There are many people and organizations in our area who are dedicated to helping homeless pets. Pets in rescue groups are primarily fostered in individuals’ homes rather than at a shelter. The Humane Society of Greater KC and many other area shelters network with rescue groups. By working together, many more lives are saved.
Contact these rescue groups to adopt a pet or to learn more about a particular breed or type of pet:
- Cat Rescue
- Dog Rescue Groups (various breeds and sizes)
- Small Dog Rescue
- Dog Breed Rescue Groups (listed by breed)
- Small Critter Rescue (rabbits, hamsters, reptiles, amphibians, etc.)
- Pet Bird Rescue
- Farm Animal
To find more adoptable pets: Petfinder is an excellent resource to help you find a pet. It contains a comprehensive listing of animals available for adoption from shelters and rescue groups, with photos and descriptions. Use the search engine to find a specific breed or type of pet. Many shelters, humane societies and rescue groups in the Kansas City area post their available pets on this web site– including The Humane Society of Greater KC!
Notice to rescue groups: Please email us to update or correct your contact information, or to add your web address to your listing. We would like to include more web links. Also contact us if your group is not on our list and you’d like to be considered.
Cat Rescue Groups
Kansas City Siamese Rescue Also rescue Persian, Himalayan, & Maine Coon Cats.
Melissa’s Menagerie’s Second Chances
The Animal Rescue Alliance (T.A.R.A.)
Dog Rescue Groups (various breeds and sizes)
Excelsior Springs Friends of Animals
Friends of Liberty Animal Shelter
Heart of America Humane Society
Humane Society of Miami County
KC P.A.W.S. (Protective Animal Welfare Society)
Melissa’s Menagerie’s Second Chances
Military Family Rescue Information
Shep’s Place: Senior Dog Sanctuary
The Animal Rescue Alliance (T.A.R.A.)
Small Dog Rescue Groups (various breeds)
LL Dog Rescue (Toy Breeds)
Second Chance Pet Adoptions 913-814-7471
Dog Breed Rescue Groups (listed by breed)
These groups and individuals specialize in rescuing certain breeds. Some also rescue mixes of that breed. Breed rescuers are a good source of information to learn about that breed.
American Eskimo HEART BANDITS: Laurel Johnson 913-901-8430 or email
Airedale Sara Franson 816-678-2126 or Terry Kratchman 913-541-1295
Akita Deanna O’Brian (St. Louis) 733-792-1309 or email
Akita Lisa McCluskey (Central/Southern Illinois) 217-344-9115 or email
Basenji Vicky Jacobs 785-379-5430; Yvonne Sims 660-352-6202
Basset Hound WESTERN MISSOURI BASSET RESCUE: Chris Bly 816-353-5643 or email ; Margaret Baldomino 816-853-1634 or 816-461-0313 or email
Basset Hound Liz Vahl Kamp 1-800-892-2722 or 314-863-1467
Basset Hound BASSET & BEAGLE RESCUE OF THE HEARTLAND
Beauceron Susan Bass 816-796-6444
Beagle BEAGLES AND MORE
Beagle Rhonda Cella Lippert 913-621-3474 or email
Beagle BASSET & BEAGLE RESCUE OF THE HEARTLAND
Bearded Collie Barb Clauson 785-842-6884
Bernese Mountain Dog HEARTLAND BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG RESCUE Julie Hesssenflow 913-385-0400 or email
Belgian Malinois Barb Clauson 785-842-6884
Belgian Sheepdog Barb Clauson 785-842-6884
Bloodhound Doris Coleman 816-356-9868
Borzoi (Irish Wolfhound) Dawn Kelley 913-677-3296
Borzoi Randa Glen 816-322-2244
Border Collie Jennifer Fitzwater 816-305-6756
Boston Terrier MIDAMERICA BOSTON TERRIER RESCUE (MABTR) Jennifer Misfeldt 402-510-1346 (Omaha NE but work in the KC area, too).
Boston Terrier Anne Alscott 913-764-4748
Boston Terrier Stacey Nagals 816-920-3436
Boston Terrier Anita Crowell 816-891-6367
Bouvier Andrea Jackson 913-341-0351
Boxer MOKAN BOXER RESCUE: 785-979-2679
Brittany NATIONAL BRITTANY RESCUE AND ADOPTION NETWORK
Brittany AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE: Jennifer Schoonover 816-790-3611 or 816-734-2347
Brittany Cindy Williams 816-858-0195
Bulldog (English) KANSAS CITY ENGLISH BULLDOG RESCUE
Bulldog (French/English) Bev Larrick 913-583-3624
Bulldog (French/English) Sandi Farr-Spears email
Bulldog (French) Annie Alscott 913-764-4748
Bulldog (French) Charlotte Kreely 508-588-7968
Bull Mastiff MASTIFF HOPE: hot line 816-352-9384, Sandi Farr-Spears, or email
Bull Mastiff Izetta Wright 913-533-2413
Bull Mastiff Kelli Johnson email
Bull Mastiff Locker Wheat 573-635-0088
Bull Terrier Claudia Sharp 636-332-6341 or Rob Reiber at 913-856-4144 or email
Bull Terrier John & Lynn Byrd 660-222-63341 or 660-222-3474
Chihuahua Vicky Rogers 816-753-7873
Chihuahua LL DOG RESCUE: email or call 816-926-0242
Chinese Crested Sharon Robinson 573-634-2767
Chinese Crested LL DOG RESCUE: email or call 816-926-0242
Chinese Shar Pei WELUVPAWS CHINESE SHAR PEI RESCUE
Chow Chow Debbie Willis 816-765-8387
Clumber Spaniel Judy Rickey 913-724-1054
Clumber Spaniel Sue Carr (New Jersey) 908-580-1055 or 1-800-589-9566 or email
Cocker Spaniel OKIE DOKIE COCKER SPANIEL RESCUE
Collie KANSAS COLLIE RESCUE (KSCR) Sarah Millsap 816-518-5956
Collie Pat Rawitch 913-681-0406
Corgi CORGI CONNECTION
Corgi Claudia Mitchell 913-764-7117
Corgi Sara Keith 816-833-2757
Dalmatian June Mueller or Janice Boyanchek 314-842-8958
Dalmatian Nancy Welsh 901-758-9073
Dalmatian Shirley Allen 816-444-1820
Doberman KANSAS CITY DOBERMAN RESCUE
Elkhound Renee Schmidt 913-856-3886
English Springer Spaniel Kim Ludwig 816-803-8962
English Springer Spaniel Mark Samuel 816-523-2723
English Springer Spaniel Judy Manley 1-800-377-3824
English Springer Spaniel Valerie Hoffman 816-254-3771
English Setter Diane Brim 712-322-4051 or email
German Shepherd MISSOURI GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE (MoGS): 785-409-3919
German Shepherd SERENDIPITY GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG RESCUE: 573-418-7666
German Shepherd Ann Mackey 816-363-0121
German Shorthaired Pointer MAK GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER RESCUE
German Shorthaired Pointer email
Golden Retriever GOLDEN RETRIEVER FREEDOM RESCUE Nicole Incorvaia 720-849-7879
Golden Retriever Bev Weaver 913-362-3397
Golden Retriever Phil & Pat Severson 816-741-2838
Golden Retriever Pat Munn 816-331-8856
Gordon Setter MISSOURI VALLEY GORDON SETTER CLUB RESCUE: Sue Hawkins email
Great Dane GREAT DANE CLUB OF GKC RESCUE Janet Quick 816-250-2574 or 816-589-1946 (cell)
Great Pyrenees Jane Signorelli 816-361-9262
Great Pyrenees Jo & Jill Patton 314-739-2562
Greyhound R.E.G.A.P. (RETIRED GREYHOUNDS AS PETS)
Greyhound MOKAN GREYHOUND ADOPTION
Irish Setter Mary or Pat Gocke 913-557-6936
Irish Wolfhound Sue Stobart 816-540-4842
Irish Wolfhound Doris Coleman 816-356-9868
Italian Greyhound MO/KAN ITALIAN GREYHOUND RESCUE
Jack Russell Terrier Kerri Dahlheim 402-963-9722
Keeshond KEESHOND LOVERS UNITE: Judy Hintzman 785-550-5429
Labrador Retriever Shirley Allen 816-444-1820
Lhasa Apso KANSAS FUREVER SHIH TZU & MINI SCHNAUZER RESCUE Cindy Stoll 1-620-431-1387 or email
Maltese KC MALTESE RESCUE
Mastiff MASTIFF HOPE 816-352-9384 or email
Miniature Pinscher Sue Mohr 1-785-748-0941
Newfoundland Cathy Figgins 816-361-7492
Papillon Irene Hummell 816-333-0034
Pekingese Mary Stickney or 402-613-4306
Pit Bull MID-AMERICA BULLY BREED RESCUE: 816-291-2053
Pit Bull MISSOURI PIT BULL RESCUE: Marisol Miller
Pit Bull PIT BULL RESCUE CENTRAL Educational and rescue info on Pit Bull type breeds
Pointer Rescue (English) GREAT PLAINS POINTER RESCUE
Pomeranian Kristin Roberson 816-792-3192
Pomeranian LL DOG RESCUE: 816-926-0242
Poodle (Standard) Heather Zimmerman 913-661-0329
Pug Anne Alsott 913-764-4748
Pug Vicki Dressler 785-256-2324
Pug Misty Wilson Brumback 913-385-1510
Pug Jane Braman 785-843-2292
Pug Lisa Ferrell 1-800-833-3311 or 913-685-5994
Rare Breeds Susan Bass 816-796-6444
Rat Terriers (& mixes) AMERICAN RAT TERRIER RESCUE: Ceci
Rhodesian Ridgeback RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK RESCUE
Rottweiler MID AMERICA ROTTWEILER RESCUE Barb Krimminger email or call 402-578-5308
Saint Bernard Jennifer Spaeth 401-292-2245 or email
Schnauzer KANSAS FUREVER SHIH TZU & MINI SCHNAUZER RESCUE Cindy Stoll 1-620-431-1387 or email
Scottie ST. LOUIS SCOTTISH TERRIER RESCUE or Amy Cada 816-618-3305
Shar Pei (Chinese Shar Pei) WELUVPAWS CHINESE SHAR PEI RESCUE
Shar Pei Mary Crafton 816-741-6212 or email
Sheepdog Joan Long 913-385-0362
Sheepdog (Old English) Judy Rickey 913-724-1054
Sheltie KANSAS CITY SHELTIE RESCUE, INC.
Sheltie Tracy Buck 314-561-3091
Shiba Inu MIDWEST SHIBA INU RESCUE: Kathy Bucnholz or 913-322-6883 or email
Shih Tzu KANSAS FUREVER SHIH TZU & MINI SCHNAUZER RESCUE: Cindy Stoll 1-620-431-1387 or email
Silky Terrier Mary Estrin 816-942-2427
Spitz Laurel Johnson 913-345-0628
Springer Spaniel (Look under English Springer)
Vizsla MIDWEST VIZSLA RESCUE
Weimaraner Gail 816-781-0828
Weimaraner Laura Roehrich 913-385-0815
Weimaraner HEARTLAND WEIMARANER: Rebecca Singleton 816-781-0828
Welsh Terrier Linda Sutton 816-764-4542
Westie (West Highland Terrier) WESTIE RESCUE OF MISSOURI: Elizabeth Schanou 913-302-0514 or email
Westie LuAnn Johnson 532-4853
Westie Linda Spitzengel 913-677-2469
Westie OKLAHOMA WESTIE RESCUE: Meredith & Mike Butcher 918-369-1143 or Theresa Stewart 405-330-5889
Westie LITTLE WHITE DOG RESCUE: email
Whippet Emily Mathis 816-242-2967
Wolf Hybred WILD SPIRIT WOLF SANCTUARY (New Mexico): 505-775-3304 or email
Yorkshire Terrier Martha Lewis 913-596-2162
Yorkshire Terrier Susan Zale 913-451-9283
Small Critters, Reptile, Amphibian Rescue Groups
Chinchilla Robin Rysavy 816-356-3900
Ferret I AM FERRET or 816-866-3005, or email
Ferret FERRET HOTLINE 816-276-4747 or Bobbie McCanse 816-842-3707
Guinea Pig POPCORN PETS GUINEA PIGS
Hamster Robin Rysavy 816-356-3900
Pot-Belly Pig PIGS, A SANCTUARY or 618-459-3619
Prairie Dog Rescue Jan Calvert 913-432-5537
Rabbit Rescue MISSOURI HOUSE RABBIT SOCIETY: Robin Rysavy 816-356-3900
Reptile Rescue Cassandra Davidson 913-727-1456
Reptile & Amphibian Kansas City Herpetological Society Reptile Rescue & Adoption
Tortoise & Reptile Sandy Spears email
Turtle Laurie & Tim Hut 816-524-4557
Pet Bird Rescue Groups
Parrot Sandy Spears email
Pet Bird (Parrots, etc) BURGE BIRD RESCUE Julie Burge, DVM 816-356-4700
Pet Bird Sandy Schmidt 913-681-2253
Pet Bird Dean Tyson 913-722-2632 or 913-271-4225
Pet Bird Micra 913-381-3272
Pet Bird BEAK N WINGS Rescue/Adoption Program: email or call 913-322-3398
Pet Bird Educational Web Sites: THE BIRD WHISPERER and BEAK N WINGS
Farm Animal Rescue Groups
Bird BURGE BIRD RESCUE Julie Burge, DVM 816-356-4700. Chickens, ducks, geese, peafowl, or any other bird species. They also take in pigeons, sparrows, and starlings– those birds aren’t accepted at wildlife rehab facilities because they aren’t native.
Duck Sandy Leonard 816-322-5502
Farm (ducks, goats, chickens, etc.) Susan Nichols 816-257-9678
Goat RUBY SLIPPER GOAT RESCUE: Lisa Thompson 785-741-3362 or email
Horse FABLEVIEW EQUINE RESCUE 660-747-0531 (24 hours a day) or 816-674-6748