The short answer
The main places to adopt a dog in Canberra are RSPCA ACT at Weston, Domestic Animal Services at Symonston, and ACT Rescue & Foster. RSPCA ACT and the government shelter let you meet dogs on site without an appointment. ACT Rescue & Foster places dogs with carers who know how each one behaves at home. After adoption, you register the dog with the ACT Government and renew for free each year.
How to use this guide
Each profile below covers where the organisation is, how adoption works, what the fee covers, and who it suits. If you want to see several dogs in one visit, a shelter suits you. If you want to know how a dog copes with children, cats or a small yard, a foster carer can tell you far more.
Applying to more than one is normal. None of the three can put a dog on hold, so have your paperwork and your landlord's approval ready.
1. RSPCA ACT
Location: 12 Kirkpatrick Street, Weston (off Cotter Road), plus adoption centres in Petbarn stores at Belconnen, Gungahlin, Majura, Weston and Woden.
Type: The ACT's main animal shelter, run by a registered charity.
Adoption fees: Adult dogs mostly $395, popular breeds $650, seniors and dogs needing support $195; puppies from $700.
Animal viewing runs Monday to Saturday, 10am to 3pm, and the shelter is closed on Sundays, public holidays and the first Wednesday of each month (see its contact page). No appointment is needed. The whole household should meet a dog, and if you already have a dog the staff will set up a meet and greet. Allow at least an hour. Every dog is desexed, microchipped, vet examined and treated for parasites. The full fee bands are on its adoption process page.
Best fit for: Adopters who want to meet several dogs in one visit, with staff to help match them.
Friction points: Popular dogs go quickly, and renters may be asked for written landlord approval.
2. Domestic Animal Services (the ACT pound)
Location: 92 Mugga Lane, Symonston.
Type: ACT Government dog shelter. It rehomes dogs only; lost cats go to RSPCA ACT.
Adoption fees: $109.95, plus registration of $66.55 (concession $25.05) and a microchip fee if needed.
Walk-in adoptions run weekdays from 10am to 3pm and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm, with no appointment needed. Bring photo ID, and bring your own dog if you have one so the two can meet. Payment is by card only. A dog that is not yet desexed must be desexed by your vet at your cost. The steps are on the DAS adoption process page.
Best fit for: Adopters on a budget who can cover desexing and are happy to meet a dog in a shelter setting.
Friction points: Desexing may be an extra cost, and dogs cannot be held.
3. ACT Rescue & Foster
Location: Foster homes across Canberra; postal address in Woden.
Type: Volunteer foster-based dog rescue and registered charity, running since 2001.
Adoption fees: $450 for dogs 16 weeks to 10 years, $650 for puppies under 16 weeks (with $100 towards puppy classes), $300 for dogs over 10.
Many of its dogs come from the ACT and Queanbeyan pounds. Each dog is assessed and given a bronze, silver or gold rating so you can see what kind of home it needs. You enquire from the dog's profile, the foster carer talks to you, then visits for a yard check before the adoption. Dogs come desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and wormed, and the fee is refunded if the dog comes back within three weeks. See adopting a dog with ARF.
Best fit for: Adopters who want a foster carer's view of how a dog behaves at home.
Friction points: The carer chooses the home, so a popular dog may take several enquiries.
Browse adoptable dogs in Canberra
See the Canberra dogs listed right now, in one place.
All adoptable dogs in Canberra →Across the border: Queanbeyan
The Queanbeyan pound sits just over the border in New South Wales and rehomes dogs and cats too, under NSW rules. Our Queanbeyan pound guide covers its hours, fees and how to adopt.
After-hours care in Canberra
Animal Referral Hospital Canberra at Pialligo is open 24 hours a day, all year. Animal Emergency Service Canberra at Lyneham opens weekday nights from 6pm to 8am and around the clock on weekends and public holidays. Canberra winters are cold and frosty, so give a new dog a warm bed and shelter, and shade and water through summer.
What does not make a rescue a good or bad choice
- The size of the fee. Fees reflect the vet work already done, not the quality of the dog.
- Shelter or foster home. Neither is better. A shelter is quicker to visit; a foster home tells you more about daily life.
- A familiar name. A small volunteer group can be the best match for your household.
- What to check every time. Before you pay, confirm in writing whether the dog is desexed and what the fee covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt a dog in Canberra?
The three main places are RSPCA ACT at 12 Kirkpatrick Street, Weston, the ACT Government shelter run by Domestic Animal Services on Mugga Lane, Symonston, and ACT Rescue & Foster, a volunteer network whose dogs live in foster homes. RSPCA ACT also adopts out through five Canberra Petbarn stores. Checking all three gives you the widest choice.
How much does it cost to adopt a dog from RSPCA ACT?
RSPCA ACT sets fees in bands. Most adult dogs between 6 months and 8 years cost $395, popular breeds and mixes cost $650, and seniors or dogs needing extra support cost $195. Puppies under 6 months start at $700. Every dog is desexed, microchipped, vet checked and treated for fleas, ticks and worms.
Can I adopt a dog straight from the Canberra pound?
Yes. Domestic Animal Services rehomes dogs from its Symonston shelter. Walk-in adoptions run weekdays from 10am to 3pm and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm, with no appointment. The adoption fee is $109.95, plus registration of $66.55 and a microchip fee if needed. A dog that is not desexed must then be desexed at your own vet.
How does ACT Rescue & Foster work?
ACT Rescue & Foster places dogs with foster carers, mostly dogs it has taken from the ACT and Queanbeyan pounds. You send an enquiry from the dog’s profile, the carer talks to you about your home, then visits for a yard check. Adult dogs cost $450, puppies under 16 weeks $650 and dogs over 10 years $300.
Do I need to register my dog in the ACT?
Yes. Every dog over 8 weeks old that lives in the ACT must be microchipped and registered. You pay a one-time fee of $66.55 when you first register, then renew free each year. All dogs over 6 months must also be desexed unless you hold a permit from Domestic Animal Services.
Where do I go if my new dog gets sick at night?
Animal Referral Hospital Canberra in Pialligo is open 24 hours a day. Animal Emergency Service Canberra in Lyneham opens weekday nights from 6pm to 8am and around the clock on weekends and public holidays. Save both numbers on the day your dog comes home.
Registering your dog in the ACT
Under the Domestic Animals Act 2000, every dog over 8 weeks old that lives in the ACT must be microchipped and registered. You pay a one-time fee of $66.55 when you first register, then renew free each year through the ACT Digital Account. See dog registration.
All dogs over 6 months must be desexed unless you hold a permit, and dogs must be on a lead outside designated off-leash areas. See responsible dog ownership in the ACT.