The best dog rescues in Exeter, compared

Both rescues below have dogs listed with us within about 25 miles of Exeter. Click a name to see the dogs it has with us today, or follow the links in its section to the rescue's own pages. Each one runs its own application, home check and fee: we don't rehome dogs ourselves.

The two rescues work quite differently, so it is worth reading both before you apply.

Start with the dog, not the rescue: our Exeter dogs page lists every dog with both rescues, so filter by size, age or breed and see who has it. Then weigh these four things:

• How you apply. ARC works by phone or email and appointment; Animals in Distress takes applications online for a named dog, or a general application for 3 months.
• Where you live. ARC rehomes within 30 miles of Ottery St Mary. Animals in Distress takes in animals from its local area; ask about your postcode when you apply.
• Your garden. ARC asks whether your garden is secure and says many of its dogs need 6 foot fencing. Ask either rescue about the fence height for the dog you like.
• The fee. Animals in Distress publishes fixed fees of £325 and £490. ARC sets each dog's donation by age and breed, from £350, so ask about the dog you have in mind.

For Torquay, Paignton, Brixham and Newton Abbot, Animals in Distress (Torbay & Westcountry) is the nearest rescue we list, about 4 miles from Torbay, and our Torbay dogs page shows its dogs first. ARC, about 25 miles from Torbay, is just inside its 30 mile rehoming radius, and its own about page says it now takes in more dogs from Torbay, as well as from Mid and North Devon, since Blue Cross closed in the South West.

If you have lost a dog in Torbay, Torbay Council says to check with its kennels at Kingskerswell, which are open every day except Christmas Day and Boxing Day. To claim a dog you take proof of identity and address and sign a release form, and the release fee includes a government fine of £25.

Not in the sense of a public pound you can visit to choose a dog. In England, if you find a stray dog and can't contact its owner, you must report it to the council: in the city that means Exeter City Council.

People also search for the RSPCA Little Valley Animal Shelter on Black Hat Lane, Bakers Hill, in Exeter. It is a branch of the RSPCA and rehomes its own animals through its own site. We don't list RSPCA animals, so you won't see its dogs on our pages: look on its site and apply to it directly.

Some charities cover Exeter but don't list their dogs with us, so contact them yourself. For greyhounds, Greyhound Trust Honiton homes greyhounds across Devon and into Dorset and Somerset, by appointment only. Just Whippets Rescue has its day to day administration near Exeter, though its dogs wait with their owners or in foster homes around the country. German Shepherd Rescue's South West Region covers Devon, and listed 10 dogs across the region on its own site on 1 November 2026.

Our Exeter Whippet guide and Exeter German Shepherd guide cover those routes in detail. Further afield, Dogs Trust Ilfracombe in North Devon, about 44 miles away, keeps its dogs in foster homes and sees adopters by pre-arranged appointment.

ARC's about page is frank about where its dogs come from. Many were bought online with false or misleading descriptions, and their owners couldn't cope once the dog was home. More are being handed in because of money worries, especially rising vet costs, and some have not been socialised or have not seen a vet for health problems. ARC says it tries to rehome its dogs in as good physical condition as possible, which sometimes means expensive vet treatment.

So expect plenty of adult dogs, some with a bit of history, and few young puppies. On 1 November 2026 the dogs listed with us near Exeter ranged from a 10-month-old Labrador cross to dogs of 12, and included small breeds such as Pomeranians and Chihuahua crosses as well as German Shepherd crosses. The live count on our Exeter dogs page is always the current picture, and our rescue puppies guide explains how to find a young dog.