Dubai and the UAE as a whole are places bustling with life. Their dog communities are one of the most vibrant in the world, with grooming salons, boarding facilities, and other services for these adorable pups.

However, not all dogs have it easy. Many dogs are continuously abused and abandoned, making their lives very difficult. This is where dog shelters come in. 

These organizations are the heroes of these cute pups. They save dogs from dangerous areas and horrible living conditions, hoping to give them a new place to call home. With the growing population of rescued dogs, more and more people are looking to adopt instead.

If you’re one of them, here’s a quick guide to the best dog shelters in Dubai and the UAE.

K9 Friends

Contact Number: +971 52 593 0265

Website: www.k9friends.com

When it comes to dog shelters in Dubai, K9 Friends is often the first name that comes to mind. Established in 1989, this dog shelter has been providing stray dogs with a safe place to stay while they wait for their new families.

K9 Friends cares for up to 120 dogs at any given time, ensuring they’re healthy, happy, and ready for adoption. All dogs in their care are vaccinated, microchipped, and given treatments, providing them good care before they get adopted.

Additionally, these dogs are neutered when they reach the right age. Neutering prevents dogs from reproducing, which helps reduce the number of dogs in the city. In turn, this can benefit the shelter, the dog, and the community as a whole, making sure fewer dogs get abandoned in the streets.

K9 Friends have been supported by the government and their passionate team of volunteers. Because of the hard work of their team, this dog shelter in Dubai is continuing its operations and mission to save dogs.

Amanda’s Animal Rescue

Contact Number: 

Instagram: www.instagram.com/amandasanimalrescue

Armed with compassion and powered by its volunteers, Amanda’s Animal Rescue is a shining example of what a dedicated community can achieve. The organization is led by a duo of Amanda Stevens and Dora Tokai. Together, they have grown the organization to become a haven for lost dogs.

Amanda’s Animal Rescue operates through a network of foster homes and relies heavily on their social media platforms to connect dogs with potential adopters. Their goals lie in their beliefs. The first is to ensure that every dog they rescue gets a home and that people are more educated on pet care. 

They mainly work with dog shelters in Dubai to help find these dogs a new home. The rescue group utilizes the power of social media to help their dogs. Amanda’s Animal Rescue also holds special events and adoption days where potential adopters can come visit the dogs.

Waggy Bond

Contact Number: +971 50 185 9878

Website: www.waggybond.com

Waggy Bond is a trusted platform that helps dog shelters and people connect. This organization connects multiple shelters and groups with potential adopters and helps these dogs find a new home.

This centralized approach allows potential adopters to explore their options and meet new dogs in the process. By collaborating with numerous shelters, Waggy Bond increases the likelihood of a home for dogs.

Additionally, Waggy Bond connects users to other useful services such as training, walking, and pet grooming. This helps users gain more options to help take care of their dogs.

Animals and Us

Contact Number: +971 50 558 0870

Website: aauf.ae

While Animals and Us is based in Fujairah, its dedication to animal welfare is shared in lots of areas, including Dubai. This registered non-profit organization operates a dog shelter that houses over 400 dogs and supports an additional 500+ animals through feeding stations. 

Animals and Us offers a fostering program that gives dogs a temporary home, a break from the usual stay at the dog shelter. By doing so, the dogs are able to explore new sights, and potential adopters can take the time to get to know these dogs.

Additionally, the organization holds dog adoption days in Dubai to help introduce people to the dogs they have in the shelter. They also engage with the community through events, social media campaigns, and workshops.

Easy Adopt Dubai

Contact Number: +971-547493951

Website: easyadoptdubai.com

Through the leadership of Akshaj Harihar,  Easy Adopt Dubai continues to make the dog adoption process easier. The organization helps connect users with dog shelters such as K9 Friends and Stray Dogs Center.

As a whole, Easy Adopt Dubai has five main goals:

• Match dogs with perfect homes

• Promote responsible pet ownership

• Create a compassionate community

• Elevate animal welfare

• Simply, the adoption process

The platform aids potential adopters by providing all the information about the dogs. Their website houses complete profiles for each of the dogs in their database, helping you find your new best friend. 

Additionally, Easy Adopt Dubai is also committed to educating and empowering adopters. They provide valuable resources and guides to help pet owners know more about their dogs and how to take care of them.

38 Smiles

Contact Number: 050 5346741

Website: 38smiles.com

Founded in 2011 by Kremena Ivanova, 38 Smiles started with simple compassion and the number of tilla they lived in. Today, it’s recognized for its mission of rescuing dogs and giving them a new home.

Rather than housing animals in a centralized facility, 38 Smiles relies on foster families to provide temporary homes. This allows rescued animals to recover in a new setting, such as a home, so they can easily transition when the time comes.

38 Smiles is deeply committed to addressing the overpopulation of stray animals in a humane way. Their Trap-Neuter-Release program is a cornerstone of their mission, helping reduce the number of lost dogs out on the streets.

Yanni Animal Welfare

Contact Number: +971 4 242 0660

Website: yawdubai.com

Yanni Animal Welfare is another organization dedicated to helping abandoned dogs in Dubai. They also do more than just rescuing and rehabilitating dogs, as the organization provides education services for the community.

They rescue abandoned and stray dogs from difficult situations, providing them with medical care and safe recovery. All these efforts are to help these dogs and prepare them for their new homes.

Before an adoption is finalized, the organization conducts interviews and home checks to ensure the pet will thrive in its new environment. Additionally, they have fostering services if you’re unable to adopt them.

Stray Dogs Center 

Contact Number: 06 579 5997

Website: www.straydogscenteruae.com

While the Stray Dogs Center dog shelter is not in Dubai, the organization’s activities are ever so present around the city. Founded in 2013, this dog shelter houses over 1,400 dogs with three simple goals in mind: rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome.

They are the largest dog shelter in the UAE, which helps them spread their services to parts all around the country. Stray Dogs Center operates a purpose-built facility with dedicated spaces for rescue, rehabilitation, and training. Inside this facility are dogs of all sizes, breeds, and experiences.

The center works closely with adopters to make sure that they are the perfect match for the dogs they have chosen. A lot of factors will be considered, such as experience, lifestyle, and living situations.

Stray Dogs Center is also open for volunteers. They have walking, socialization, and grooming services for dogs, services that people can volunteer for. It’s a great way to foster a community of dog lovers and caretakers.

Red Paw Foundation

Contact Number: +97156 135 6252

Instagram: instagram.com/redpawcsr

The Red Paw Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Dubai, operating under the umbrella of the Emirates Animal Welfare Society (EAWS). Entirely volunteer-driven, the foundation is dedicated to rescuing abused and injured dogs.

Red Paw Foundation focuses on rescuing animals that have suffered abuse or injury. Once rescued, each animal receives comprehensive medical attention, including vaccinations, microchipping, and neutering. 

In addition to rescue operations, the Red Paw Foundation actively participates in Trap-Neuter-Release programs. By doing so, they are able to reduce the population of dogs out in the streets.

They also organize regular adoption days and events to provide opportunities for their dogs to get adopted. Through its active social media presence, the Red Paw Foundation continues to provide rescue and rehabilitation services for the dogs of Dubai.

Animal Action UAE

Contact Number: +971 52 331 2342

Instagram: www.instagram.com/animalactionuae 

Animal Action UAE is a volunteer-based organization that has been making a difference in the lives of dogs around the UAE. Built on the foundation of community effort, the group works tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals, with a strong focus on dogs. 

The organization rescues animals from a variety of difficult situations, including abuse, neglect, and abandonment. As seen in their Instagram posts, they are always mending injuries and helping pets recover.

Animal Action UAE also works to rehabilitate dogs emotionally, ensuring they are ready to integrate into a new family. Through their efforts, they have successfully provided adoption and fostering services for dogs.

RAK Animal Welfare Centre (RAK AWC)

Contact Number: 056 357 6908

Website: rakawc.com

The RAK Animal Welfare Centre is located in Ras Khaimah, and it has a plot of 20,000 square meters filled with everything rescued pets need. This dog shelter has a full outdoor dog park, a fully equipped vet clinic, and indoor kennels and catteries.

As their team continues to grow, so do their services. RAK AWC is currently expanding what they can do to improve the lives of these animals. With more services such as a pet hotel, pet sitting, and pet relocation to increase their funds, they'll be able to rescue and rehome more dogs.

RAK AWC plays an important role in the UAE’s animal welfare ecosystem, often collaborating with dog rescue groups in the city to extend its reach. The dog shelter provides a safe haven for rescued dogs, offering them housing, medical care, and a chance at a better life. 

Through adoption days and events in Dubai, they are able to show off all the dogs they have that are ready for adoption. RAK AWC regularly holds these events to help dogs find new homes and allow their compound to house new dogs in need.

RAK AWC also provides educational workshops for the community, focusing on topics such as responsible pet ownership and animal welfare. RAK AWC also provides advice to dog owners on the importance of neutering, vaccinations, and microchipping. 

They also participate in TNR programs to help relieve and lessen the dog population. For those who wish to contribute, the center welcomes volunteers for dog walking, socialization, and administrative tasks.

Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter (ADAS)

Contact Number:

Website: www.abudhabianimalshelter.com

The Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter, under the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, is a government-backed initiative committed to rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals across the UAE. With its dog shelter in Abu Dhabi, ADAS also frequently supports animal welfare efforts in Dubai, helping bridge the gap for animals in need.

Each rescued dog receives comprehensive medical care, including vaccinations, microchipping, and neutering, right at their Pet Care Centre. The dog shelter ensures that every adoption is handled with care, with interviews and assessments to make sure each dog gets a safe home.

ADAS also has a laboratory dedicated to treating and rehabilitating rescued dogs and cats. By helping animals recover from parasites and other skin issues, they can slowly become stronger and healthier.

Aside from rescuing and rehoming efforts, ADAS also advocates campaigns to raise public awareness of animal welfare. They also put an emphasis on TNR programs as a way to lessen the population of stray dogs and cats. 

Conclusion

Dogs of all kinds need all the saving and rescuing they can get. With the help of our amazing dog shelters in Dubai and the UAE, as well as our wonderful community of dog lovers, all dogs have a chance to get the life they deserve.