5 best Pittsburgh animal shelters

August 12, 2021 - 3 min read

Have you been talking with your family about adopting an animal? With wagging tails and blissful purring, four-legged friends brighten our days and bring us unlimited joy. Adopting a cat or dog from a shelter means you’re not only saving that animal’s life, you’re helping to make more room for another animal in need.

When you’re ready to add a new furry family member to your pack, consider one of the following animal shelters in Pittsburgh:

Humane Animal Rescue

East End Campus Address: 6926 Hamilton Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15208

North Side Campus Address: 1101 Western Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15233

Phone: 412-345-7300

Social: Facebook, Instagram, Yelp

With two convenient locations, Humane Animal Rescue is the largest animal welfare organization in Pennsylvania, caring for both domestic and wild animals that have been neglected, abandoned or injured. The rescue is a result of the merging of two long-established organizations: The Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center and Western PA Humane Society. You’ll find adoptable cats, dogs and rabbits at both locations. The animal shelter also has two low-cost veterinary centers for domestic animals and offers dog obedience training.

Humane Animal Rescue

East End Campus Address: 6926 Hamilton Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15208

North Side Campus Address: 1101 Western Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15233

Phone: 412-345-7300

Social: Facebook, Instagram, Yelp

With two convenient locations, Humane Animal Rescue is the largest animal welfare organization in Pennsylvania, caring for both domestic and wild animals that have been neglected, abandoned or injured. The rescue is a result of the merging of two long-established organizations: The Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center and Western PA Humane Society. You’ll find adoptable cats, dogs and rabbits at both locations. The animal shelter also has two low-cost veterinary centers for domestic animals and offers dog obedience training.

Animal Friends

Address: 562 Camp Horne Road Pittsburgh, PA 15237

Phone: (412) 847-7000

Social: Facebook, Instagram, Yelp

Find your next best friend at the state-of-the-art Animal Friends facility. In addition to adoptions, the rescue, which has been operating for over 75 years, provides dog and cat training classes, a mobile surgical suite, low-cost wellness appointments, and a pet therapy program. If you’re looking to donate to one of the organization’s initiatives, consider the Pets for Vets program, which helps pair certified and trained companion animals to at-risk veterans free of charge.

Animal Advocates

Address: 35 Wabash Street PO Box 8480 Pittsburgh, PA 15220

Phone: 412-928-9777

Social: Facebook, Instagram

Animal Advocates is a volunteer-based nonprofit that takes in special needs pets, animals who have been relinquished by their previous guardians due to difficult circumstances, and animals from high-kill shelters. Adoptable animals stay with fosters until they find their forever homes and potential adopters are matched with the right pet based on the pet’s personality and needs. Animal Advocates also operates a thrift store, located in Pittsburgh’s West End neighborhood, where you can find pet products, gently-used clothing, and collectable/vintage items. All proceeds go directly to the rescue.

Petland Village of East Side ASAP Rescue

Address: 6401 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Phone: (412) 363-7387

Social: Facebook

Petland Village of East Side partners with ASAP Animal Rescue to provide visibility to animals in need of permanent homes. All of the pets adopted from ASAP Rescue are vaccinated, dewormed, and spayed/neutered prior to adoption. Once you’ve finalized the process, head to Petland Village’s store for high quality pet food, toys and treats, and any supplies you need to get started. The store also sells small animals, birds, and both saltwater and freshwater fish.

Paws Across Pittsburgh

Address: 346 Orchard Street Springdale, PA 15144

Phone: (412) 495-2799

Social: Facebook, Instagram

Paws Across Pittsburgh is a non-profit, foster-based rescue serving Western Pennsylvania. The rescue’s LOVS (Lifetime of Veterinary Support) program is designed to support senior and special needs pets by providing coverage for veterinary bills throughout the animal’s life. The rescue also runs an emergency short-term fostering program to meet the needs of families in crisis by providing them with a temporary home for their animals.