How to find a pet
One box on the home page, four fields. Fill in as many as you like and leave the rest alone.
The search box, top to bottom
- Animal. Starts on All animals, so nothing is assumed until you say so. Narrow it to dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, reptiles, small pets, horses and farm animals, or fish and other. The number beside each is how many are listed right now. Some open into specific animals: under Birds you will find budgies, cockatiels and conures.
- Breed, if you have one in mind. Optional. While Animal is on All animals, this searches every breed we list, and the breed decides the animal. Type Lionhead and you will get rabbits, type Siamese and you will get cats. Narrow the animal first and the breed box narrows with it.
- State, or a zip code. You do not need both. Pick a state and you will see everything there. Type a zip instead and we will take you to the nearest state that actually has that animal, closest first. Do both and you stay in the state you picked, sorted by distance from your zip.
- Press the green button.
They all work together, so you can ask for Beagles in Pennsylvania sorted by distance from your zip in one go. Leave the animal on All animals with no breed, pick a state, and you get a page of everything listed there by species. Every state is listed with its count, and a (0) is fine to pick. There is a section below explaining why.
Start over appears under the box as soon as anything is set. It empties every field at once, including a zip you used earlier, so you are back to a blank search in one click.
More about the breed box
You do not have to spell it right.
- It suggests as you type. Type "wolf" and you'll see Irish Wolfhound, with how many are available.
- It catches misspellings. Type "germanshepard" and it asks, "Did you mean German Shepherd Dog?" Click the suggestion and you're there.
- It follows the animal you picked. Change Animal to Birds and the breed box switches to bird breeds. It never quietly searches dogs when you asked for birds.
- It keeps your state and zip. Whatever else you set carries through, so you never say it twice.
- There is one on every results page too. That one narrows what you're already looking at, under Narrow it down by breed.
What the mileage really means
Shelters tell us the town an animal is in. They don't give us a street address. So when a card says "about 12 mi", that's from the middle of your zip code to the middle of that town.
It is not the distance to the shelter's door, and in a big city it can be off by ten miles or more. Rescues also list the town the foster lives in, which may not be where the organization is. Treat it as a rough sort order, not a driving time, and always check with the shelter before you set off.
Around one animal in twenty is in a place we can't put on a map. Those show no mileage and appear last. We'd rather show you the animal with no number than invent one.
Some animals are not legal everywhere
A few of these animals can't be kept as pets in some states, and it's a horrible thing to find out after you've applied. Hedgehogs can't be kept in Pennsylvania. Hawaii doesn't allow any snake at all, or gerbils, or hamsters. California's list is long and includes ferrets and sugar gliders.
When a page lists an animal we know is restricted somewhere, a yellow box appears at the top. It links to the rule itself. On a state page it tells you about that state specifically.
Two honest limits. We only list a restriction when we can point at the written rule, so the list is far from complete. And we never tell you an animal is legal where you live. Your city or county can have rules of its own, and we can't check those for you. See what we know and how to check your own state.
Starting over, and clearing one thing at a time
- Clear breed drops the breed and keeps everything else.
- Clear zip stops sorting by distance.
- Start over takes you back to a blank search. It's always on the page, so you never have to work out how to get back.
Picked a state with (0)? You won't hit a dead end
If nothing is listed in your state right now, the page shows the nearest states that do have one, closest first, with counts. Click any of them to go straight there.
Once you open an animal
- You'll see every photo and the shelter's own notes.
- Contact reaches the shelter or rescue directly, with their email and phone underneath.
- Directions opens a map to the organization.
- If you've searched a zip code, the page also says roughly how far away the animal is, with the same caveat as above.
- They handle the application, the meeting and the fee. We never take applications or payments.
Other useful bits
- Mixed breeds are filed under the first breed the shelter names, so a Lab and Boxer mix shows under Labrador Retriever. The card carries a MIXED BREED tag.
- See more at once by changing Per page to 25, 50 or 100.
- Back to top is the round button in the corner once you've scrolled.
Common questions
Why are there none in my state?
Some animals are rare in some places. The page points you to the nearest states that have them, and listings change daily, so it's worth checking back.
What does the ADOPTED stamp mean?
The shelter has taken that animal off its list, most likely because it found a home. Stamped animals come off AdoptNearby a few days later.
How up to date is this?
Listings refresh every day. An animal can still be adopted before our next update, so always confirm with the shelter.
Do you know where I am?
Only if you type a zip code, and then only your browser remembers it, so the next pet page can show a distance. It never leaves your device and we don't look it up anywhere else.
Does it cost anything?
No. No account, no sign-up, no advertising and no affiliate links. AdoptNearby is paid for by people who give a few dollars a month. Money never changes which animals you see or the order they're in.
I run a shelter or rescue. How do I get listed?
See For shelters. Listing is free.
Can I keep this animal where I live?
We can only tell you when something is restricted, never that it's allowed. Ask the shelter first, they place animals in your area every week. Pet laws by state has the rules we've checked and how to check the rest.
Something looks wrong?
Email support@adoptnearby.org and we'll look into it.