The short answer
You can adopt a Basset Hound in Adelaide, though purebreds are uncommon in rescue, so set alerts across the main South Australian rescues and stay open to a Basset cross. A rescue adoption fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet check, against several thousand dollars from a breeder, and the breed is not prescribed in South Australia. The honest part is the upkeep: a Basset is stubborn and nose-driven, so recall is unreliable and training takes patience, it drools and bays, and it must be kept lean to protect its long back. Meet those needs and a rescue Basset is a gentle, devoted, comical companion.
Why Basset Hounds reach Adelaide rescue
A purebred Basset is uncommon in rescue, but a steady few and their crosses reach South Australian rescue, usually for one reason: the reality of the breed was underestimated.
Stubborn and nose-driven. The Basset was bred to follow a scent for hours, so it is single-minded, slow to recall and can seem to ignore you entirely when it has a trail. Owners expecting an easy, biddable dog can find the training harder work than they bargained for.
Drool, baying and shedding. The loose jowls drool, the hound voice is loud, and the short coat sheds steadily. None of it is a problem for a prepared owner, but it surprises some.
Weight and vet costs. Bassets gain weight easily, and extra kilos on that long back lead to joint and spinal problems and real vet bills, which can tip a struggling household into surrender.
Where to adopt a Basset Hound in Adelaide
Set listing alerts on every rescue you would consider, and add hound and small-to-medium-breed networks. For a fuller directory, see our guide to the best dog rescues in Adelaide.
1. RSPCA South Australia
The state body runs its main shelter and adoption centre at Lonsdale, with animals also in foster care across Adelaide. Hounds and hound crosses come through via owner surrender, and every adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping, a vet workup and a behavioural assessment. Apply at rspcasa.org.au.
2. Animal Welfare League SA
South Australia's largest animal welfare organisation, based at Wingfield with a strong foster network. It handles a large intake of surrendered and stray dogs, so a Basset or hound cross turns up from time to time, always with a behavioural assessment, and adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet check. Listings at awl.org.au.
3. Paws and Claws Adoptions
A foster-based South Australian rescue that rehomes a broad mix of dogs and crosses. Because dogs live in foster, you get a clear picture of the real temperament, the drool and the energy level before you commit, and the application usually includes a home check. More at pawsandclawsadoptions.com.au.
Beyond these, the fastest way to scan many South Australian rescues at once is PetRescue, a national aggregator that lists animals from hundreds of member rescues in one searchable place. Browse the current Basset Hounds and Basset crosses on the Adelaide Basset Hound listings.
What a Basset Hound costs: adopt versus buy
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue adoption fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check, so the dog arrives ready to bring home and, if you adopt an adult, with a known temperament.
A Basset puppy from a breeder, by contrast, runs to several thousand dollars with none of that vet work done yet. So adopting is many times cheaper up front. Separately from the adoption fee, in South Australia you register and microchip the dog through Dogs and Cats Online, the state-wide database, and your local council sets the registration fee, which is reduced for a desexed dog, so there is no single Adelaide-wide figure.
The ongoing cost to plan for is vet care: regular ear cleaning for the long, floppy ears, weight management, and the joint and spinal issues the long heavy body is prone to. Pet insurance taken out while the dog is young is well worth having with this breed.
Living with a Basset Hound, and the health picture
The Basset is gentle, affectionate and wonderfully easygoing, happy to amble and snooze, but it is a scent hound through and through: stubborn, food-motivated and led by its nose, so recall is unreliable and training rewards patience and good humour rather than force. It drools, it bays, and it loves company. Keep it on lead or securely fenced, keep it lean, and it is one of the most loveable companions there is.
On health the breed is prone to ear infections from the long ears, to eye conditions such as glaucoma, cherry eye and entropion, to back problems from the long spine, to bloat, and above all to obesity, which makes every other problem worse. A rescue Basset arrives vet-checked, so ask the rescue what the in-care assessment found, keep the dog lean, clean the ears regularly, and insure it while it is young.
Basset Hounds and South Australian dog law
The Basset Hound is not a prescribed breed in South Australia and is legal to own and rehome normally. Under the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995, a dog must be microchipped and, for dogs born after mid 2018, desexed by six months of age unless a vet grants an exemption, and registered through Dogs and Cats Online with your local council. Any dog of any breed can be declared a dangerous, menacing or nuisance dog based on its behaviour. A rescue Basset arrives already desexed and microchipped, so you simply transfer it into your name on Dogs and Cats Online.
Browse adoptable Basset Hounds in Adelaide
A purebred Basset is uncommon, so set an alert and stay open to a Basset cross. Browse live South Australian listings now.
See Available Basset Hounds →If you have been searching “Basset Hound puppies for sale”
Plenty of people arrive here after searching for a Basset puppy to buy, and for this breed adoption has a real advantage: an adult rescue Basset lets you see the temperament and health you are taking on, where a puppy is a gamble on a breed prone to back and joint problems. The for-sale listings are easy to find, but this breed attracts backyard breeding that skips health testing, along with the occasional scam, so a cheap puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met is a warning sign rather than a bargain. In South Australia a dog must be microchipped and registered through Dogs and Cats Online, so ask any seller for the microchip number and confirm it before you pay, and cross-check anything that feels off against Scamwatch.
Adoption costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home. If you can offer the patience and the weight management a Basset needs, register your interest with rescues, set alerts, and be patient; the right dog does come up.
Adult or puppy, and is a Basset Hound right for you?
For almost every adopter an adult is the better choice, because an adult shows you the real temperament and health, where a puppy is a gamble and a Basset puppy needs careful management of its growing joints and back. An adult often has some training in place and a lower adoption fee.
Be honest about whether this breed fits your life. A Basset Hound is a gentle, funny, affectionate dog for an owner who can laugh at the stubbornness, keep the dog lean, stay on top of ear care and vet bills, and accept the drool and the baying. It is not the breed for someone who wants reliable off-lead recall or a tidy, low-maintenance dog. If you can offer all of that, a rescue Basset is a devoted companion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt a Basset Hound near me in Adelaide?
Start with the live listings on this page, which pull Basset Hounds and Basset crosses from shelters and foster-based rescues across South Australia, then widen out. RSPCA South Australia, the Animal Welfare League SA and Paws and Claws Adoptions all rehome dogs including the occasional hound, and PetRescue aggregates many smaller South Australian rescues in one place. A purebred Basset is uncommon in rescue, so set listing alerts, stay open to a Basset cross, and have your application ready.
Why do Basset Hounds end up in rescue?
Usually because the stubbornness, the drool, the baying and the weight-management needs were underestimated, not because of anything wrong with the dog. The Basset is a scent hound bred to follow a trail with its nose down and its ears out, which makes it loveable but single-minded, slow to recall and prone to putting on weight that strains its long back. Owners who expected an easy couch dog can find the reality harder work, and a change of circumstances does the rest. In a patient home the Basset is gentle, funny and devoted.
How much does it cost to adopt a Basset Hound in Adelaide versus buying one?
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue adoption fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check, where a Basset puppy from a breeder runs to several thousand dollars with none of that vet work done yet. Separately from the adoption fee, in South Australia you register and microchip the dog through Dogs and Cats Online and your local council sets the registration fee, which is reduced for a desexed dog. The ongoing cost to plan for with this breed is the vet care: ear cleaning, weight management and the back and joint issues the long, heavy body is prone to.
Are Basset Hounds a restricted breed in South Australia?
No. The Basset Hound is not a prescribed breed and is legal to own and rehome normally in South Australia. Under the Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 it simply needs to be microchipped, desexed by six months of age unless a vet grants an exemption, and registered through Dogs and Cats Online with your local council. A rescue Basset arrives already desexed and microchipped, so you simply transfer it into your name.
Are Basset Hounds good with children and other pets?
Generally yes. The Basset is one of the most easygoing, tolerant breeds, usually gentle and patient with children and sociable with other dogs, and many live happily alongside cats they have been raised with. Supervision around young children is sensible with any dog, and the strong prey and scent drive means small pets such as rabbits need care. A foster carer who has lived with the individual dog can tell you exactly how it is with children, cats and other dogs.
Should I adopt an adult Basset Hound or a puppy?
For most adopters an adult is the better choice, because an adult shows you its real temperament and health, where a puppy is a gamble, and Basset puppies need careful management of their growing joints and back. An adult often has some training in place and a lower adoption fee. A foster-assessed adult Basset matched to a patient home is the easiest way into the breed.
Are there free Basset Hounds in Adelaide, or very cheap ones?
Be cautious with free or very cheap Basset Hounds. A legitimate rescue charges an adoption fee that part-covers the desexing, vaccination, microchipping and vet check the dog has already had. A Basset advertised free to a good home, or well below a rescue fee, is often a backyard-breeding or impulse-rehoming situation. In South Australia a dog must be microchipped, desexed and registered through Dogs and Cats Online, so ask any seller for the microchip number and confirm the dog is registered before you pay anything.
I keep seeing Basset Hound puppies for sale. Is adopting really an option?
It is, and for this breed adoption has a real advantage, because an adult rescue Basset lets you see the temperament and health you are taking on, where a puppy is a gamble on a breed prone to back and joint problems. The for-sale listings are easy to find, but this breed attracts backyard breeding and the occasional scam, so a cheap puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met is a warning sign rather than a bargain. In South Australia a dog must be microchipped and registered through Dogs and Cats Online, so ask for the microchip number and check it before paying anything. Adoption costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home.
Do Basset Hounds need much exercise?
Moderate, steady exercise rather than high-intensity running, but it matters more than people expect, because a Basset gains weight easily and extra kilos strain its long back and heavy joints. Daily walks on lead (the nose means recall is unreliable, so an open off-lead area is risky) plus a securely fenced yard keep the breed fit. Keeping a Basset lean is one of the kindest things an owner can do for it, so build the walks and the portion control into the routine from day one.
Keep reading
Adoptable Basset Hounds in Adelaide
Live listings with foster carer notes on temperament and health.
Best Dog Rescues in Adelaide
The verified shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with across South Australia.
Dog Adoption in Adelaide
Browse adoptable dogs and every breed guide for Adelaide.
Adelaide Adoption Resources
Guides on adopting, costs, council rules and settling a rescue dog in Adelaide.