Rescue guide
The best dog rescues in Newcastle, compared
There is no single best dog rescue in Newcastle: the right one depends on the dog you want, how far you can travel and how your days run. These are the rescues within about 25 miles of the city whose dogs we list, side by side, plus Dogs Trust Darlington, the council route for strays and the breed charities you can contact yourself.
By the LocalPetFinder Team · Checked 28 October 2026
The short answer
The rescue nearest the city centre whose dogs we list is Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter at Longbenton, about 3 miles out, which also takes in the city's stray dogs. Bryson's Animal Shelter at Eighton Banks in Gateshead is about 5 miles south, and Durham Dogs & Cats Home at Coxhoe, about 20 miles, asks a £200 adoption donation. For greyhounds there are three specialists, including Greyhound Rescue North East, which asks at least £150. Dogs Trust Darlington is the big centre in the area, 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.
- Newcastle-area rescues that publish a fee
- Animal Krackers in Sunderland asks a minimum of £100 for a dog, Greyhound Rescue North East an adoption donation of at least £150, Durham Dogs & Cats Home a £200 donation and Pawz for Thought, also in Sunderland, a minimum of £350 for a dog. The others publish no figure, so ask when you enquire. The fee table below quotes each one.
- Buying a puppy
- Blue Cross puts the cost of buying a puppy at £400 to £3,000, before food, insurance and vet bills.
- 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).
Newcastle dog rescues compared
Every rescue below has the dogs we list within about 25 miles of central Newcastle. Click a name to see the dogs it has listed with us today, or follow the link in its section below to the rescue's own page. Each rescue runs its own application, home check and fee: we don't rehome dogs ourselves.
| Rescue | Where | Dogs | How you adopt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter | Longbenton, on the north edge of Newcastle (about 3 miles) | Dogs and cats | Apply on a dog's listing; the best match is invited to meet the dog |
| Bryson's Animal Shelter | Eighton Banks, Gateshead (about 5 miles) | Dogs, cats and small animals | Contact the shelter about a dog |
| Animal Krackers | Ferry Farm, Offerton Lane, Sunderland (about 10 miles) | Cats, rabbits and some dogs | Enquiry, a 30 minute viewing, a home check, then a two week trial |
| Greyhound Rescue North East | Based in the North East; kennel visits by appointment | Retired greyhounds | Questions, a match, a home check, then up to 2 weeks reserved |
| Northumberland Greyhound Rescue | Rehomes across the North East; kennel visits by appointment | Retired greyhounds | Phone to arrange a kennel visit |
| Durham Dogs & Cats Home | Coxhoe, County Durham (about 20 miles) | Dogs and cats | Register with ID and home photos, a 48 hour hold, then an appointment to adopt |
| Durham District Retired Greyhounds | Kennels in County Durham | Retired greyhounds | Contact the rescue |
Published adoption fees
These are the dog fees the rescues publish on their own sites, in their words. A fee usually covers vet work already done, such as vaccinations and a microchip. Where a rescue publishes no fee, ask it when you enquire.
| Rescue | Fee (their words) |
|---|---|
| Animal Krackers | Dogs: "a minimum of £100" |
| Greyhound Rescue North East | "adoption donation, minimum £150", paid while the dog is reserved and not refundable |
| Durham Dogs & Cats Home | "The £200 charitable donation you make to complete the adoption process" |
| Pawz for Thought | "Dog £350" (a minimum donation) |
Which Newcastle rescue for which dog
The table is in rough order of distance. Here is how each one works.
Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, Longbenton
At Benton North Farm on Benton Lane, Longbenton, about 3 miles from the city centre. You apply with the form attached to a dog's listing; its rehoming team assesses the forms, contacts the person it thinks suits the dog best and invites you in to spend time with it. If you aren't chosen you can apply again for another dog as often as you like. Its FAQs say walk-in visits have stopped: you visit by appointment once an application succeeds, and its Claremont Road centre is permanently closed. It publishes no fee on the pages we read.
Bryson's Animal Shelter, Eighton Banks
On Galloping Green Road at Eighton Banks, Gateshead, about 5 miles south. Bryson's rehomes dogs, cats and small animals; phone it or use its contact page to ask about a dog you have seen listed. It publishes no fee on the pages we read.
The greyhound rescues
Greyhound Rescue North East says it is based in the north east of England, with visits to the kennels by appointment only. It matches each dog to an adopter, holds the dog for up to 2 weeks while you pay an adoption donation of at least £150, and its FAQ says a home check follows if you are suitable. Northumberland Greyhound Rescue rehomes ex-racing greyhounds across the North East and beyond; its FAQs say you phone to arrange a kennel visit, and each greyhound comes with a walking collar and lead. Durham District Retired Greyhounds shows its greyhounds by name and photo. Our Newcastle greyhound page lists them all.
Durham Dogs & Cats Home, Coxhoe
At Coxhoe, about 20 miles south, and a charity that prioritises dogs at risk in local council pounds. Its adoption page has four steps: register online or in person with photo ID, proof of address and photos of your home and garden (renters need their landlord's permission); look through its pets; reserve one, which it holds for up to 48 hours; then complete the adoption by appointment, with a £200 donation that isn't refundable.
How to choose a rescue near Newcastle
Start with the dog, not the rescue: our Newcastle page lists every dog with each rescue, so filter by size, age or breed and see who has it. Then check four things on the rescue's own page:
- Distance and visits. Most rescues here see adopters by appointment only, and the greyhound rescues print no kennel address on their sites, so you arrange a visit with them first.
- Your home. Ask about gardens, children and other pets before you apply; Durham Dogs & Cats Home asks for photos of your home and garden at registration.
- The fee. Four rescues publish one (see the table above). Ask the others what theirs is and what it covers.
- After adoption. Ask whether the rescue offers support, insurance or a trial period.
Dogs Trust Darlington, breed rescues and strays
Dogs Trust Darlington, at Hill House Farm, Sadberge, County Durham, is open for browsing on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 4pm. We don't list its dogs, so search its own site.
Breed charities cover the area too: German Shepherd Rescue's North East Region covers Northumberland and Durham, and Happy Staffie Rescue and Senior Staffy Club rehome Staffies across the UK. Happy Staffie Rescue's dogs are on our Happy Staffie Rescue page; we don't list German Shepherd Rescue's or Senior Staffy Club's dogs.
Lost a dog, or found one? In the City of Newcastle, the council says any stray dogs it finds are impounded at Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, so owners check with the shelter there.
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 nearest dog rescue to Newcastle city centre?
Of the rescues we list, Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter at Longbenton, about 3 miles from the city centre. Bryson's Animal Shelter at Eighton Banks in Gateshead is about 5 miles south.
Which dog rescues near Newcastle publish their adoption fee?
Animal Krackers asks a minimum of £100 for a dog, Greyhound Rescue North East an adoption donation of at least £150, Durham Dogs & Cats Home a £200 donation and Pawz for Thought a minimum of £350. Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter and Bryson's publish no fee on the pages we read.
Is adopting a dog cheaper than buying a puppy?
Usually. The rescues near Newcastle that publish a dog fee ask from £100 to £350, while Blue Cross puts a bought puppy at £400 to £3,000 before vet work.
Where are greyhound rescues near Newcastle?
Greyhound Rescue North East, Northumberland Greyhound Rescue and Durham District Retired Greyhounds all list with us; none prints a kennel address, so you book a visit. Our Newcastle greyhound page shows every greyhound available today.
Can I walk in to see the dogs?
Mostly not. Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter sees adopters by appointment after a successful application, the greyhound rescues by appointment at their kennels, and Durham Dogs & Cats Home by appointment. Dogs Trust Darlington has open browsing on five afternoons a week.
Where do stray dogs in Newcastle go?
Newcastle City Council says stray dogs it finds are impounded at Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, so an owner looking for a lost dog checks with the shelter. That applies to the City of Newcastle; neighbouring councils have their own arrangements.
Does Dogs Trust have a centre near Newcastle?
Dogs Trust Darlington is at Sadberge, County Durham, and is open for browsing on five afternoons a week. We don't list its dogs, so search its own site.
Keep reading
- All rescue dogs in and around Newcastle upon Tyne
- Adopting a greyhound in Newcastle: rescues, costs and care
- Adopting a Staffy in Newcastle: rescues, costs and the law
- Adopting a German Shepherd in Newcastle: rescues, costs and the law
- Every dog adoption guide for Newcastle upon Tyne
- Rescue pets in Newcastle upon Tyne
For rescues and rehoming centres
Are you a rescue near Newcastle upon Tyne? 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: Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter: how to adopt a dog · Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter: FAQs · Bryson's Animal Shelter · Durham Dogs & Cats Home: adopt me · Durham Dogs & Cats Home: homepage · Animal Krackers: adoption information · Pawz for Thought: adopt (minimum donations) · Greyhound Rescue North East: homepage (adoption donation) · Greyhound Rescue North East: FAQ · Northumberland Greyhound Rescue: homepage · Northumberland Greyhound Rescue: FAQs · Durham District Retired Greyhounds: available greyhounds · Dogs Trust: Darlington rehoming centre · Newcastle City Council: dog warden service · German Shepherd Rescue: adopt a German Shepherd · Happy Staffie Rescue · Senior Staffy Club: adopt a Staffy · Blue Cross: getting a puppy · PDSA: the cost of owning a dog · 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