Wednesday, July 16th
2025 Pet Adoption Site Reviews
PetSmart
- Pricing may vary, sometimes higher than direct shelter adoption
- Has facilitated over 10 million pet adoptions since 1994
- Offers adoption of a variety of animals including cats, dogs, reptiles, and small mammals
- Allows for in-person meetings with potential pets at in-store events, including their National Adoption Week
- Filters available for age, breed, color, distance, size, gender
- Includes detailed bios for pets that often contain information on special needs and activity levels
Since 1994, PetSmart has helped over 10 million pets find homes. Through their website, you can reach out to the shelter or rescue where the pet you're interested in resides, using the contact info on the pet's page.
Other pets besides cats and dogs... in theory
You can adopt animals other than cats and dogs through PetSmart, but getting there is a little convoluted, and you still might not find what you're looking for. First, you'll need to enter your zip code, then select dogs or cats. From here, you'll be redirected to the PetSmart Charities website where you can then broaden your search to include other kinds of animals. In the "reptiles” category, we found only two tortoises around the whole country. There were plenty of rats in "small and furry”. For some reason, guinea pigs were included under "farm animals”. (What's in a name, PetSmart? A lot! A pig by any other name is a whole ‘nother animal.) When we searched for birds, we found none at all.
More filters would be nice
You can refine your search by age, breed, color, distance, size, gender, but that leaves out important things like special needs and activity levels that some other websites include. Those things can typically be found in pet bios, though.
Text sizing is comically large or small
Browsing animals on PetSmart is not the most pleasant experience - there doesn't appear to be a way to add pets to your favorites to come back to later, and the sizing of text is odd. It's either way too large, so that you have to scroll down the page to see a pet's full name, or it's so small you have to zoom in.
In-person adoption events
Found a pet you think might be the one? You can meet potential pets at an in-store PetSmart event, like their three-times-yearly National Adoption Week. However, you should know that adoption fees through PetSmart might be a bit more than if you were to adopt directly from the shelter.
Browsing needs streamlining
While PetSmart's adoption website is full of heartwarming "tails” of dogs and cats they have rescued, it could use some enhancements to make pet browsing easier. Until these improvements are made, you might find it simpler to locate the perfect pet through one of the other sites in our review.
More Pet Adoption Site Reviews
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.
Pet Adoption Site FAQ
Continued from above...
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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