Campbelltown Pound and Dog Rescues: Where to Adopt

Where to adopt a dog near Campbelltown

The council facility is the closest option for most of Macarthur, and many of its dogs are local strays. Our Campbelltown dog adoption page lists the dogs we track from these groups.

1. Campbelltown Animal Care Facility, Rose Street

The Campbelltown Animal Care Facility is run by Campbelltown City Council at 2 Rose Street, off Blaxland Road. It takes in impounded and surrendered animals and rehomes them. Its office is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm for paperwork, strays and reclaiming a lost pet. The office number is 02 4645 4790.

Animal viewings run Monday to Friday from 12.30pm to 3.30pm and on Saturday from 10.30am to 3.30pm. Note that these are shorter than the office hours, so plan your visit around them.

How adopting from the facility works

Find a dog on the council's animals for adoption page and submit an expression of interest from its profile. The form asks about your lifestyle and expectations, and staff then contact you about next steps.

On adoption day, the council books the dog in with its contracted vet for desexing. Staff take the dog to the vet in the morning, and you collect your new dog from the vet that afternoon.

What it costs

The council lists $401 for a dog over four months and $450 for a puppy, or $350 for pensioners. For a dog over four months that covers a C3 vaccination, a health check, desexing, heartworm testing, microchipping and registration. The council sometimes runs reduced-fee adoption drives, so check the current listing.

Other rescues serving Campbelltown and Macarthur

Animal Welfare League NSW at Kemps Creek and RSPCA NSW at Yagoona are the nearest large Sydney shelters. DCH Animal Adoptions has foster carers across south-west Sydney, out to Wilton. Because its dogs live in homes, the carer can usually tell you how a dog behaves day to day.

How to choose where to adopt

• Check the viewing times. They are shorter than the office hours, so a weekday lunchtime or a Saturday works best.
• Fill in the expression of interest fully. It helps staff match you with a dog that suits your home.
• Plan the afternoon pick-up. You collect your dog from the council vet after desexing, so keep that afternoon free.
• Ask about other dogs and children. Many listings say whether a dog must meet everyone in the home first.

Registering your new dog

Every dog in NSW needs lifetime registration on the NSW Pet Registry by six months of age, and a dog must be microchipped by 12 weeks under the Companion Animals Act 1998. A desexed dog from an eligible pound, shelter or approved rehoming organisation qualifies for $0 lifetime registration. A Campbelltown Animal Care Facility adoption already includes registration, so check the details are in your name. Our Sydney dog registration guide explains the steps.

Red flags and pet scams

Scammers know people search for cheap or free dogs. The usual pattern is a bargain puppy, a seller who will not meet, and a request for a deposit or transport fee first. Never send money before you have met the dog in person, and adopt through a council facility or a rescue with its own website. Report suspicious ads to Scamwatch.

Frequently Asked Questions

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