The short answer
You can adopt a Basset Hound in Perth, but take on the hound, not the cartoon. This is an affectionate, relaxed dog with a powerful nose, a stubborn will, a loud bay, poor recall and a real tendency to gain weight. Set alerts across Dogs' Refuge Home WA at Shenton Park, RSPCA WA at Malaga, the foster-based SAFE Perth and SAFE, and PetRescue, be application-ready, and stay open to a Basset cross or an older dog. Adoption runs about $600 for an adult, all-inclusive, against several thousand dollars from a breeder, and the breed is not restricted in WA. Offer patient training, a secure yard, careful weight and ear management, and you have a gentle, devoted companion; expect instant obedience and you will both be frustrated.
Why Basset Hounds end up in Perth rescue
The honest first lesson is why they land in rescue, because understanding that tells you whether the Basset is right for you.
People expect a placid couch dog and get a scent hound. The droopy, mournful look sells a picture of a lazy, obedient pet. Underneath is a determined hunting hound with an extraordinary nose that will follow a scent clean through a recall command. Owners surprised by the stubbornness, the nose-led wandering and the general refusal to be hurried can find the breed harder work than they bargained for.
The baying wears thin. A Basset has a deep, loud, carrying bay, and a bored or lonely one uses it. In a close-neighbour or strata setting in Perth, that noise becomes a real source of complaints and pressure to rehome.
Weight and health costs mount. Bassets love food and gain weight easily, and extra kilos punish a long back and heavy frame, leading to joint and spinal problems and bigger vet bills. An owner who did not manage the weight or budget for the ear and back issues can end up overwhelmed.
What this means for you. A Basset in rescue is rarely a broken dog. It is usually a gentle, characterful hound whose stubbornness, noise or health needs outran a home that expected something easier. If you have patience, humour, a secure yard and the discipline to keep the dog lean, you are looking at a wonderful, affectionate adoption.
Where to adopt a Basset Hound or Basset cross in Perth
Because Bassets are uncommon in general rescue, a wide alert net is the right approach. Set listing alerts on every rescue you would consider and add hound-focused foster networks. For a fuller directory, see our Perth adoption resources hub.
1. Dogs' Refuge Home WA
A dogs-only, not-for-profit shelter at Shenton Park in inner Perth, running since 1935 and one of Australia's oldest animal welfare agencies. Hounds and hound crosses appear from time to time, and adoption includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping and a vet check. Browse the current dogs at dogshome.org.au.
2. RSPCA Western Australia
The state welfare body, running since 1892, with its Animal Care Centre at 108 Malaga Drive in Malaga, northern Perth. Adoptions run by appointment and every animal is health- and behaviour-checked before listing, which gives you an honest read on a dog's temperament and any weight or ear issues before you commit. Apply at rspcawa.org.au.
3. SAFE Perth and SAFE
Both run a foster-care model rather than a central metro shelter, so a Basset or hound cross lives in a home while it waits. The foster notes on temperament, noise, recall and behaviour with people and other animals tend to be detailed and honest, which helps you match the dog to your household. SAFE Perth lists at safeperth.com.au and SAFE at safe.org.au. Confirm which organisation holds a given dog rather than assuming they are the same office.
4. PetRescue
A national aggregator that lists Basset Hounds and Basset crosses from many smaller WA rescue groups in one searchable place, at petrescue.com.au. It is the fastest way to scan many WA rescues at once.
Be wary of any group that asks for money before you have confirmed a real address, a current adoptable-dog list and registered status. Browse the current Basset Hounds and Basset crosses on the Perth Basset Hound listings.
What a Basset Hound costs: adopt versus buy
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue fee for an adult Basset Hound or Basset cross through a Perth rescue commonly runs about $600, and the rare puppy usually more, and that fee already covers desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check. A breeder puppy in WA, by contrast, often runs to several thousand dollars with none of that vet work done yet.
Council registration is a separate legal step, set by your local council rather than a single Perth figure. Under the Dog Act 1976, a dog must be microchipped by 3 months and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months, with a substantially reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog and a further concession for pensioners. Check the WA Government dog ownership hub and your own council for the current amount.
The ongoing cost of a Basset is mostly health management: careful weight control, regular ear cleaning, and vet care for the back, ear and eye problems the breed is prone to, plus routine parasite prevention and pet insurance taken out while the dog is young. An assessed adult rescue dog also lets you see the temperament and any known history rather than gamble on a puppy. The biggest long-term saving is keeping the dog lean, which heads off most of the joint and spinal trouble that makes an overweight Basset expensive.
Basset Hounds are not restricted in WA
The Basset Hound is not a restricted breed in Western Australia. Under the Dog Act 1976, only five breeds are restricted: the American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. The Basset is legal to own and to rehome normally. It simply needs to be microchipped by 3 months of age and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months, with a substantially reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog. The dangerous-dog framework under the Act applies to any breed on the basis of behaviour, not to a gentle hound by type.
Browse adoptable Basset Hounds in Perth
Bassets are uncommon in rescue, so crosses and older dogs appear more often than purebred puppies. Browse live WA listings and set an alert so you hear the moment one comes in.
See Available Basset Hounds →If you have been searching “Basset Hound for sale Perth”
Plenty of people arrive here after searching for a Basset to buy, and the for-sale listings outnumber the rescue ones, so buying can feel like the only route. Reputable breeders do exist. But before you spend anything, know that the online market for popular purebred puppies is one of the more scam-prone corners of the pet world in Australia. A cheap puppy or a deposit request for a dog you have not met in person is a warning sign rather than a bargain, and Scamwatch has documented deposit scams for puppies that do not exist.
A seller who will not show you both healthy parents is a red flag, and the breed's exaggerated low build and long ears mean careless breeding can worsen back, eye and ear problems that a responsible breeder screens against. WA does not run a Pet Exchange Register or a breeder supply-number scheme, so there is no source number to look up here. The practical safeguard is the microchip: a dog sold or given away legally in WA must be microchipped and registered, so ask to see the microchip paperwork before you pay anything. Adoption sidesteps much of that: it costs a fraction of a breeder price, gives a vet-checked dog a home, and an assessed adult asks far less guesswork about temperament and health than a puppy. The RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase has good general guidance on choosing a dog and avoiding poorly bred puppies.
The housing reality: renting and neighbours in Perth
A Basset Hound is legal everywhere in WA, but the practical hurdles are noise and neighbours. A good share of Perth homes are rented or sit under a strata or body corporate scheme, and a loud bay carries, so a Basset that bays when left alone can quickly generate complaints. A secure, escape-proof yard also matters, because a nose-led hound will wander if it finds a gap.
If you rent, confirm dogs are allowed in writing before you apply, and be ready with a short pet resume: desexed, microchipped, council-registered, vaccinated, parasite-protected, and ideally with a reference from a foster carer or previous landlord. Addressing the noise question head-on, with a plan for company and enrichment so the dog is not left to bay, reassures both a landlord and the rescue.
Adult or puppy, and how to choose
For almost every adopter an assessed adult is the more responsible choice, and Basset puppies are rare in rescue anyway. An adult has a known temperament the rescue can describe, an established size and health picture you can see, often some house training in place, and a lower adoption fee. Basset puppies are stubborn, slow to house-train and prone to overdoing it on growing joints, so raising one is more work than the placid adult picture suggests.
When you choose, read the foster carer's notes closely. They will tell you how a specific dog does with children, cats, other dogs and being left alone, how vocal it is, and whether it has any back or ear issues, and that record predicts the fit far better than the breed average. For more adoptable dogs across the city, see the best dog rescues in Perth, and sort out council registration before your new dog comes home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt a Basset Hound near me in Perth?
Start with the main Perth shelters and rescues: Dogs' Refuge Home WA at Shenton Park, RSPCA WA at Malaga, and the foster-based SAFE Perth and SAFE. Purebred Basset Hounds are uncommon in rescue, so Basset crosses, often blended with Beagle or other hound types, show up more often than full purebreds. Set listing alerts across every rescue you would consider, have your application ready, and stay open to a cross or an older dog. PetRescue lists dogs from many smaller WA rescues in one place. Never send money before you have confirmed a real, registered rescue.
Why do Basset Hounds end up in rescue?
Usually because the easygoing look hid a stubborn, scent-driven hound. People picture a placid couch dog and get a dog with the second-best nose in dogdom, a will of its own, poor recall, a loud bay and a strong tendency to gain weight. An owner who expected an obedient, quiet pet can be worn down by the baying, the determined nose-led wandering and the vet bills from a long-backed, heavy dog. Housing is a factor in Perth too, where baying carries in a strata or close-neighbour setting. Others reach rescue through a move or a life change. The temperament is usually lovely; most just needed an owner who understood the hound underneath.
How much does it cost to adopt a Basset Hound versus buy one?
Adoption is far cheaper up front. A rescue fee for an adult Basset Hound or Basset cross through a Perth rescue commonly runs about $600, and the rare puppy usually more, and that fee already includes desexing, vaccination, microchipping, worm and flea treatment and a vet check. A Basset from a breeder in WA, by contrast, often runs to several thousand dollars with none of that vet work done yet. So adopting is many times cheaper at the outset and the dog arrives already vetted. The ongoing cost worth planning for is health-related: Bassets are prone to ear infections, back trouble and weight gain, so budget for careful weight management, ear care and pet insurance taken out while the dog is young.
Are Basset Hounds restricted in Western Australia?
No. The Basset Hound is not a restricted breed in WA. The five restricted breeds under the Dog Act 1976 are the American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. The Basset is legal to own and to rehome normally. Like any WA dog it needs to be microchipped by 3 months of age and before it changes hands, and registered with your local council from 3 months, with a substantially reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog.
Do Basset Hounds cope with the Perth climate?
They manage with care. The Basset has a short, easy coat, but its long, low-slung body and heavy build mean it feels the heat and should be walked in the cool of the morning or evening, never on hot pavement that can burn the paws and sits close to that low belly. Provide shade and water, and keep the dog lean, because extra weight makes heat and the breed's back problems far worse. Keep up year-round parasite prevention, and watch those long ears, which trap moisture and warmth and are prone to infection.
Is a Basset Hound a good first dog?
It can be, for the right calm, patient household. The Basset is affectionate, moderate in energy and gentle, which suits a first-time owner who wants a relaxed companion rather than a running partner. The honest catch is the stubbornness and the nose: training takes patience and humour, recall is never reliable so the dog stays on lead or in a secure yard, and the baying can be loud. If you can live with a scent hound on its own terms and commit to weight and ear management, a Basset is a rewarding first dog. If you wanted instant obedience, look elsewhere.
Are Basset Hounds good family dogs?
Yes, they are among the more easygoing family hounds. A well-socialised Basset is patient, affectionate and tolerant, and many are excellent with children, happy to amble along with family life rather than demand constant action. The things to manage are supervision around small children given the long back, which should not be jumped on or allowed to leap from heights, and the food focus, since a Basset will happily overeat. Early socialisation and steady, patient training help. As always, a foster carer's notes on a specific dog with kids and other pets predict the fit far better than the breed average, so ask.
Is it safe to buy a Basset Hound online?
Be careful, because popular purebred puppies are one of the more scam-prone corners of the pet world in Australia. A cheap puppy, a deposit request for a dog you have not met in person, or a seller who will not show you both healthy parents is a warning sign rather than a bargain, and Scamwatch has documented deposit scams for puppies that do not exist. The breed's exaggerated low build and long ears also mean careless breeding can worsen back, eye and ear problems, which a responsible breeder screens against. WA has no breeder source-number register to look up, so the practical safeguard is the microchip: a dog sold or given away legally in WA must be microchipped and registered, so ask to see the paperwork before you pay anything. Adoption sidesteps most of that risk.
Keep reading
Adoptable Basset Hounds in Perth
Live listings of Basset Hounds and Basset crosses across Perth and WA rescues.
Best Dog Rescues in Perth
The verified shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with across Perth and WA.
Registering a Dog in Perth
Council registration, microchipping and the WA rules for a new dog.
All Dogs for Adoption in Perth
Every adoptable dog we track across Perth and WA shelters and rescues, updated regularly.