Adopt a Rescue Dog in Devon

ARC Animal Rescue, officially the Sidmouth Animal Welfare and Animal Rescue Centre, has been rescuing and rehoming lost, unwanted and uncared-for dogs and cats in East Devon for more than 50 years. It was founded by Mrs Shrimpton and Miss Topsy Hindley, who remained a trustee and an inspiration to everyone until she passed away aged 108, and in 2013 the charity opened its current rescue centre with 16 kennels just outside Ottery St Mary. ARC now takes in dogs from across Devon, including Mid and North Devon and Torbay, and works hard to send every dog to its forever home in the best possible health, even when that means expensive veterinary treatment.

Animals in Distress is a community-founded animal rescue charity established in 1981 to support pets in South Devon who had lost their homes through no fault of their own. What began as a small volunteer-led effort, with animals cared for in local kennels and private homes, grew into a permanent rescue centre in Ipplepen in 1994. Today, the charity provides care and rehoming for hundreds of animals each year, including dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs. With strong roots in the local community, Animals in Distress remains committed to treating every animal with dignity, kindness, and ongoing care until a safe and loving forever home is found.

BDRUK (Blind Dog Rescue UK) is a small charity focussed on the rescue and rehoming of blind and partially sighted dogs, BUT WE ALSO REHOME FULLY SIGHTED DOGS so please browse our dogs regardless of whether or not you would consider a dog with sight issues.

Blue Cross is one of the UK’s leading animal welfare charities, supporting sick, injured, and homeless pets since 1897. The charity works to protect vulnerable animals while helping pets and people thrive together, offering veterinary care, behavioural support, and rehoming services across the UK. Blue Cross also provides advice to pet owners, operates pet food banks, and supports pets when their owners can no longer care for them. With a long history of innovation and advocacy in animal welfare, the charity continues to promote compassionate, inclusive care to ensure pets enjoy healthy, happy lives with people who love them.

Dogs Trust is one of the UK’s leading dog welfare charities, supporting dogs and their owners since it was founded in 1891 by Lady Gertrude Stock. Guided by the belief that a dog is for life, the charity provides care for dogs in distress, helps find loving new homes when needed, and supports owners during difficult circumstances. Dogs Trust works across the UK to protect the lifelong bond between dogs and people, offering practical help, education, and advocacy at every stage of a dog’s life. In the last year alone, the charity provided care for over 11,700 dogs without homes, continuing its long-standing mission to create a better future for dogs and the people who love them.

Foredowne has been looking after animals in South Devon for over 40 years, from its kennels at Foredowne Lodge in Kingskerswell, between Torquay and Newton Abbot. The team hold a 5-star Teignbridge District Council licence, and every member of staff is trained or training in animal care so dogs are treated as if they were their own. Alongside boarding, Foredowne takes in stray and abandoned dogs, assessing them physically and emotionally while they recover. Each dog is seen by a vet before they leave, with a health check, vaccinations, and flea and worm treatment. Rehoming is by appointment only, giving people time to meet the right dog and make sure the match is right for both sides.

Forever Hounds Trust is a UK-based rescue charity dedicated to the welfare, rehabilitation, and rehoming of greyhounds, lurchers, and other sighthounds. Registered as a charity since 1996, the organisation operates from its centre near Cullompton in Devon, where dogs receive care in line with best-practice welfare standards before being matched with permanent, loving homes. Forever Hounds Trust also provides free, lifelong post-adoption behavioural support to help keep dogs successfully settled in their new homes. Supported by a small staff team, trustees, and a nationwide network of volunteers, the charity actively promotes improved sighthound welfare and advocates against practices that compromise the wellbeing of these breeds.

Gables Dogs & Cats Home is a long-established, non-euthanasia rescue and rehoming charity that has supported unwanted and abandoned dogs and cats since 1907. Each year, the charity cares for up to 1,000 animals, either reuniting lost pets with their owners or finding them loving new homes. On a day-to-day basis, Gables looks after around 80 dogs and more than 100 cats, supported by a committed team of staff and volunteers. Rehoming animals across Devon, Somerset, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly, the charity relies entirely on public donations and legacies to continue its vital work.

Greyhound Trust is a UK charity dedicated to finding loving homes for retired racing greyhounds. Founded in 1975, the charity has rehomed more than 100,000 greyhounds and now helps around 3,500 dogs each year through its network of volunteer-led branches.

Oldies Club is a specialist rescue for dogs aged 7 and over, founded in 2005, and run entirely by volunteers. We do not have a rehoming centre and do not use kennels but instead place our dogs in carefully vetted foster homes throughout England, Wales and Scotland. We usually have between 30 and 40 dogs in our care at any one time. Our dogs are fully assessed and receive whatever medical treatment they need before being put up for adoption. We take care to fully describe the type of home each individual dog needs so that potential adopters can be sure that the dog they are applying to adopt should suit the home they have to offer. As well as the dogs in our own rescue, we also help older dogs in other rescues by promoting them on our website, alongside our own dogs. This free service has helped thousands of older dogs find homes. We are full members of ADCH and are licensed to rehome dogs in Scotland (licence number SGRH-012 granted by The Scottish Government).

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), founded in 1824, is the oldest and largest animal welfare organisation in the world, operating across England and Wales. Funded primarily by voluntary donations, the charity rescues animals from cruelty, investigates neglect and organised animal crime, and provides advice to improve animal welfare. Its network includes rescue teams, animal hospitals, rehabilitation centres and over 150 locally run branches that support rehoming, neutering and community welfare services. Through national and international outreach, the RSPCA works to prevent cruelty and ensure animals receive the care and protection they deserve.

Saints Sled Dog Rescue rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes unwanted, neglected and stray Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.