Rescue guide
The best dog rescues in Leeds, compared
There is no single best dog rescue in Leeds: the right one depends on the dog you want, where in Leeds you live and how your days run. These are the rescues within about 25 miles of the city centre whose dogs we list, side by side, plus Dogs Trust Leeds and the other charities you can contact yourself.
By the LocalPetFinder Team · Checked 17 October 2026
The short answer
For an all-round rescue inside the City of Leeds, start with Good Life Dog Rescue in Garforth, which rehomes all kinds of dogs for a £350 fee. For a Border Collie, The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies is at Bingley, and for a Husky or Malamute, 8 Below Husky Rescue is in West Yorkshire. Most of the other rescues we list are outside the city, from Keighley and Harrogate to the Barnsley side. Dogs Trust Leeds is on York Road in Leeds, but we don't list its dogs, so search its own site.
- Rescue adoption fees
- Each rescue sets its own adoption fee. Dogs Trust charges £300 for a puppy or adult dog in England, Wales and Scotland, and Blue Cross fees start from £235 for dogs aged 8 or over and £335 for dogs aged 1 to 7. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.
- Leeds-area rescues that publish a fee
- From £250 for an adult dog at Aireworth Dogs in Need and Barnsley Animal Rescue Charity, through £300 at Pabs & Pals Rescue and 8 Below Husky Rescue (dogs aged 1 to 9), to £350 at Good Life Dog Rescue and from £380 at Cliffe Kennels & Rescue. The table below quotes each one.
- Owning a dog
- PDSA estimates a dog costs at least £6,200 over its lifetime, and up to a minimum of £18,800 depending on the breed (its 2024 figures, not counting buying the dog).
Leeds dog rescues compared
Every rescue below is based, or keeps the dogs we list, within about 25 miles of central Leeds. Click a name to see the dogs it has listed with us today, or follow the fee link to the rescue's own page. Each rescue runs its own application, home check and fee: we don't rehome dogs ourselves.
Be ready for some travel. Of the rescues we list, only Good Life Dog Rescue is inside the City of Leeds, at Garforth, and its dogs stay at kennels it pays to use. Greenleaf Animal Rescue also has dogs in foster homes or kennels in and around Leeds, but it is a national network. The rest are spread from Keighley and Bingley in the Aire Valley to Harrogate in the north and the villages near Barnsley in the south.
| Rescue | Where | Dogs | How you adopt | Fee (their words) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Below Husky Rescue | Kennels in West Yorkshire (address not published) | Huskies and Malamutes | Contact form, a local volunteer home check, then a meet and greet at 8 Below | £300 for 1 to 9 years; £350 under 12 months, £225 for 10 and over, £450 a bonded pair |
| Aireworth Dogs in Need | Foster homes around Keighley (about 15 miles) | All types | Check your postcode, send its home check questionnaire with photos, volunteer home check, then ask about a dog | £250 for dogs over 4 months and under 10 years; £350 puppies under 4 months, £100 over 10, £300 a pair |
| Barnsley Animal Rescue Charity | Near Barnsley (about 17 miles) | Dogs, cats and rabbits | Kennels open for rehoming 11am to 3pm on weekdays, weekends by appointment | From £250 for an adult dog; from £300 under 6 months |
| Cliffe Kennels & Rescue | Hoylandswaine, near Barnsley (about 18 miles) | All types | Phone about a dog; you are invited to view if your circumstances match its needs | From £380 |
| Good Life Dog Rescue | Garforth, Leeds (about 7 miles); dogs at kennels it uses | All types | Apply on the dog's profile, phone call, meet the dog at the kennels, video of your home, home check | £350 |
| Greenleaf Animal Rescue | National foster network; each dog's page gives where it is | All types | Apply online; home check and vet references | "donate what you can" (no amount) |
| Lost Paws Dog Rescue | UK foster homes; we list only its dogs already in the UK | Dogs, many from Cyprus | Application; the county the dog is in is on its post | £295 to £695 by type and age, as a deposit plus a balance |
| Pabs & Pals Rescue | Harrogate, North Yorkshire (about 13 miles), kennels | All types | Read the dog's profile, apply only if you meet its needs, then a visit | £300 usually |
| The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies | Bingley (about 12 miles), its own farm kennels | Border Collies and collie crosses | Application form, then a visit | Not published |
Which Leeds rescue for which dog
The table is alphabetical. Grouped by the dog you have in mind and the side of the city you live on, it looks like this.
Good Life Dog Rescue, Garforth
The closest general dog rescue we list, about 7 miles east of the centre. You read a dog's profile and press its "adopt me" button, Good Life phones you, and you meet the dog at the kennels, walking it with a volunteer and spending time with it off lead in an enclosure. More visits follow if the dog needs them, then a video of your garden and home and a home check. A vet reference is needed if you live further afield.
Its £350 fee includes full vaccinations, a health check, a lead and collar, a microchip, flea and worm treatment, the full cost of neutering a male and half the cost of spaying a female. It asks adopters of a female to use its local vets for the spay, or pay the difference.
Two breed rescues on the doorstep
The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies at Bingley takes in collies other rescues won't, and its rules are strict. In short: no harnesses or haltis, at least two months on a lead or long line, no homes where everyone works full time, no unattended time in the garden or dog flaps, and few of its dogs can live with children. Dogs that need a lot of support can't go far away, and every dog keeps lifetime back-up from its team.
8 Below Husky Rescue rehomes Huskies and Malamutes from West Yorkshire. A local volunteer checks your garden first, and it wants "a secure garden with minimum 6ft fences". Some of its dogs are fostered elsewhere, and each dog's page says where.
North and west of the city
Aireworth Dogs in Need is a foster-based charity in Keighley. It says it doesn't rehome outside its catchment: Keighley, Craven and the Aire, Worth and Wharfe Valleys, plus the bordering parts of Bradford and Leeds, with a postcode list on its FAQ page. So check your postcode first. Renters must show that their tenancy allows dogs before the home check.
Pabs & Pals Rescue is in Harrogate, about 13 miles north. Each profile spells out the home that dog needs, sometimes child-free or pet-free, and it asks you to apply only if you can meet those needs. A visit is required before any adoption goes ahead.
South of the city, near Barnsley
Cliffe Kennels & Rescue at Hoylandswaine is a boarding kennels that also rehomes dogs, and it is a company, not a charity. It doesn't take walk-ins: you phone about a dog and are invited to view if your circumstances suit it. Several of its dogs ask for children over 14. Its fee, from £380, includes a vet check, first vaccinations, a microchip, neutering, flea and worm treatment and four weeks' free insurance.
Barnsley Animal Rescue Charity rehomes dogs, cats and rabbits, and its kennels are open for rehoming from 11am to 3pm on weekdays, with weekends by appointment. Its fee includes vaccinations, neutering, a microchip, worming, flea treatment and four weeks' free insurance with Petplan.
National networks with dogs near Leeds
Greenleaf Animal Rescue runs a national foster network, so a dog listed near Leeds may be one of many it has around the UK; each dog's page says where it is. It carries out home checks, asks for vet references and asks you to donate what you can. Lost Paws Dog Rescue rescues dogs mostly from Cyprus; we list only those already in UK foster homes. Every Lost Paws fee is paid as a deposit plus a balance. That is the rescue's own process, set out on its site.
Breed rescues that cover Leeds
These breed rescues are not Leeds rescues and we don't list their dogs, but each one covers Yorkshire or works across the UK. Contact them directly, and expect their own rules.
- Staffies: Happy Staffie Rescue is based in the Midlands and rehomes Staffies from all over the UK; it says "we are unable to keep lists". Senior Staffy Club rehomes Staffies aged 7 and over, for £120. Our Staffy adoption guide covers the Staffies listed near Leeds.
- German Shepherds: German Shepherd Rescue includes West Yorkshire in its North East Region, and says its adoption fees vary between £150 and £500. See our German Shepherd adoption guide.
- Labradors: Labrador Welfare covers Yorkshire and the North East and asks a £450 adoption fee. See our Labrador adoption guide.
- Jack Russells: Jack Russell Terrier Rescue UK has foster homes in West Yorkshire among other areas, rehomes across the UK and does not rehome to households with young children.
- Frenchies, Chihuahuas and poodle crosses: French bulldog Saviours is based at Mirfield, about 10 miles away, and asks you to collect from the foster home and pay its non-refundable donation in full. British Chihuahua Rescue works UK-wide, and Doodle Trust and DoodleAid rehome poodle crosses across the UK.
How to choose a Leeds rescue
Start from your own circumstances, because each rescue's rules decide who it can rehome to. These are the ones Leeds adopters run into most.
- Your postcode. Aireworth Dogs in Need rehomes only within its own area, which takes in the edge of Leeds but not the whole city. Dogs with issues from The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies can't be homed a great distance away. Good Life asks for a vet reference if you live further afield.
- Your garden and fence. 8 Below Husky Rescue wants fences of at least 6ft, and Good Life asks for a video of your garden. A terraced house with a small garden can still suit some dogs, so describe yours honestly.
- You have children. Several dogs at Cliffe Kennels & Rescue need children over 14, The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies says few of its dogs can live with children, and Pabs & Pals Rescue sets child limits dog by dog.
- You work full time. The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies can't rehome to people who work full time. Other rescues judge each dog, so say plainly how the dog's day would be covered.
- You rent. Aireworth Dogs in Need needs evidence that your tenancy allows dogs before it will book a home check, so get your landlord's permission in writing first.
How adopting from a Leeds rescue works
The order varies, but most rescues around Leeds follow the same steps. A "home check" is a visit, by a volunteer or sometimes by video, to see that your home suits the dog. It is not an inspection of how tidy you are.
- Find a dog on the rescue's site or ours, and read its profile for the home it needs (children, cats, other dogs, garden).
- Apply or enquire. Some rescues home check you before you pick a dog: Aireworth Dogs in Need asks for its questionnaire and photos first.
- Meet the dog, often more than once and with your household and any dog you already have. At Good Life Dog Rescue that means a walk with a volunteer and time off lead in an enclosure.
- Pass the home check. Have your landlord's permission ready if you rent.
- Pay the fee and take your dog home. At most rescues the fee covers vet work already done, such as neutering and microchipping. Lost Paws Dog Rescue takes its fee as a deposit plus a balance, and says it is typically 1 to 2 weeks from reservation to going home.
Dogs Trust Leeds and other charities to contact directly
Some of the best-known rehoming charities have centres in or near Leeds. We don't list their dogs, so search their own sites.
- Dogs Trust Leeds is at Woodlands Farm on York Road, LS15, inside the city. You can browse on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 4pm, and Wednesday and Friday mornings are by pre-arranged appointment. Dogs Trust fees are in the cost box above. Dogs Trust dogs are not on LocalPetFinder.
- Greyhound Trust West Yorkshire keeps its greyhounds at kennels at Womersley, about 18 miles away; kennel visits are by appointment only, it asks a donation of £250, and it can't currently accept homing applications from households with a resident cat. No greyhound rescue we list is near Leeds, so this is the place to ask.
- The RSPCA has a branch for Leeds and Wakefield, the RSPCA Leeds, Wakefield and District Branch, with an animal centre at East Ardsley. The RSPCA also rehomes animals; search on its own site.
- Further afield, Blue Cross has its Thirsk rehoming centre at Topcliffe, about 28 miles north.
Find a breed in Leeds
Each breed page lists every dog of that breed with the rescues above, nearest first, with its own questions and answers. Two of the rescues are breed rescues, so Border Collies, Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes are worth watching for near Leeds. There are pages too for Staffies, crossbreeds, lurchers, Labradors, German Shepherds, Jack Russells, Chihuahuas, poodles and doodles, French Bulldogs, Boxers, Pomeranians, whippets and Yorkies, and for puppies, older dogs and small dogs.
The law in England
Microchipping and change of keeper
In England, as everywhere in the UK, every dog must be microchipped and registered by 8 weeks old. Since 6 April 2016 a dog in England can't pass to a new keeper until it is chipped, and the new keeper must update the database (the England regulations). A rescue chips before rehoming; after adoption, keep the details up to date.
Lucy's Law: buying a puppy
In England, Lucy's Law has meant since 6 April 2020 that puppies under six months can't be sold by a third party such as a pet shop or dealer: you buy direct from the breeder or adopt from a rehoming centre.
Banned dog types
In England, it is against the law to sell, abandon, give away or breed from a banned type: the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully. Whether a dog is banned depends on what it looks like rather than its breed or name, so no rescue can rehome one and none appear on LocalPetFinder. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is not a banned type.
XL Bully dogs
In England, since 31 December 2023 it has been illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange or abandon an XL Bully or let it stray, and since 1 February 2024 illegal to own one without a Certificate of Exemption (gov.uk: England and Wales).
Questions
Tap a question to expand
What is the best dog rescue in Leeds?
There isn't one best rescue: it depends on the dog you want and your home. Good Life Dog Rescue in Garforth is the general rescue we list closest to the city centre. For Border Collies, The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies is at Bingley, and for Huskies and Malamutes, 8 Below Husky Rescue is in West Yorkshire. The comparison table on this page sets out each rescue's area, process and fee.
Can I see Dogs Trust Leeds dogs on LocalPetFinder?
No. We don't list Dogs Trust dogs, so search Dogs Trust's own site. Dogs Trust Leeds is at Woodlands Farm on York Road, LS15, and you can browse on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 4pm. Dogs Trust charges £300 to adopt a dog in England. The rescues in our table are the ones whose dogs you can browse here.
How much does it cost to adopt a dog from a Leeds rescue?
Each rescue sets its own fee, and those around Leeds that publish one ask from £250 for an adult dog. Aireworth Dogs in Need and Barnsley Animal Rescue Charity start at £250, Pabs & Pals Rescue usually charges £300, Good Life Dog Rescue £350, and Cliffe Kennels & Rescue from £380. Aireworth charges £100 for a dog over 10.
Are there dog rescues inside Leeds itself?
A few. Of the rescues we list, Good Life Dog Rescue is in Garforth, inside the City of Leeds, and Greenleaf Animal Rescue, a national network, has some dogs in foster homes or kennels in and around the city. Dogs Trust Leeds is on York Road, but we don't list its dogs. Most other rescues near Leeds are in Keighley, Bingley, Harrogate or near Barnsley.
Where can I adopt a greyhound near Leeds?
Your best bet is Greyhound Trust West Yorkshire, whose greyhounds wait at kennels in Womersley, about 18 miles from Leeds. Visits are by appointment only, it asks a donation of £250, and it can't currently take homing applications from households with a resident cat. No greyhound rescue we list is in the Leeds area, though lurchers do come through the general rescues.
Why does Lost Paws Dog Rescue ask for a deposit?
It is that rescue's own process: every Lost Paws fee is split into a deposit and a balance, and the fees range from £295 to £695 depending on the dog's age and where it came from. Lost Paws is not a Leeds rescue; we list only its dogs already in UK foster homes. Our advice never to pay a deposit is about private sellers, not rescues explaining their own steps.
Do I have to live near the rescue to adopt?
Often, yes. Aireworth Dogs in Need only rehomes within its own area around Keighley, which reaches the edge of Leeds but not all of it. The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies won't send dogs that need its support a long way away, and Good Life Dog Rescue asks for a vet reference from adopters further afield. Check before you apply.
Can I adopt a rescue dog if I have children?
Often, but check each dog's profile first. Several dogs at Cliffe Kennels & Rescue need children over 14, The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies says few of its dogs can live with children, and Pabs & Pals Rescue sets limits dog by dog. Profiles usually say whether a dog can live with children.
Can I adopt a dog in Leeds if I work full time or rent?
Sometimes, depending on the rescue and the dog. The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies can't rehome to people who work full time, and other rescues judge each dog against your routine. If you rent, get your landlord's permission in writing first: Aireworth Dogs in Need needs evidence before it will book a home check.
Keep reading
- All rescue dogs in and around Leeds
- Adopting a Staffy in Leeds: rescues, costs and the law
- Adopting a Labrador in Leeds: rescues, costs and matching
- Adopting a German Shepherd in Leeds: rescues, costs and the law
- Adopting a Border Collie in Leeds: rescues, rules and health
- Adopting a Chihuahua in Leeds: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Cockapoo or Cavapoo in Leeds: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Cocker Spaniel in Leeds: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Dachshund in Leeds: rescues, rules and health
- Adopting a French Bulldog in Leeds: rescues, costs and breathing
- Adopting a Golden Retriever in Leeds: breed clubs, costs and health
- Adopting a Jack Russell in Leeds: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Pomeranian in Leeds: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Rottweiler in Leeds: rescues, costs and health
- Adopting a Shih Tzu in Leeds: rescues, costs and health
- Every dog adoption guide for Leeds
- Rescue pets in Leeds
For rescues and rehoming centres
Are you a rescue near Leeds? Get your animals listed free.
Every animal links back to your own adoption page, and you can ask to be removed at any time.
Sources: Good Life Dog Rescue: adoption process · Aireworth Dogs in Need: adopting a dog · 8 Below Husky Rescue: adoption and fostering · The Freedom Of Spirit Trust For Border Collies: thinking about adoption · Pabs & Pals Rescue: adopt · Cliffe Kennels & Rescue: dogs for adoption · Barnsley Animal Rescue Charity: adopt a pet · Greenleaf Animal Rescue: about · Lost Paws Dog Rescue: UK adoption process · Dogs Trust: Leeds rehoming centre · Greyhound Trust West Yorkshire: about homing · RSPCA Leeds, Wakefield and District Branch · Blue Cross: Thirsk rehoming centre · PDSA: the cost of owning a dog · Happy Staffie Rescue: adopt · Senior Staffy Club: adopt a Staffy · German Shepherd Rescue: North East Region · German Shepherd Rescue: adopt a German Shepherd · Labrador Welfare: FAQs · Jack Russell Terrier Rescue UK: about us · French bulldog Saviours: adopting · British Chihuahua Rescue: adopt a dog · Doodle Trust: adopt · DoodleAid · gov.uk: Get your dog microchipped · gov.uk: Banned dogs · gov.uk: Lucy's Law in England · legislation.gov.uk: Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 · gov.uk: Ban on XL Bully dogs