Nova Scotia is a wonderful place to raise a dog. While it may be on the colder side, there are many dogs well-adapted to the climate, which is why the province is home to tons of dog owners.
With that said, not all owners are responsible and end up abandoning or neglecting these dogs.
And that’s where dIf og rescues step in. These facilities are dedicated to rescuing and rehoming pets.
But if you plan on supporting these rescues, you have to choose reputable and reliable facilities.
That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best dog rescues in Nova Scotia, where we take a deep dive into the details of why they are the best and how you can support them.
Read on to learn more.
We kick things off with Marley’s Hope. This dog rescue is dedicated to making life easier on pets. So, they operate as a non-profit organization that rescues pets and finds them new homes that are capable of handling their needs.
With that said, Marley’s Hope ensures that all dogs are ready when put up for adoption. To do this, they apply all the necessary treatments and alterations to dogs that enter this facility.
These include vaccinations, spaying, neutering, and even behavioural therapy for certain pets. And even if a dog is too young for altering, the facility will raise them until they are ready so that all dogs leave the facility in peak condition.
Additionally, they make sure all dogs get the right treatment. So, after a dog has recovered from all the necessary alterations, they are moved to a foster home. That way, the facility has no need for kennels or cages.
And when the dog finds a new home, they are already used to living in a loving and caring household. So, the dog barely has to make adjustments.
With that said, Marley’s Hope largely relies on donations and volunteer work. So, if you’re looking to help out, you can either make a donation or sign up to volunteer at the facility. Additionally, you could even offer your home for foster care if that fits your needs.
But the easiest way to support the facility is to adopt a dog. And to start the process, you can head here.

2. Integrity’s Haven Equine Rescue Center
If you take a look at the name, it could be easy to assume that this facility only rescues horses. But that is far from the truth since Integrity’s Haven Equine Rescue Center offers its services to dogs, cats, horses, and all other types of pets.
Whenever there’s an animal in need, Integrity’s Rescue Center is here to help. This includes rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming the dogs. So, the staff at the centre will make sure that all the animals at their facility find new homes.
While the centre offers a variety of services, they still need your help and support. To be able to find new homes for these animals and facilitate their rehabilitation, the facility needs funding.
So, if you want to help them keep doing what they’re doing, consider making a donation to their website. Alternatively, you can also volunteer at the facility and lend a direct helping hand.
And if you want to adopt one of the pets from the facility, whether it’s a dog, cat, or horse, you have to be ready for the task. But if you think you have the space, time, and dedication to adopt a pet, you can start the adoption process on their website.
Before leaving the facility, all pets are vaccinated, neutered or spayed and given all the necessary treatments to make life easier on the animal and the new pet owner.
You can find this animal shelter near the Bridgewater area in Nova Scotia, which means it’s a convenient option for a lot of people. From their facility, the SHAID Tree Animal Shelter rescues and rehabilitates unwanted and neglected dogs.
With that in mind, the facility has a strict no-kill policy that applies to all pets. So, if there’s an animal at the facility that can’t be adopted for any reason, they can live their days out in the shelter. That way, no dog or cat gets euthanized for no reason.
Additionally, the shelter aims to make a positive change throughout the community.
Aside from their sheltering and re-homing services, they also host educational programs. This is to educate the public about animal welfare and responsible pet ownership. That way, there are fewer unwanted dogs out in public.
The goal of SHAID Tree Animal Shelter is to reduce the overall need for dog rescues and animal shelters. This is why they spend a lot of time educating the public about what it means to have a pet and the commitment it requires.
If you would like to support the SHAID Tree Animal Shelter, you can adopt a dog from their facilities. Alternatively, you can also show support by making a donation, offering your home for foster care, and volunteering at the facility.
With that said, make sure to read up on the SHAID Tree Animal Shelter’s adoption policy before trying to adopt a pet. That way, you’ll understand the entire process and stay informed of the fees you have to pay.
But rest assured that all the money you pay for the adoption fee goes towards the facility’s services, and they don’t make a profit from it.
One of the biggest reasons Misfit Manor is one of the top dog rescues in Nova Scotia is that they accept all breeds. Unlike breed-specific shelters, you can find a wide array of dogs available for adoption at Misfit Manor.
Misfit Manor aims to facilitate the re-homing and rehabilitation of all pets. So, if you’re a pet owner that can no longer care for your pet (for whatever reason), you may contact Misfit Manor to safely surrender your dog.
That way, you can rest assured that your dog will be treated well at the shelter while the team looks for their new forever home.
If you plan on adopting from Misfit Manor, it’s best to read up on their adoption policy first.
Whenever a person tries to adopt from the facility, they have to go through a six-step process. This includes submitting an application, reference checks, two meet and greets, and a home visit before you are approved. This is to ensure that you and the family are good matches for the dog and have the space required to raise the pet.
Additionally, you will have to pay a $500 fee when adopting a pet. This is the adoption fee that goes to the facility, helping Misfit Manor rescue more dogs from a wider area.
Misfit Manor doesn’t operate to make a profit. So, all the money you pay for adopting a dog goes to the vet and other expenses that the dogs may incur during their stay.
If you aren’t ready to adopt a dog but you still want to help, you can also consider making a donation or volunteering at Misfit Manor. Since Misfit Manor funds its operations out of donations, little things can go a long way for the staff and dogs at the centre.
Good Bones Dog Rescue is largely considered to be the premier dog rescue in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. So, if you live in or around that area and want to adopt a dog, Good Bones Dog Rescue could be the right option for you.
Additionally, this dog rescue is run by volunteers and animal lovers. That way, every dog that sets a paw in the facility will be treated properly and fairly. And before they are put up for adoption, the team makes sure to rehabilitate the dogs to allow for a much easier adjustment process when they enter their forever homes.
While adopting is the easiest way to help the shelter, it’s not the only way you can support the cause.
After rehabilitating the dogs, the Good Bones Dog Rescue team moves them to a foster home. They do this so that the dogs are in a caring and loving home even before adoption.
Living in a kennel or cage can be traumatizing for dogs, no matter how well they are treated. So, the foster care system prioritizes the dog’s welfare above anything else.
With that in mind, offering your home for foster care is a huge help to the facility. So, if you have the space, you can read about how to foster a dog on this page.
You may also make a direct donation to Good Bones if you don’t think fostering is the right option for you.
And if you want to adopt a dog from the facility, you need to fill out the form beforehand. You will also have to pay a $400 adoption fee that will go straight to the efforts of Good Bones.
Before you are approved for adoption and allowed to bring the dog home, you need to go through a screening process. And to ensure that the dogs are matched with the right home, the screening process can take at least seven days to complete.
Conclusion
And those are the best dog rescues in Nova Scotia. All of these facilities offer help to many dogs in the region. On top of that, they are very transparent and make sure that all the donations go straight to helping the pets.
So, if you’re looking for a reputable facility to adopt a dog or planning on making a donation to a trusted rescue centre, any one of these choices will suit you well. However, for adoption, you have to make sure that you’re ready to take on the task and go through the screening process.
And once you figure out which dog rescue would suit your needs the best, all you have to do is head to their website to volunteer, make a donation, or start the adoption process.