The short answer
You can adopt a Brittany in Perth, but only if you are an active owner. This is a high-energy working gundog that needs well over an hour of real exercise a day plus mental work, and most reach rescue when that need is underestimated. Purebreds are uncommon in rescue, so 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 Brittany 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. Give it the exercise, patient reward-based training and company it needs, and you have a cheerful, devoted companion.
Why Brittanys end up in Perth rescue
A Brittany in rescue is rarely a difficult dog. It is usually a lovely, bright gundog whose energy outran its last home.
The energy is the whole story. The Brittany was bred to hunt and work in the field all day, so it comes with real stamina and drive. People drawn to its handy medium size and cheerful face sometimes picture an easy family dog, then meet a dog that needs well over an hour of hard exercise a day and a job for its mind. Without that outlet a Brittany becomes restless, anxious, barky and destructive, and that is a common path to surrender.
Sensitivity matters too. Brittanys are soft, sensitive dogs that do best with patient, positive training and close family contact. Handled harshly, left alone too long or under-stimulated, they can become timid or anxious, which owners sometimes misread as the dog being difficult rather than under-served.
Life changes and housing. Some Brittanys reach rescue through no fault of their own after a move, a relationship breakdown or a change in work hours that left the dog alone and under-exercised. Housing pressure in Perth, where many homes are rented or under a strata or body corporate scheme, adds to the number that come in.
Where to adopt a Brittany or Brittany cross in Perth
Because Brittanys are uncommon in general rescue, a wide alert net is the right approach. Set listing alerts on every rescue you would consider, and add gundog and active-breed 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 under a pro-life policy. A broad mix of dogs and crosses comes through, including active gundog types, 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, 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 it is listed, so you get an honest read on a dog's energy and temperament 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 an active dog such as a Brittany cross lives in a home while it waits. Because the dog lives in foster care, the notes on its energy, exercise needs and behaviour with people and other animals tend to be detailed and honest, which matters most for a working breed. SAFE Perth lists at safeperth.com.au and SAFE at safe.org.au. Both operate under the SAFE banner in WA, so confirm which organisation holds a given dog.
4. PetRescue
A national aggregator that lists Brittanys and Brittany 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 calling itself a Brittany rescue that asks for money before you have confirmed a real address, a current adoptable-dog list and registered status. Browse the current Brittanys and crosses on the Perth Brittany listings.
What a Brittany costs: adopt versus buy
Adoption is far cheaper at the outset. A rescue fee for an adult Brittany or Brittany 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 Brittany from a breeder in WA, by contrast, often runs to several thousand dollars, with none of that vet work done yet.
The ongoing cost is simply an active dog's keep: good food, routine parasite prevention, vet care, and the time and space for real daily exercise, plus pet insurance taken out while the dog is young. Council registration under the Dog Act 1976 is a separate yearly cost set by your local council, reduced for a desexed and microchipped dog, with a further discount commonly available to pensioner and concession card holders. Check the WA Government dog ownership hub and your own council for the current amount. The biggest long-term saving is adopting an assessed adult: you see the real energy level and temperament rather than gamble on a puppy.
Living with a Brittany, and the health picture
The Brittany is cheerful, affectionate, sensitive and people-oriented, a clever gundog that trains beautifully with patient, positive methods and thrives on having a job. In an active home it is a joy. The commitments are real daily exercise and mental work, gentle handling that suits a soft dog, and company, because it bonds closely and does not cope with being left alone all day. In the Perth climate, time the exercise around the heat: work the dog in the cool of the day and carry water.
On health the Brittany is a relatively hardy breed, but like many dogs it can be prone to hip problems, some eye conditions, ear infections given the drop ears, and epilepsy in some lines. A rescue Brittany arrives vet-checked, so ask the rescue what the in-care assessment found, keep the dog fit and lean, keep the ears clean and dry, and insure it while it is young.
Brittanys and WA dog law
The Brittany is not a restricted breed in Western Australia. Under the Dog Act 1976 the five restricted breeds are the American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. The Brittany is legal to own and to rehome normally, and 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 reduced fee for a desexed and microchipped dog. Check the WA Government dog ownership hub and your council for registration details.
Browse adoptable Brittanys in Perth
Brittanys 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 Brittanys →If you have been searching “Brittany for sale Perth”
Plenty of people arrive here after searching for a Brittany to buy, and the for-sale listings outnumber the rescue ones, so buying can feel like the only route. Reputable breeders exist, but for a high-drive working breed an adult rescue dog has a real advantage, because you can see the energy level and temperament you are taking on rather than gamble on a puppy. 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. Backyard breeding of a working breed often skips the early socialisation it needs. WA does not run a Pet Exchange Register or breeder source-number scheme, 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 microchip paperwork before you pay anything. The RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase has good guidance on choosing a dog and avoiding poorly bred puppies.
Adult or puppy, and is a Brittany right for you?
For most adopters an assessed adult is the better choice, because the energy level and temperament are already clear rather than a gamble, and an adult often has some training in place and a lower adoption fee. A Brittany puppy is a high-energy project that needs careful socialisation and a lot of exercise and training as it grows. A settled adult matched to an active home by the rescue is the sensible way into the breed, and an older Brittany off its peak energy can be a wonderful, calmer match.
Be honest about whether this dog fits your life. A Brittany is a brilliant, cheerful companion for an active person or family who will genuinely commit to real daily exercise, patient reward-based training and plenty of company. It is not suited to a sedentary home, an owner who is out all day, or anyone wanting a low-exercise dog. If you can offer the exercise and the company, a rescue Brittany is a devoted, joyful friend. If not, a calmer breed will suit you both far better than adopting and surrendering later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I adopt a Brittany 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 rescues SAFE Perth and SAFE. Be realistic about supply. Purebred Brittanys are uncommon in rescue, so Brittany crosses and other gundog 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, and never send money before you have confirmed a real, registered rescue.
Why do Brittanys end up in rescue?
Almost always because someone underestimated the energy, not because of any fault in the dog. The Brittany is an energetic gundog bred to work in the field all day, so it needs a lot of daily exercise and some mental work, and without it a Brittany becomes restless, anxious and destructive. Owners who pictured a medium, easy family dog often find themselves with far more drive than they planned for, especially through adolescence. Some reach rescue after a move, a relationship breakdown or a change in work hours that left the dog alone and under-exercised. Housing pressure in Perth, where many homes are rented or under a strata scheme, plays a part too. The temperament is usually lovely: most just needed an active owner who could meet the exercise need.
How much does it cost to adopt a Brittany versus buy one?
Adoption is far cheaper up front. A rescue fee for an adult Brittany or Brittany 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 Brittany 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 main ongoing cost is simply an active dog's keep: good food, the time and space for real daily exercise, routine parasite prevention, vet care, and pet insurance you take out while the dog is young.
Are Brittanys restricted in Western Australia?
No. The Brittany 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 Brittany 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 registration fee for a desexed and microchipped dog.
How much exercise does a Brittany need?
A lot, and this is the make-or-break question for the breed. The Brittany is a true working gundog with high stamina, so it needs well over an hour of real exercise a day, not a gentle stroll, plus mental work such as training, scent games or a canine sport to tire the mind as well as the body. A bored, under-exercised Brittany is where the behaviour problems start. In the Perth climate that exercise has to be timed around the heat: run the dog in the cool of early morning or evening, carry water, and avoid hard exercise in the middle of a hot day. If you are an active person or family who will genuinely commit to that, a Brittany is a brilliant companion. If not, it is the wrong breed.
Are Brittanys good family dogs?
They can be excellent family dogs for an active household. A well-exercised Brittany is affectionate, cheerful, sensitive and people-oriented, and many are gentle and playful with children. The two things to plan for are the exercise need, which is non-negotiable, and the sensitivity: Brittanys respond best to patient, positive, reward-based training and can be timid or anxious if handled harshly or left under-stimulated. They bond closely and do not suit a home that is out all day. The foster carer's notes on a specific dog with children and other pets predict the fit far better than the breed average, so ask.
Should I adopt an adult Brittany or a puppy?
For most adopters an assessed adult is the better choice, because the energy level and temperament are already clear rather than a gamble, and an adult often has some training in place and a lower adoption fee. A Brittany puppy is a high-energy project that needs careful socialisation and a lot of exercise and training as it grows. A settled adult, matched to an active home by the rescue, is the sensible way into the breed, and older Brittanys that have come off their peak energy can be a wonderful, calmer match.
I keep seeing Brittany puppies for sale. Is adopting really an option?
It is, and an adult rescue Brittany has a real advantage because you can see the energy level and temperament you are taking on rather than gamble on a puppy of a high-drive breed. The for-sale listings are easy to find and reputable breeders exist, but 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 backyard breeding of a working breed often skips the early socialisation it needs. WA has no breeder source-number register, 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 microchip paperwork before you pay anything. Adoption costs a fraction of a breeder price and gives a vet-checked dog a home.
Keep reading
Adoptable Brittanys in Perth
Live listings of Brittanys and crosses across Perth and WA rescues.
Best Dog Rescues in Perth
The verified WA shelters and foster rescues to set alerts with.
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.