The 10 Best Pet Adoption Sites
What Are the Best Pet Adoption Sites?
Whether you're a parent looking for a gentle family dog who's good with kids, a single college grad looking for a cat to cozy up to while working remote, or a rare reptile enthusiast, online pet adoption sites can help you find the perfect pet for you without having to leave your home.
These sites provide a vast selection of animals from various shelters, rescues, and private owners, all in one place. That means you won't have to visit multiple shelters, which can be time-consuming and emotionally taxing. Also, these sites typically provide detailed information about each animal's background, health, and behavior, which is important for making an informed adoption decision.
Tuesday, October 15th
2024 Pet Adoption Site Reviews
PetFinder
PetFinder is an excellent tool for finding your new best friend. You can browse over 10,000 pets from various shelters and rescue organizations to find the right companion for your lifestyle. Take advantage of unique features like "perfect match" sorting and personalized pet FAQs. If you fall in love with a pet you can't adopt, you can still sponsor them with a donation. PetFinder is highly recommended for its broad selection of pets and customizable search function, making it our top-rated pet adoption website.
Adopt A Pet
Adopt A Pet is a fantastic resource for you if you're looking to welcome a new pet into your home. Not only does it support over 15,000 animal welfare organizations, but it also offers a wealth of resources to help you as a new pet owner. You can search for a wide variety of pets, from dogs and cats to farm animals, and the site's intuitive design makes it easy to find your perfect match. Their Rehome program is especially appreciated, helping pets to move directly from one loving home to another. All in all, we highly recommend Adopt A Pet as a top choice when you're setting out to adopt a new pet.
Chewy
At Chewy, you can find the perfect pet for you while also supporting animal shelters and rescue groups. Chewy offers unique features like the ability to watch videos of cats and dogs and filter by personality traits, which can help you make a more informed decision. Plus, you can read detailed bios about each pet and even shop for all your new pet's needs right on their site. The site is easy to navigate, making the adoption process smooth and enjoyable. We give Chewy a "two paws up" for their exceptional service and dedication to helping pets find their forever homes.
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club Marketplace is a great place to find registered puppies from breeders. You can easily choose your preferred breed and connect directly with the breeders, who are often recognized for their high standards. However, remember to do your own research as any breeder can advertise here and AKC doesn't guarantee their reputability. Once you've chosen your puppy, you get to enjoy a host of post-adoption perks like a free trial of pet insurance and a lost pet recovery service. While we usually recommend shelter/rescue adoption, if you're specifically looking for a purebred puppy, the AKC Marketplace is a solid starting point.
Rescue Me
Rescue Me is an online animal welfare platform connecting you to a variety of pets for adoption. It's unique in that it prioritizes urgent cases, making it easy for you to see which animals need help the most. However, its search function is limited, meaning you might need to put in a bit more effort to find your perfect pet. While Rescue Me has some great features, it lacks some key filtering options like age and temperament. That's why we recommend trying some of our higher-rated sites first if you have specific pet preferences.
Puppy Finder
Puppy Finder is a search engine for finding adoptable dogs, from puppies to adults. One unique feature is that you can see the adoption fee upfront, saving you time in your search. They list dogs from both breeders and shelters, and even provide a quiz to help you find your perfect breed match. You can also place personal ads if you want to be notified right away when matches are listed. While the site design could use some decluttering, it's still functional. We rate Puppy Finder as a solid choice for your canine adoption needs.
Pet Place
At Pet Place, you'll find a handy one-stop shop for your pet adoption journey. The site does a good job for those looking to adopt cats and dogs, but may fall short if you're seeking birds or smaller pets. You might find fewer animal choices compared to other sites, and be prepared for a lengthy "pet match survey" before contacting shelters. Despite these issues, Pet Place offers a useful adoption checklist and insurance comparison tool. Overall, it's a solid, albeit average, choice for pet adoption.
Save A Rescue
Save a Rescue is a pet adoption platform specializing in dogs and cats. You'll appreciate their standard search features, where you can find pets by breed, age, and distance, and learn about each pet's personality and needs. They've even set up a "911-like" hotline for pets in need, but it's currently on hold due to lack of funding. Unfortunately, their website can be a bit tricky to navigate and has a few typos. While it's possible your perfect pet is listed on Save a Rescue, we recommend checking other, more user-friendly platforms first.
ASPCA
You've probably heard of the ASPCA from its commercials. As the first animal welfare organization in North America, the ASPCA lists dogs, cats, and horses for adoption in select places like New York City, Los Angeles, North Carolina, and Ohio. If you live in these places, you can filter pets by sex, age, and size and even visit the adoption center if you're in NYC. However, the adoption service is not available nationwide, which is a drawback. Despite this limitation, if you happen to reside in one of these cities, we recommend considering the ASPCA for pet adoption.
PetSmart
Through PetSmart, you can hypothetically adopt not only cats and dogs, but also other animals like reptiles and small mammals, though their search and browsing system could use some refining. The text sizing on their website may test your patience, and while you can filter your search by age, breed, color, distance, size, and gender, they lack filters for special needs or activity levels. Excitingly, you can meet potential pets at in-store adoption events. However, be aware that PetSmart's adoption fees might be higher than direct shelter adoption for the same animal. PetSmart's adoption service is a good starting point, but you may find other sites more user-friendly.
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However, not all pet adoption sites are the same. Some specialize in specific types of animals, often dogs and cats, while others might focus on rescues or purebreds. Some of them include birds, rodents, amphibians, reptiles, and even farm animals.
There are also differences in the services they offer. For instance, a couple of sites offer support throughout the adoption process, including tips for first-time owners and post-adoption care, while others simply act as a listing service. Pet adoption websites typically can't be held responsible if you have a negative interaction with someone using their platform to list a pet, so be sure to do your own research on who you're adopting from.
When looking for the right pet adoption site, consider the following:
- Type of pets available. Are you looking for a dog, cat, bird, or maybe a more exotic pet? Most sites focus on cats and dogs, and the ones that offer atypical pets may not have many listed at all times. Find out if you can sign up for notifications when pets meeting your criteria are listed.
- Adoption support and resources. Does the site walk you through the adoption process? Some websites offer articles and resources to help you before, during, and after adoption.
- User interface and search functionality. Is the site easy to navigate? Can you easily expand the area of your search and filter pets according to your criteria?
Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated and ranked the best Pet Adoption Sites available. We hope this review helps you find the best service for you, ensuring that you and your new pet start off on the right paw!
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