If one thing ignites the passions of Valley dwellers more than any other, it may just be their pets.
For example, my rescue dog is how I met my neighbors. Meanwhile, the Nextdoor and Reddit algorithms make a lot of hay by pushing lost and imperiled animals to the top of our feeds. And the the adoption booth is always the biggest draw at the local farmers market.
So where’s the best place to go if you want to adopt a pet, save a stray, sign up to foster, or just spend a few minutes with a furry friend? Unfortunately, two of the biggest rescue and adoption organizations — Animal Care LA and the SPCA — don’t have much of a presence in the Valley. But there are dozens of animal shelters and rescues who pick up the slack.
Here’s a quick rundown of all the San Fernando Valley’s animal rescue and rehabilitation groups, plus detailed resources for reporting lost pets and planning for adoption.
Map of the Valley’s Rescues and Shelters
From large shelters to informal networks of foster families, there are many ways to find a pet in the Valley:
Please let me know if any information is incorrect — or if I’m missing any good shelters: [email protected].
Before You Reach Out
If you’re looking for a shelter (either to adopt or save an animal), here are a few citywide resources you should know about to get started:
If You Find a Lost Pet
LA Animal Care has a detailed checklist of steps to take if you find a pet or abandoned animal. There are also a number of registries for found animals via LA Animal Services. Or you can call the LA Animal Services hotline at (213) 270-8155.
If You Want to Adopt or Foster
Bringing an animal into your home takes some preparation. Petfinder has a thoughtful pre-adoption checklist. Petfinder and the Adopt a Pet websites also let you peruse many of the available pets at local shelters, so they can be a great place to start looking for your forever friend:
For a more detailed list of shelters and rescues in the San Fernando Valley, read on. From services that focus on huskies and boxers to organizations that save guinea pigs and alpacas, the Valley offers a wide array of animal services.
Big Animal Shelters and Orgs
🏥 Los Angeles Animal Services, East Valley
- URL: laanimalservices.com/east-valley
- Address: 14409 Vanowen St, Van Nuys, CA 91405
- Animals: Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other domestic pets.
- Social Media: Instagram (@laanimalservices)
- Description: One of two large, city-run facilities in the Valley, the East Valley Shelter provides pet adoptions, fostering, and volunteer opportunities. They offer microchipping, vaccinations, and spay/neuter services. The shelter takes in lost and abandoned animals, striving to find them new homes.
🏥 Los Angeles Animal Services, West Valley
- URL: laanimalservices.com/west-valley
- Address: 20655 Plummer St, Chatsworth, CA 91311
- Animals: Dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other domestic pets.
- Social Media: Instagram (@laanimalservices)
- Description: The West Valley Shelter is the city’s other major hub for pet adoptions, fostering, and volunteer activities. They offer microchipping, vaccinations, and spay/neuter services. They aim to provide lost and abandoned animals with a second chance at finding a loving home.
🏥 Animal Rescue Alliance
- URL: https://theanimalrescuealliance.org/about/
- Address: Chatsworth, CA 91311
- Animals: Dogs, cats, farm animals, birds.
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: A cage-free haven for abused and abandoned cats, dogs and farm animals, including goats, horses, donkeys, geese and even parrots!
🏥 LA Animal Rescue
- URL: laanimalrescue.org
- Address: Topanga Canyon Plaza, 9909 CA-27, Chatsworth, CA 91311
- Animals: Dogs, cats, birds, farm animals, reptiles
- Social Media: Facebook
- Description: Volunteer-driven organization offering fostering and adoption. Prioritizes animal welfare with home checks and sponsorships for long-term care.
Rescues for Dogs and Cats
🐶 🐱Big Love Animal Rescue
- URL: https://bigloveanimalrescue.org/
- Address: 5404 Whitsett Ave. #185 Valley Village
- Animals: Dogs and cats of all ages/sizes
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: A small rescue organization focused on rehoming dogs and cats. Emphasizes fostering and adoption.
🐶 🐱Pet Orphans of Southern California
- URL: petorphans.org
- Address: 7720 Gloria Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406
- Animals: Dogs and cats (low-income community focus)
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: A nonprofit shelter providing adoption services and low-cost veterinary care. Prioritizes serving underserved communities and ensuring safe placements through home checks.
🐶 🐱Paws for Life Adoption Center
- URL: https://pawsforlifek9.org/
- Address: 15321 Brand Blvd Mission Hills, CA
- Animals: Dogs and cats (no-kill shelter)
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Paws For Life K9 Rescue saves and transforms the lives of animals and people through innovative canine-centered programs that provide purpose, support, and opportunity through the Prison/Re-Entry, People & Pet Innovation Center, First Responder and PTSD Support, Adoptions, Transports, and Vet Tech Program.
🐶 🐱The Rescue Train
- URL: https://www.therescuetrain.org
- Address: 13027 Victory Blvd. # 522, North Hollywood, CA
- Animals: Dogs and cats
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: A 501(c)3 animal welfare organization that’s dedicated to eliminating animal suffering. Run by volunteers, the Rescue Train pursues innovative community partnerships with the goal of saving animals from euthanization.
🐶 🐱 🐰AGWC Rockin’ Rescue
- URL: https://www.rockinrescue.org/
- Address: 19855 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills
- Animals: Dogs, cats, and rabbits
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: A local animal rescue service with limited public information. Likely assists with adoptions and fostering based on Yelp reviews.
Dog-Only Rescues
🐶 Pibbles N Kibbles Animal Rescue
- URL: pibblesnkibblesanimalrescue.com
- Address: Operates in San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas (no physical shelter)
- Animals: Dogs of all ages and sizes
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: A volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on rescuing dogs from overcrowded shelters. All dogs receive spay/neuter services, vaccinations, deworming, and microchipping. Adoptions require in-home checks to ensure safe placements.
🥊 Boxer Rescue LA
- URL: https://boxer-rescue-la.com/
- Address: 16060 Ventura Blvd. Suite 110 #2506 Encino
- Animals: Boxer dogs
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Breed-specific rescue focused on rehoming Boxers.
🏴☠️ DR Doghouse Bully Crew Rescue
- URL: https://www.ddbcr.com/
- Address: Studio City, CA
- Animals: Bully breeds
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Specializes in rescuing, fostering, and rehoming bully breeds.
⚕️The Pepper Foundation
- URL: http://thepepperfoundation.org/
- Address: Studio City, CA
- Animals: Dogs (behavioral rehabilitation focus)
- Social Media: Facebook
- Description: Focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating senior and special needs dogs.
🐕 Hollywood Huskies
- URL: https://hollywoodhuskies.org/
- Address: 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd., #1248, Studio City
- Animals: Huskies
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Breed-specific rescue for Huskies.
🐶 Delaney’s Dogs Rescue and Adoption
- URL: https://www.delaneysdog.com/index.html
- Address: 6565 Vesper Ave, Van Nuys
- Animals: Dogs
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Community-run organization focuses on dog adoptions and fostering.
🦊 Foxy and the Hounds
- URL: https://www.delaneysdog.com/index.html
- Address: 6442 Platt Ave. #222 West Hills
- Animals: Dogs
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: A 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue organization with the mission of giving every dog a second chance at chance at a great life.
Cat-Only Shelters and Fostering
😺 Heaven on Earth Society for Animals (West Valley Clinic)
- URL: heavenlypets.org
- Address: 20655 Plummer St, Chatsworth
- Animals: Cats (specializing in senior, special needs, and chronic illness cases)
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Focuses on rescuing cats from municipal shelters and providing sanctuary care. Runs SpayShip, a free trapping/transport program for low-income communities, and partners with FixNation for spay/neuter services. Aims to increase save rates through adoption and community outreach.
🐈 Cat Connection LA
- URL: http://catconnectionla.org
- Address: 14302 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks
- Animals: Cats
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Focuses on cat adoptions and fostering, through the Beverly Oaks Animal Hospital.
⛑️ Rory to the Rescue
- URL: https://rorytotherescue.org/
- Address: 15321 S. Brand Boulevard, Mission Hills
- Animals: Kittens
- Social Media: Not available
- Description: Rescue, fosters, and adoptions for stray or threatened kittens.
🐈⬛ Fur and Feather Animal Sanctuary
- URL: https://furfeather.org/
- Address: Chatsworth
- Animals: Cats
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Valley-based cat rescue with 15 years of experience acting as overflow for city and county rescues while providing ad hoc rescue services.
Shelters for Other Animals
🇬🇳 LA Guinea Pig Rescue
- URL: https://www.laguineapigrescue.com/
- Address: 10856 Farralone Ave, Chatsworth
- Animals: Guinea pigs
- Social Media: Youtube
- Description: Specializes in rescuing and rehoming guinea pigs.
🐾 🦆 🐰 Josh and His Critters
- URL: https://www.joshandhiscritters.org/
- Address: 8705 Sunland Blvd, Sun Valley
- Animals: dogs, cats, but also other mammals and birds
- Social Media: Not available
- Description: Limited public information, but likely assists with adoptions and fostering.
🐐 🐓 🦙 Kindred Spirits Care Farm
- URL: https://www.kindredspiritscarefarm.org/
- Address: 11001 Farralone Avenue, Chatsworth
- Animals: Farm animals with disabilities or chronic illnesses.
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Kindred Spirits Care Farm provides a home to farm animals with disabilities or chronic illnesses that have nowhere else to go.
🦎 🐎 🦜 Kfar Saba Urban Farm
- URL: kfarsabaurbanfarm.com
- Address: 8436 Keokuk Ave, Winnetka, CA 91306
- Animals: Goats, alpacas, horses, chickens, parrots, reptiles, dogs, cats, and tortoises
- Social Media: Instagram (@kfar_saba_urban_farm)
- Description: Therapeutic rescue sanctuary offering interactive animal experiences. Provides educational tours, animal-assisted therapy, and emphasizes inclusivity (wheelchair-accessible, LGBTQ+ friendly). Operates as a non-profit with Asian-owned, veteran-owned, and women-owned leadership.
🐰 Bunnyluv
- URL: https://www.bunnyluv.org/
- Address: 10935 Camarillo St, North Hollywood
- Animals: Rabbits
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Specializes in rescuing and rehoming rabbits.
🐐 🐓 🦙 Love Always Sanctuary
- URL: https://www.lovealwayssanctuary.org/
- Address: 9841 La Tuna Canyon Rd., Sun Valley
- Animals: Farm animals
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Farm animal sanctuary providing rescue and rehabilitation.
🐾 🦆 🐰 Singer Sanctuary
- URL: https://singersanctuary.org/
- Address: Shadow Hills, California 91040
- Animals: Farm animals
- Social Media: Instagram
- Description: Rescues, adopts, and fosters farm animals including goats, ducks, chickens, and rabbits.
🐎 Farralone Farms Horse Rescue
- URL: http://www.farralonefarms.com/
- Address: 10856 Farralone Ave, Chatsworth
- Animals: Horses
- Social Media: Not available
- Description: Farm animal rescue and sanctuary (also houses LA Guinea Pig Rescue).
Visiting, Volunteering and Donating to Animal Rescues
Almost all of the shelters in the Valley are 501(c)3 organizations, and many are run on shoestring budgets by compassionate animal lovers. Most of the smaller organizations don’t even have a physical location; they accommodate unwanted animals by organizing networks of foster homes. When they look for volunteers, they often seek a real commitment.
With that said, some others do have drop-in volunteer days — and many can be visited. For example, both of the Valley’s Animal Services locations allow animal visits. Most of the farm animal rescues have visiting hours or guided tours as well.
However you get your animal fix, please do consider adopting instead of buying an animal. There are thousands of cute cats, dogs, bunnies, and iguanas in the Valley who are looking for forever homes. You’re just a few clicks away from adopting a friend for life!
