Rescue guide
Dog rescues in Perth and Dundee, compared
Three rescues list dogs with us around Perth and Dundee: the long-running PADS kennels at Forteviot, a greyhound sanctuary near Kinross, and a spaniel charity whose dogs live with fosterers. Two more services in Dundee rehome dogs that we do not list. Here is what each one charges, what it asks of you, and which suits the dog you are after.
By the LocalPetFinder Team · Checked 7 November 2026
The short answer
For most dogs, start with the Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society (PADS) at Forteviot, a few miles south-west of Perth: send its application form, and it charges £250 for any dog. For a retired racer, Greyhound Rescue Fife near Kinross asks a £180 donation and wants a phone call first. In Dundee, Dogs Trust and the council's Brown Street Kennels rehome dogs on their own sites.
- Rescue adoption fees
- Each rescue sets its own adoption fee, and Dogs Trust charges £300 for a puppy or adult dog in England, Wales and Scotland. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.
- PADS
- £250 for any dog, covering neutering, vaccinations, a microchip, worming and flea treatment.
- Greyhound Rescue Fife
- A £180 donation for vaccinations, neutering and a collar, lead and muzzle.
- Springer Rescue Scotland
- A donation by bank transfer, amount not fixed; each dog comes with 5 weeks of Agria insurance.
- Brown Street Kennels
- A charge to cover kennel costs; the council publishes no figure, so ask.
- Buying instead
- Blue Cross puts a bought puppy at £400 to £3,000.
- Keeping a dog for life
- PDSA reckons at least £6,200 to £18,800 over a dog's lifetime, depending on its size.
The rescues around Perth and Dundee at a glance
The first three list their dogs with us; when we checked on 7 November 2026, the greyhound kennels held most of them and PADS held the widest mix of breeds. The last two rehome dogs on their own websites only. Distances are straight line from Perth.
| Rescue | Where | Dogs | How you adopt | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PADS | Kennels at Forteviot, a few miles south-west of Perth | All types, from toy breeds to Mastiff crosses | Application form, then an invitation to meet the dog | £250 |
| Greyhound Rescue Fife | Gairneybank, near Kinross (about 13 miles) | Retired greyhounds | Phone call, then a visit to meet the hounds | A donation of £180 |
| Springer Rescue Scotland | Foster homes; its local dogs were in Fife | Spaniels | Detailed form, phone call, home visit, two foster visits | A donation, no set amount |
| Brown Street Kennels | Dundee City Council, Brown Street, Dundee | Dogs handed in by owners, and unclaimed strays | Contact the kennels; new owners are assessed | A charge, not published |
| Dogs Trust Dundee | No kennels: foster carers around Dundee | Varies | Apply online, then a booked meeting | See its site |
Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society (PADS), Forteviot
PADS began in 1985, when a group of Perthshire people set out to replace the old Perth dog pound with clean, staffed kennels; its kennels, built on the site of an old railway station, hold up to thirty dogs, looked after by four staff, with a small hospital for dogs recovering from operations. It is also where Perth and Kinross Council takes every stray it collects, and after the council's 7 days any unclaimed dog becomes PADS's to rehome.
That gives it a real mix. On 7 November 2026 its page showed a Dachshund, a Boston Lhasa cross, two Staffie crosses, an American Bulldog, a Lurcher, a Collie of 9 and a shy Miniature Pinscher of 9 months who would need a couple of visits to bond. Each card spells out whether the dog can live with other dogs, cats and children of a given age.
- The order: return the adoption application; if staff see a match they invite you to the kennels; a PADS after care visitor checks in a few weeks after the dog goes home.
- Children: PADS won't place a dog that arrived as a stray with a family whose children are under 12.
- Getting there: the kennels are reached from the A9 near Forteviot, by the level crossing, and open by appointment only.
Greyhound Rescue Fife, near Kinross
Despite the name, this greyhound sanctuary sits at Gairneybank, near Kinross, about 13 miles south of Perth. It is a company rather than a charity, licensed by Perth and Kinross Council, with room for nearly 50 hounds. You phone to talk it through, then visit and meet the dogs in person instead of choosing one from a photo. It asks for a five foot fence, no child under five and ideally no cat at home. Our greyhound guide covers it in depth.
Springer Rescue Scotland, foster homes
Springer Rescue Scotland rehomes spaniels across Scotland from foster homes, and each dog's card names its council area: two Springers were in Fife on 7 November 2026, and a Cocker was in the Dundee area. Its application is long, and forms not completed in detail are turned down; a phone call, a home visit and two visits to the dog in its foster home follow.
In Dundee: Brown Street Kennels and Dogs Trust
Dundee City Council runs Brown Street Kennels for the city's strays, and it rehomes about 250 dogs a year, most of them given up by owners who could no longer care for them. Dogs Trust Dundee has no kennels at all: its dogs live with foster carers, and you meet one by pre-arranged appointment. We list neither, so check their own websites.
Which rescue suits you?
A quick way to narrow it down:
- You want a crossbreed, a terrier or a small dog: PADS. Its own advice is not to overlook a scruffy crossbreed or an older dog, which it finds hardest to home.
- You have young children: check PADS's card for the dog's age limit, and remember greyhounds won't go to a home with a child under five.
- You live in a flat: Greyhound Rescue Fife accepts one with a securely locked corridor door; read the greyhound guide first.
- You want a puppy: they are rare here; our rescue puppies guide explains where young dogs turn up.
- You live in Dundee: the dogs on our Dundee page include PADS's, about 18 miles away, and Dundee's own two services are a short trip.
Getting ready before you apply
PADS notes that many of its dogs never make it onto its website because adopters are already waiting, so an application that describes the dog you hope for, your home and your routine puts you in that queue. The sighthounds and other larger dogs on our large dogs page need room and a secure garden, and the older dogs page collects the ones that wait longest.
The law in Scotland
Microchipping and change of keeper
In Scotland, as everywhere in the UK, every dog must be microchipped and registered by 8 weeks old. Since 6 April 2016 a dog in Scotland can't pass to a new keeper until it is chipped, and the new keeper must update the database (the Scotland regulations). A rescue chips before rehoming; after adoption, keep the details up to date.
Lucy's Law: buying a puppy
In Scotland, Lucy's Law has banned the third-party sale of puppies under six months since 1 September 2021.
Banned dog types
In Scotland, 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 Scotland, since 23 February 2024 it has been illegal to sell, advertise, gift or exchange an XL Bully or let it stray, and since 1 August 2024 an offence to own one without an exemption certificate. The Scottish rules also say it is unlawful to "sell, give away or rehome an XL Bully".
Rehoming licences
In Scotland, since 1 September 2021, anyone sourcing five or more animals in any 12-month period to rehome as pets needs a licence (Scottish Government). A licence is a useful sign that a Scottish rescue is what it says it is.
Questions
Tap a question to expand
What is the best dog rescue in Perth?
For most dogs, the Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society (PADS) at Forteviot, which rehomes every type of dog and charges £250. For a retired greyhound, Greyhound Rescue Fife near Kinross. Both list their dogs with us.
Where is PADS dog rescue?
Its kennels are outside the village of Forteviot, a few miles south-west of Perth, with the entrance beside the level crossing. Visits are by appointment only.
How much does PADS charge to adopt a dog?
£250 for any dog, including neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, worming and flea treatment.
Is there a dog rescue in Dundee?
Dundee City Council's Brown Street Kennels rehomes dogs, most of them given up by owners, and Dogs Trust Dundee rehomes dogs from foster homes. We don't list either; our Dundee page shows the dogs from PADS and the greyhound kennels near Kinross.
Can I get a free dog from a rescue near Perth?
No. Each rescue here asks a fee or a donation, which pays for the vet work done before the dog leaves. Be wary of free dogs advertised online: no rescue has checked them, so meet the dog and ask whose name its microchip is in.
Are there puppies for adoption near Perth?
Occasionally. On 7 November 2026 PADS had one pup under 6 months, a Mastiff cross. Send PADS an application describing the dog you want, as many dogs are homed before they appear online.
Can I adopt a dog from PADS if I have young children?
It depends on the dog. Each card gives an age limit for children, and PADS does not place a dog that came in as a stray with a family whose children are under 12.
Do I have to live in Perth to adopt from these rescues?
Not necessarily, but plan to travel. PADS and Greyhound Rescue Fife both have you meet the dog at their kennels, and Springer Rescue Scotland only places dogs within Scotland, after a home visit. Ask the rescue if you live further away.
Keep reading
For rescues and rehoming centres
Are you a rescue near Perth? 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: PADS: home (Forteviot, appointments, formed 1985) · PADS: looking for a home (dated snapshot; under-12 rule) · PADS: rehoming process (form, meeting, fee, after care) · PADS: about us (history, staff, hospital) · PADS: choosing a dog · PADS: contact (directions) · PADS: Zeus, a Miniature Pinscher (dated snapshot) · Springer Rescue Scotland: home · Springer Rescue Scotland: available dogs (areas; dated snapshot) · Springer Rescue Scotland: adoption application (steps, donation, insurance) · Dundee City Council: Brown Street Kennels · Dogs Trust: Dundee virtual centre · Perth and Kinross Council: lost and stray dogs · Blue Cross: getting a puppy · PDSA: the cost of owning a dog · gov.uk: Get your dog microchipped · gov.uk: Banned dogs · Scottish Government: further protection for animals · legislation.gov.uk: Microchipping of Dogs (Scotland) Regulations 2016 · Scottish Government: XL Bully dog rules