Unfortunately, there’s a great need for dog rescues in Michigan, so it doesn’t surprise me that there are so many animals here, waiting in shelters or foster homes to be adopted.
Some of the main causes of the great number of stray canines on the streets are the owners’ inability to take care of pups, lack of knowledge on the importance of spaying/neutering, and improper or accidental breeding.
One of the positive sides nowadays is that rescue centers have more support, which is why they can offer free or low-cost spaying and neutering surgeries.
Adopting dogs is another great practice that benefits both the rescue center and the new owner, who will find themself a new buddy.
If you’d like to find a furry friend as well, keep reading the article!
Best Dog Rescues In Michigan
1. Michigan Animal Rescue League
This is a dog shelter that has been active for more than 60 years, providing help to all animals in need, including the ones that are abandoned by their owners or left out on the streets.
This organization has saved the lives of thousands of canines in Michigan, not only by rescuing them but also by providing them with medical care and forever homes filled with the love and affection that they deserve.
Their focus isn’t just on the physical health of the rescue dogs. The staff and foster parents invest a lot of time and hard work into training these pups and socializing them with humans and other pets before they’re rehomed to their permanent homes.
How To Adopt Dogs
There are certain requirements that each potential adopter needs to fulfill in order to adopt a pup from this shelter.
If you want to get a pup from the sanctuary, you need to be at least twenty-one and possess valid confirmation of age (ID card or driver’s license).
All of the adoptable pups are found on the organization’s website, including adorable purebred and crossbred pups of Pitbull, Boxer, Border Collie, Great Dane, Yorkie, Chihuahua, and other dog breeds.
RELATED: Types Of Pitbull Dogs: How Many Pitties Are There?
Once you choose a pup, you can fill out the application form and wait for a call with further instructions.
The adoption fee is the same for all pups, regardless of their breed, size, or gender, $250. The price includes all necessary procedures, including vaccinations, microchipping, deworming, heartworm prevention, and other treatments.
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Pontiac, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Michigan Animal Rescue League
Contact number: 248 335 9290
2. Michigan Humane
This is one of the oldest dog rescues in Michigan and it was opened almost 200 years ago. This is a non-profit organization that has been rehoming pups successfully for many years.
Michigan Humane Society offers canines lovable and cozy temporary homes until the pups are placed in their forever homes, once they find their permanent owners.
They aren’t only the oldest but also one of the largest nonprofit rescue centers and they are found in four different locations, along with veterinary clinics in Rochester Hills, Detroit, Howell, and Westland.
It’s important to mention that this rescue center is completely against violence against canines, which is why they also undertake thorough research into each potential owner who’d like to adopt a pet.
How To Adopt Dogs
If you’d like to own a pup from this adoption center, you can do so by contacting the staff and asking about the adoption process, this is how you’ll get the best information possible.
The doors of the rescue centers are always open, especially for people who donate their money and want to adopt.
One thing is for sure, you’ll need to complete the form, which can be found online, along with a meeting/interview with the adoption counselor.
If you’ve previously owned any pets, you’ll be required to bring their medical records and a confirmation letter from your vet.
The adoption fee isn’t clearly stated on the rescue’s website, so it’s a good idea to contact the staff before you fill out the form.
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Bingham Farms, Michigan
Official website: Michigan Humane
Contact number: 866 648 6263
3. Detroit Dog Rescue
This is one of the best dog rescues in Michigan and it is completely non-profit and devoted to saving animals because of the love and humanity that these volunteers possess inside of them.
It was one of the first no-kill centers and sanctuaries in Detroit and is actually a result of the fight of a group of people against the ones who didn’t want to accept the fact that Detroit was becoming a city of stray animals.
However, their hard work has paid off, as they finally got the chance to cooperate with other rescues and take the majority of the abandoned or injured canines into their centers.
How To Adopt Dogs
The adoption process is fairly easy and simple; it requires the future owner to fill out the standard application form, and that’s it!
However, you’ll be asked to visit the center and meet the pup, along with the volunteers who might ask you a few more questions, just to make sure that you’re a good fit for their canines.
These pups aren’t trained to be service pups or family companions to children that are under the age of five.
After all, the majority of the canines are already grown enough to have developed their own behavioral patterns, which can be only partly changed by obedience and socialization training.
If you have any other questions regarding the whole process of adoption, feel free to call or send an email before you begin the procedure.
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Detroit, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Detroit Dog Rescues
Contact number: 313 458 8014
4. Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue
This rescue center has been active for almost two decades, as one of the no-kill dog rescues in Michigan. Their main objective is to save canines and find them loving homes.
The owners of this rescue center couldn’t have imagined how big their project would turn out to be, which is why they had to change their place of living and buy a big farm with space for nine dog kennels and five separated kennels for cats.
They are fully funded by donations, adoption fees, and fundraising events, which is why they’re always in need of help.
If you’d like to do more than just hand out money, you can always apply for the volunteering program, as there are never enough hands to cuddle these adorable pooches.
How To Adopt Dogs
If you’d like to adopt a canine from this animal welfare organization, you need to make sure that you fulfill all of the requirements set by the owner of the rescue.
When it comes to the adoption process, it’s quite simple. All you need to do is consider which type of canine will suit your living place and conditions best.
For example, if you decide to adopt a large breed canine, you need to make sure that you can provide enough space for them to exercise, high-quality food for healthy development, and the other necessary dog equipment.
The adoption fee depends on several factors, including the bloodline and the size of the pup. Therefore, you might be required to pay $250 for a crossbreed giant that’s older than one year, $275 for a small hybrid that’s older than one year, $400 for crossbreeds under one year old, and $350 for purebred canines and pups.
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Belleville, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Friends Of Michigan
Contact number: 734 461 9459
5. Livingston County Animal Shelter
This is a government dog rescue organization that is focused on saving stray animals from the streets and finding them forever homes.
After the pup is placed in the shelter, there’s a deadline of up to seven days for the owner to come and pick up the canine if it was lost or taken from them.
However, if nobody appears during these seven days, the shelter reserves the right to put the pup on their adoption program.
All canines that are ready for adoption are checked by a vet, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and licensed, regardless of whether they’re surrendered canines or strays that were found on the streets.
How To Adopt Dogs
To be able to adopt a pup from this kennel, you first need to be over 18 years of age. If you fulfill this basic condition, you can continue with the adoption process.
There are other requirements from the shelter, including the written confirmation that you live in a pet-friendly apartment (if you rent your place of living).
Also, if you own any pets already, they should all be vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and medically checked, as the rescue canine will be.
Once you go through all their requirements and rules, you can continue to the application form, which is on their website.
This form will be the deciding factor in the whole process, so make sure that you give only true answers.
The adoption fee is $200 for newborn pups, $175 for small pooches of any age, and $140 for canines that are older than four months of age.
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Howell, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Livingston County Animal Shelter
Contact number: 517 546 2154
6. Michele’s Rescue
As one of the smaller dog rescues in Michigan, Michele’s place has made quite impressive work of saving pups from the harsh conditions of living on the streets or in bad environments.
This pet adoption center is a no-kill sanctuary that does its best to save animals from places that would euthanize them if they weren’t rehomed after some time.
The owner of this dog rescue wants to show people that there’s nothing wrong with stray pups, except the fact that they were abandoned and that they’re trying to find a forever home.
All of the doggies from the rescues are perfectly capable of being great companion animals, especially if they’re trained in good time.
This no-kill shelter is always in search of volunteers and donators that can help them continue their selfless work and save hundreds of pooches from poor environments.
They are always in need of new foster homes as well. Therefore, if you’re still not sure whether you’re ready to commit to a pet, you can try being a foster family, along with your other family members, and provide love and affection to these pups until they find their new homes.
How To Adopt Dogs
Those who have firmly decided to adopt a pup can do so by completing the application form (quite a surprise, isn’t it?).
This way, the shelter will receive all of the information necessary before letting you adopt the canine.
After you pass the application form check, you’ll be required to sign a contract.
All of the checks that are made by the adoption center are purely based on their concern for the safety and well-being of the pups from their kennels.
The price of adoption isn’t stated on the website, so it is best for you to call the staff of this organization and get all the essential info you need before you start with the procedure.
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Michele’s Rescue
Contact number: 231 798 4935
Other Dog Rescues In Michigan To Consider
There are so many rescue centers in Michigan that it’s really difficult to mention them all in only one article.
The dog rescues that are mentioned below are just as good and reliable as the ones from the list above.
If you haven’t found what you were looking for in the first set of rescues, I’m sure you’ll find it among these adoption centers and shelters:
1. Best Pals Animal Rescue Center
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Holland, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Best Pals Animal Rescue Center
Contact number: 616 212 3368
2. Paradise Animal Rescue
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Lapeer, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Paradise Animal Rescue
Contact number: 810 969 4455
3. Oakland County Animal Shelter
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Pontiac, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Oakland County Animal Shelter
Contact number: 248 858 1070
4. Last Day Dog Rescue
Rescue Center Details:
Address: P.O. Box 51935, Livonia, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Last Day Dog Rescue
Contact number: 734 786 0729 (fax)
5. Friends For Animals Of Metro Detroit
Rescue Center Details:
Address: Dearborn, Michigan
Email address: [email protected]
Official website: Friends For Animals Of Metro Detroit
Contact number: 313 943 2697
Final Thoughts
There are so many great dogs rescues in Michigan that it’s almost impossible not to find a perfect pet in at least one of them!
Most of these adoption centers are working together with animal control to outreach and educate people on the responsibilities of owning a dog and spaying/neutering them in time.
On their websites, you’ll be able to go through the lists of adoptable animals, these lists also contain details about each pup. This feature makes the whole search a lot easier!
However, don’t forget to check their wish lists, which include stuff from Amazon and other shopping sites.
One toy for a Rottie or a Doxie isn’t much for you, but it means the world to those who can’t afford them without you!
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