sled dog from these groups:

• From Sled Dogs to Bed Hogs

• Victoria Humane Society (and outreach partner, the British Columbia Humane Society in Victoria)

We are interested in expanding this list so please contact us if you are aware of other groups that focus on adopting out retired sled dogs.  

The Humane Society International/Canada rescues dogs from dog meat farms and transports them to their shelter and rescue partners who facilitate adoptions.  Please view the list of shelter and rescue partners here.