Get notified when a Jack Russell Terrier is listed in New Zealand
We will email you the moment a Jack Russell Terrier becomes available in New Zealand, from a rescue or an owner rehoming.
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2 rescue Jack Russell Terriers are available for adoption across New Zealand right now. Every listing links straight to the rescue.
We will email you the moment a Jack Russell Terrier becomes available in New Zealand, from a rescue or an owner rehoming.
The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog breed originating in England. Adult dogs typically weigh 5.9 to 7.7 kg and live 13 to 16 years. Typical traits: bold, tireless, clever, high-prey-drive.
Very active homes that will give a small, driven terrier real exercise, training and a secure yard. Jack Russells are clever, fearless and endlessly energetic, and they excel at dog sports. Sedentary households, homes with small pets, or anyone fooled by the size into expecting a lapdog. An under-exercised Jack Russell is a demolition crew.
Adult Jack Russell Terriers need about 60 minutes of daily exercise; adolescent dogs typically need 75 minutes. The coat is short-coated with moderate shedding, and brushing every 3 weeks keeps the coat manageable.
Use the city links to narrow to your area, or browse the full list below.
Breed-associated conditions worth asking any rescue about before you adopt. A good rescue will already know whether a dog has been assessed for these.
Degeneration of the hip joint seen in small breeds, usually in young dogs.
Source: VCA →Inherited eye conditions the breed is prone to; a red or cloudy eye needs urgent vet care.
Source: VCA →Editorial summary for adopters, not medical advice. Ask the rescue about a specific dog's health, and consult your vet for individual guidance.
Jack Russell Terriers in New Zealand are listed by a range of local rescues and shelters. Applications, home checks and adoption decisions are handled by the rescue directly. LocalPetFinder brings the listings together so you do not have to check each rescue separately, and does not take a fee.
Prefer to search closer to home? Jump straight to Jack Russell Terrier listings in each New Zealand city.
As of November 2026, Jack Russell Terriers are uncommon in New Zealand rescue, only 2 are listed right now across 1 rescue on LocalPetFinder. They are usually adopted quickly, so it is worth applying early or setting an alert.
LocalPetFinder lists Jack Russell Terriers available for adoption from rescues across New Zealand and New Zealand. Every listing links straight to the rescue that has the dog, and the application is handled by them, not by us.
Jack Russell Terriers typically live 13 to 16 years.
Adult Jack Russell Terriers need about 60 minutes of daily exercise. Adolescent dogs (under 2 years) typically need 75 minutes, more than mature adults.
Breed-associated conditions to ask the rescue about include Patellar luxation, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, Glaucoma and lens luxation. See the citations in the health section above for authoritative information on each. This is an editorial summary, not medical advice, so check with your vet for individual guidance.
Not for sale, for adoption, which is usually the better deal. Every Jack Russell Terrier here comes from a New Zealand rescue or shelter, not a breeder, pet shop, or classified seller. If you searched "jack russell terrier for sale new zealand" or "jack russell terrier puppies for sale", adopting gets you a healthy, vetted dog for a fraction of the price.
You can buy from a registered breeder, but it is worth weighing against adoption first. If you do buy, insist on seeing where the puppies were raised and getting vet records, and check the breeder against your local pet-sale rules. For most families in New Zealand, adopting a rescue Jack Russell Terrier is cheaper, faster, and gives a dog in need a home.
Both, but adults far outnumber puppies, and it is worth knowing that before you start looking. Most Jack Russell Terriers arriving in New Zealand rescue are adolescents and adults, because that is the age at which first homes tend to give up. Puppies do come through, usually as accidental litters or with a surrendered mother, and they are typically spoken for quickly. Setting an alert beats refreshing the page. It is also worth asking whether you actually want one: an adult arrives with a temperament a foster has already observed and described, where a Jack Russell Terrier puppy is a prediction, and for this breed in particular knowing what you are getting is the more useful thing.
Start with the listings on this page, which pull from New Zealand rescues and shelters and are refreshed regularly, so what you see is what is genuinely available rather than a stale directory. If nothing suits today, that is normal for this breed: rescue intake is intermittent rather than steady, and a breed with none listed this week often has several next month. Setting an alert beats checking back, and it is worth widening to nearby suburbs and towns, since most rescues serving New Zealand will adopt out across a reasonable driving distance rather than only inside one council area.
If you can no longer keep your Jack Russell Terrier, you can list them for free on LocalPetFinder. Your dog stays at home until you find the right family, you screen who applies, and there is no fee to list. Not sure yet? Our guide to surrendering a dog walks through every option first.
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