Why Adopt
There are many misconceptions out there that animals in shelters are broken, that you can't find the breed you want and that there are only old animals available. None of these could be further from the truth. Shelter animals are full of love and affection, and still have a full life to live and loads to offer. They are also available in any age, breed, gender and colour your could wish for. There are many shelters that are breed specific, too. Here, we don't discriminate against age, gender or breed so we stuck to shelters that offer diversity.
An added benefit of adopting is that you'll save a fortune. Buying pets can easily costs an arm and a leg. And you will still need to take your new pet to the vet for all their shots, deworming and micro-chipping. Shelters on the other hand, include all of these in their adoption fee. At shelters, you'll also have the option of adopting older pets, who tend to already be house-trained and more calm and well-behaved than younger animals.
Dogs
Irwin Animal Rescue
Irwin Animal Rescue Centre NPC is based in De Deur. They rescue, rehabilitate and re-home animals who are abused and neglected. This shelter takes in dogs of any breed, shape, size, colour and age and offers them a mid-way home until they can find
furever homes. One only need go through the photos on their Facebook page to see how happy and full-of-life the dogs in their care are. This is definitely the place to find older dogs of any breed, suitable to any family or lifestyle.
Find more information here.
Paws R Us
Based in Midrand, Paws R Us rescues, shelters and re-homes unwanted dogs and strays from across Johannesburg. This no-kill shelter has over 200 dogs in their care, and are working hard to build a Paws Haven. When visiting this site, you'll be amazed at all the love and affection you'll receive from these lovely furbabies. They have dogs of all shapes and sizes including small and large dogs. So, pay them a visit if you're in search of your next lap dog or wanna-be lap dog.
Find more information here.
A New Hope Rescue
This shelter, in Joburg South, fosters unwanted dogs until they can be re-homed. They care for all types of dogs, and even a few pups! All the dogs here have hilarious personalities and attitudes, so this is just the place to adopt the next Instagram star. They have a large variety of smaller dogs including Dachshunds, Terriers, Jack Russells and mixed breeds (our personal favourite) for those without a large garden.
Find more information here.
Cats
Kitty Shelter
Kitty Shelter is a no-kill welfare organisation in Norwood. They care for both adults and kittens. The adoption price, which is much less than buying a cat, includes sterilization and up-to-date vaccinations. They work on a foster programme, where their kittens and cats are cared for by foster families until they find their
furever homes. This means that the animals here are already used to people, other animals and kids.
Find more information here.
Kitty and Puppy Haven
This no-kill shelter specialises in puppies and kittens, hence the name. Their animals come from veterinarian practices, low income areas and welfare organisations. They give every animal medical care and will not consider euthanisation. And we must say - these animals are absolutely adorable. One doesn't have to browse far down their Facebook page to fall in love.
Find more information here.
SPCA
The SPCA has a branch in almost all towns across Joburg. They take in any animal irrespective of the type, gender, colour, breed or age. Their Cattery always has many different cats. Whether it be kittens or adults; mixed or pure bred; male or female. What we love about the cats here are their various attitudes. There's always the friendly cat, trying to get as close to you as possible. As well as the playful kitten, the chatty fur ball and the shy one hiding behind the rest. Adopting an animal here is cheaper than other shelters. And, they will also give your future furbaby all their shots, anti-parasite treatments, a chip and even a care package.
Find their various branches here.
Others
Rabbits
We all love cute, furry and oh-so adorable bunnies. However not everyone is able to give them the proper care they require. Some people will re-home their pet rabbits but others choose to release them in parks. However, pet rabbits are domesticated and are therefore unable to care for themselves in the wild. Berario Bunnies and The Strawberry Foundation both rescue these rabbits from the park. They also provide homes for rabbits whose owners are unable to care for them. They will feed and care for these rabbits until they are able to find a
furever home.
Find out more information about
Barario Bunnies here and The
Strawberry Foundation here.
Exotic animals
Despite its name, Hedgehog Rescue and Rehabilitation cares for most exotic animals. These include hedgehogs, rats, rabbits, hamsters, reptiles and birds. They take in injured or unwanted animals and rehabilitate and care for them until they are homed. Get in contact with them to find out what you need to know about the needs of exotic pets before adopting one. And if you decide to adopt, Hedgehog Rescue is able to help you find a loving and adorable scaled, feathered or quilled friend.
Find our more information here.
Pigs
Pigs are some of the smartest and cutest animals around. And they certainly make some of the best pets - for those that are able to care for them. Unfortunately many aren't, hence their own shelter in Hennops. Pigs n Paws take in pigs and dogs, and allow them to roam freely on their small holding. If you're looking to adopt a pig, dog or both, and are able to care for them, pay them a visit and meet their feisty furries.
Find out more information here.
