How do I adopt a dog or cat in India?

Contact a local shelter, NGO, or rescue group directly. You can browse real pets available for adoption on this page — each listing links to the rescuer or foster's contact. Most adoptions involve a basic conversation, a small adoption fee, and a home visit. Avoid pet shops and unverified breeders.

What is the adoption fee for a dog or cat in India?

Adoption fees from shelters and NGOs typically range from Rs 500 to Rs 3,000, which usually covers vaccinations, deworming, and sterilisation. Adopting from individual rescuers or fosters on this page is often free or donation-based. Always confirm with the contact listed.

Which dog breed is best to adopt in India?

The Indian Pariah Dog (Indie) is the most naturally adapted breed for Indian climates. They are healthy, low-maintenance, intelligent, and make loyal companions. Most shelters across India have Indies available for adoption at little to no cost.

Can I adopt a pet if I live in a flat or apartment in India?

Yes. Small to medium dogs and most cats adapt well to apartment life with daily walks and play. Under Indian law, housing societies cannot ban pet ownership outright — the right to keep pets is protected. Check your specific society bylaws, but you cannot be legally forced to give up a pet.

Adopt a Dog or Cat in India: Verified Rescue Listings

Adopt a dog or cat in India - Dog with Blog adoption directory

Looking for dogs and cats for adoption in India? Every animal on this page is a real rescue or foster looking for a home, never a breeder or a seller. These are first-hand appeals from people across India who pulled a dog or cat off the street, out of a bad situation, or out of a litter nobody wanted. Dog with Blog has championed India’s indie and rescue animals since 2009, and this directory updates continuously as new dogs and cats need homes, so it is worth checking back. Most of the animals here are Indian street dogs and cats: hardy, intelligent, and quick to bond, with rescues listed across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Kolkata and beyond. New to adoption? Start with our dog adoption guide and what to promise before you adopt.

Dogs and cats near you, looking for homes

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Why adopt a dog or cat in India

When you adopt a dog or cat in India, you free up a foster spot for the next rescue, you take demand away from unregulated breeders and puppy mills, and you usually bring home a hardier, healthier animal. The country has millions of community animals who need homes. Most of the dogs here are indie (desi) dogs, a naturally robust, intelligent and loyal breed that adapts beautifully to Indian conditions and asks for very little in return. Adopt, do not shop.

You didn’t buy your best friend, so why buy your dog? It is never the breed, it is the loyal, loving heart that makes a dog yours.

India’s pet owners have more options today than they did five years ago. More breeds to buy, more breeders to find, more food brands on the shelf. And yet shelter inquiries are up, foster networks are growing, pages like this one are getting more traffic. The people who arrive here are not here because they ran out of alternatives. They are here because they looked at the alternatives and chose this instead. That is the adopt-don’t-shop conversation at its best.

A rescued dog, adopted into a loving home in India

How this list works

Each listing is posted by the person who rescued or is fostering that animal, not by us. We gather these appeals into one place so they are easier to find. To bring one home, find a pet whose city and story fit your life, reach out using the contact on that listing, and arrange to meet. You deal directly with the rescuer or foster, who can tell you about the animal’s health, temperament and vaccination status. Nothing here is for sale. Most ask only for a safe, loving home, and sometimes a small reimbursement for vaccinations. Please adopt, don’t shop.

These rescue and foster appeals come from all over India, and because the list updates constantly, the cities change with it. Recent listings have included Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Dehradun and Ooty, among others. Scroll the list above to see exactly where each dog or cat is, and check back as new ones are added.

This is a living list, not a one-time post. New rescue and foster appeals are added as they reach our community, and pets who find homes are marked as adopted rather than deleted, so you can see the happy endings too. If you have rescued an animal who needs a home, or you run a shelter or foster network, share the appeal with us and we will help it reach more people. The more eyes on a listing, the faster a dog or cat gets home.

Before you adopt: are you really ready?

Honestly? If you ask us, the answer is almost always yes. A rescued dog or cat will fill your years with ridiculous, heart-warming memories. But it is a full-time commitment for a decade or more, so be honest about the years ahead, not just the first week. A quick gut-check before you scroll the listings:

Commitment: a dog or cat can live 12 to 15 years. You are in for the whole life, not just the cute puppy phase.
Cost: food, vaccinations, deworming and the occasional vet bill add up every month, so budget for it.
Time: daily walks, play, training, and even vacation plans now include them.
Space: room to move, and for a cat, netted balconies and windows before day one.

Ready? Then ask the rescuer about the animal’s health history, vaccination and deworming status, and whether it has been sterilised or is old enough to be. Meet the pet in person if you can, introduce it slowly to everyone at home, and net your balcony and windows before a cat comes home. A little preparation turns a nervous first night into a lifelong friendship.

Find dogs & cats for adoption near you, city by city

Ready to adopt near you? Start with the shelters, NGOs and rescues in your city. Each guide has verified contacts and how to adopt.

North India: Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Lucknow

West India: Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat

South India: Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai

East India: Kolkata

Have a pet that needs a home?

Found a street dog or a rescue who needs a home? List them here. It is free, and Dog with Blog volunteers help share verified listings across India. Add a photo and a few details so the right adopter can find them.