Have you been considering adopting a new furry pal? With dog-friendly coffee shops, bakeries, bars and parks, Cincinnati is a great place to be a pet owner. While there are many good boys and girls looking for their forever home, there’s a lot to think about when making the decision to bring home a pet. What kind of breed is right for you and your lifestyle? What adoption agencies should you look at? If you’re serious about making this life step, adopting a pet is very rewarding — for you and the pet that gets a new home.

We’ve compiled a list of available pets from a few local adoption programs to help you on your mission of finding the pet that’s right for you. This is just a small glimpse into each agency’s list of adoptable pets. If you are interested in seeing what else they have to offer, visit their websites listed below. Also, keep in mind that each program has their own application process and some take longer than others.

HART Animal Rescue | contactus@rescueahart.org, rescueahart.org Louie’s Legacy | 513-655-8643, louieslegacy.org Ohio Alleycat Resource | 513-871-0185, ohioalleycat.org Recycled Doggies | 513-275-5842, recycleddoggies.com Save The Animals Foundation |513-561-7823, staf.org  SPCA Cincinnati | 513-541-6100, spcacincinnati.org Stray Animal Adoption Program | 859-391-1234, adoptastray.com If you’d like to help out the cause but aren’t able to adopt right now, you can always donate to one of these rescues or a number of other local pet adoption organizations.

*Some pets in the slideshow may have pending adoptions. Please contact the rescues for more info. **All caption information taken from pet listing.

Alexis Age: 2 months old / Breed: Beagle / Sex: Female / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “Meet the Schitt’s Creek gang. These little Schitt’s are adorable 2 month old beagle mix puppies and weigh about 8 lbs. They will be medium sized when fully grown. These puppies are extremely affectionate and love to be with their humans. They give the best puppy kisses! The Schitt’s Creek gang are fun, adventurous and confident. They love to explore, rough house with each other and snuggle with their humans.” Photo via
Beaker Age: 1 year old / Breed: Basset Hound / Sex: Male / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “This is Beaker, a 1 year old Basset Hound mix! Beaker was a stray whose kind neighbors worked for a long time in order to take him off of the streets. When Beaker came into rescue, he was underweight at 22 pounds but we are working hard on getting him to a healthy weight. His foster mom said that it hasn’t been hard as he LOVES food and treats! His favorite treat is peanut butter but you will find that he isn’t picky! Beaker has been skittish of new people when he meets them but he warms up quickly and once he is your friend, he is your BEST FRIEND!” Photo via
Tito Age: 2 months old / Breed: Papillon/Spaniel mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “These adorable 2 month old puppies are ready to swoop into your heart! Their mom, Molly, seems to be a Papillon/Spaniel mix, but dad is a mystery! They currently weigh about 7 pounds, so they will likely grow into small adult dogs. They have typical energy levels for puppies and love to play. If you are looking for an energetic ball of cuteness, you have come to the right place!” Photo via
Toto Age: Senior / Breed: Yorkshire Terrier Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: Save The Animals Foundation “Toto is just 13 pounds at the initial weigh-in and (best guess) around 9 years old (est. birth 12/10). He and Glinda have been shaved down to remove the mats … they have been set-up in a room of their own and made as comfortable as possible in a shelter … and they are receiving multiple doses of TLC daily from our volunteers. They’re grateful to be in out of the cold, but would be so much happier in a home of their own, with some warm laps to curl up in. Got a little room in yours for a little love or two? Please contact us to arrange a meeting!” Photo via
Inga aka Babs Age: 4.5 year old / Breed: Basset Hound & Beagle Mix / Sex: Female / Rescue: HART Animal Rescue “Meet Babs, She came to HART as a stray from rural KY. The shelter named her Inga but her foster mom felt that didn’t fit and calls her Babs. Babs is a 4 to 5 year old #40 Bassett Hound mix. She came to HART with double cherry eye and a flea allergy which caused her to lose a lot of fur. She’s had surgery for her eyes, her skin has cleared up, and all of her soft fur grew back beautifully. Babs is now ready for her forever home. This is what her foster mom has to say about her: Babs has three favorite things: 1. Couch surfing 2. eating 3. playing and running in the yard. These are in no particular order as she seems to enjoy all three equally. Babs is smart & sweet and I’d consider her to be a medium energy level dog. She needs exercise but also loves to curl up and cuddle with us. Typical for the breed she can be quite vocal when excited.” Photo via
Nin Age: 7 years old / Breed: Domestic Long Hair / Sex: Female / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “My name is Nin! I am a 7 year old, DLH and love to be held! Because I’m a little older, it might take me a second to adjust to new surroundings, but once I decide that you are my human, I become the best nap mate! I would love a family to snuggle with an hang out with on the couch. Who better to go through quarantine with than me?!” Photo via
Fluffernutter Age: 6 years old / Breed: Great Pyrenees mix / Sex: Female / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “Fluffernutter is a 6 year old Great Pyrenees mix! This adorable girl loves just about everyone! Weighing in around 60 pounds, she is working on putting on some much needed weight. Fluffer is great with other dogs, loving to run and play with them. After she’s finished playing, she’s ready for a nap or some snuggles! She adores people but is also an independent girl, knowing when to go and lay down or play by herself if her foster mom is busy.” Photo via
Marilyn Age: 4 years old / Breed: Domestic Short Hair / Sex: Female / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “Hello gorgeous, my name is Marilyn. I’m a 4 year old, beautiful white cat, and boy, do I love people. I’m a pretty friendly cat, and I like to rub up against you, and let you scratch behind my ear all day long. I came into the rescue pregnant, so I’m still adjusting to my postpartum life. Now that my kittens are up for adoption, it’s my turn to find my forever home as well. I share a foster home with other cats and dogs, but I’ve spent most of my time taking care of my babies, so my foster mom isn’t too sure how I’ll do in a home with other animals yet. If you’re looking for a purrrty girl to take home, look no further than me!” Photo via
Moxy Age: Adult / Breed: Shepherd & Dachshund Mix / Sex: Female / Rescue: Save The Animals Foundation “Moxy has lost her home twice over… so who can blame her for being a little insecure? Her first family moved to a place that didn’t allow pets. After a short stay at STAF, she was adopted by a nice, loving lady who was very generous with sweet words and snuggles. But Mox, with her protective shepherd genes and doxie spunk, needs more. Without a strong, sure human to take the lead, Moxy became very protective of her owner both inside the house and out … which made her family more and more anxious … which only reinforced Moxy’s tendencies. A series of unfortunate events added to her inner turmoil: the death of her dog companion, the move to a new house with a smaller, unfenced yard, and the introduction of an invisible fence. (Not the right option for this already stressed dog.)” Photo via
Parker Age: 2 year old / Breed: Yellow Labrador Retriever & Shar-Pei Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: HART Animal Rescue “Alfalfa (Parker) is a 2 year old, 80-ish pound, Lab/Shar Peit mix who was adopted as a puppy and recently brought back to HART. His mom was a Shar Pei mix who was pregnant upon coming to HART, and had her puppies in a warm loving foster home. Parker is generally a very sweet dog and loves getting attention from adults. He loves being outside unless it’s rainy. If the weather is nice, he has to be dragged in from the backyard! He’s house trained, crate trained, graduated from obedience class last year and is good with his commands unless there is another dog around to distract him. He would likely be best in a house with just adults and as an only dog where he can get all the attention!! He loves sleeping in bed but will sleep in his crate with no issues if need be. Although he’s 2 years old, and mostly well behaved, he can still have some puppy tendencies (chewing, stealing food) but also loves his lazy afternoons sleeping on the couch.” Photo via
Crowley Age: 6 year old / Breed: Rottweiler / Sex: Male / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “Crowley is a big boy weighing in at around 90 lbs. He is a 6 years old Rottweiler mix. Crowley knows his basic commands (plus a few tricks) but he sometimes forgets when he’s excited. Because Crowley is such a high energy big guy, he will need firm boundaries. He loves going on walks, playing with other dogs, playing fetch, and chewing on bones. Crowley is suspicious of strangers and needs proper introductions when meeting new people. He is a sweet goofy boy that loves to snuggle after playing hard. Crowley would do best in a home with no children.” Photo via
Izzy Age: 3 months old / Breed: Labrador Retriever / Sex: Male / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “Izzy is three months old, ten pound lab mix. He is on the smaller side, and will probably end up medium-sized when grown. Being a puppy, he’s inquisitive, affectionate, and prone to bursts of energy – plus he’s adorable! Izzy loves playing tug-of-war, exploring his backyard, and cuddling on your lap with a chew toy. Right now, he’s working on house-training and crate-training, and usually sleeps through the night in his crate. He catches on to new ideas pretty quickly, especially when there’s food involved.” Photo via
Doc Age: Adult / Breed: Domestic Short Hair & Tabby Mix / Sex: Female / Rescue: SPCA Cincinnati “Seeking an intelligent female who’s warm and loving but that doesn’t demand constant attention? That describes Doc and in this case, it’s not too good to be true! This young girl is independent and although she likes affection, she likes to do her own thing as well. Doc is on the petite side with gorgeous marbled brown and white markings and obvious smarts in her golden eyes. Come visit Doc and you’ll be charmed.” “Photo via
Halferdid Age: Adult / Breed: Greyhound & Hound Mix / Sex: Female / Rescue: SPCA Cincinnati “Sweet Halferdid already knows what it is to belong to a family, and is eager to find love again. Sadly, the woman who had Halle since she was a pup is no longer able to care for her due to her own health issues and living situation changes. Halle was, as you can imagine, confused and scared upon arrival, but soon found comfort in our volunteers’ TLC and assurances that her forever family will soon come find her. Until then, we are enjoying getting to know this beautiful girl with the funny name.” Photo via
Graley Age: 6 year old / Breed: German Shepherd Dog & Coonhound Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: HART Animal Rescue “Graley is a total love bug and leans his head into your hand when you pet him. Graley loves pets, any attention he can get, and his tail is always wagging when you are talking to him. He is great at listening to sit and lay commands. He comes when he is called and goes to a bed when you point to it. This sweetheart absolutely loves dog beds. If there is something soft on the floor, that’s where he wants to be. While he doesn’t care much for toys, he does love his chewing snacks or frozen Kong’s. Graley has had no accidents and does not show any destructive behaviors when bored.” Photo via
Miss Ivy Age: Senior / Breed: Calico & Domestic Short Hair Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: HART Animal Rescue “Meet Miss Ivy! She’s a calico looking for a forever home with loving people. She’s lost her favorite person, her cat buddy of 6 years and her home – all in the last year. Even with all that, once Ivy gets to know and trust you she’s very sweet and loves to head-butt and get lots of petting. She’s always happy to see her foster mom (she loves feeding time) and is even rolling over (see photo) for tummy rubs. Though she’s lived outside most of her life (with garage shelter at night), she has perfect house manners and is very tidy with her food and water bowls, scratching post, and litter box. Really the perfect house cat! With time, she might be able to adjust to living with another cat but would probably be happiest as an only cat. No children under ten, please.” Photo via
Pinkle Age: Adult / Breed: Domestic Short Hair / Sex: Female / Rescue: HART Animal Rescue “Pinkle has been a bit challenging to post as she has much better things to do than to pose for a pic – she loves to play and be on the move! After snapping at least two dozen deleted pics of the end of her tail or a blurred cat in mid air, we settled for her cute little upside down face, the lovely markings on her back, and the one where she is responding to all my futile efforts by sticking out her tongue!” Photo via
Lancelot Age: Adult / Breed: Domestic Short Hair / Sex: Male / Rescue: HART Animal Rescue “Meet Lancelot the best couch potato cuddle bug you’ll ever meet! Lance is a lover who knows no personal space most of the time he wants to nap on top of his human (I promise you’ll love it) Lance is a talker and has the cutest meow he kind of sounds like Chewbacca Lance is FIV positive but it’s not a big deal he is healthy and gets along well with other friendly cats. While Lance hasn’t been around dogs, he is so low key and chill I think he would do just fine with a nice low energy dog friend and a good introduction.” Photo via
Chip Age: 1 year old / Breed: Beagle & Shepherd Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: HART Animal Rescue “CHIP, and his brother Dale, were rescued from a hoarding situation where there were over SIXTY dogs in the house! CHIP is a year old, 30 pound Beagle mix (our best guess). This means they didn’t get a much if any, attention. Although he came to us frightened and scared, he is making great progress in his foster home. Initially, he would urinate whenever his foster tried to touch him but is now seeking a scratch on the head and is willingly taking treats from her hand. While Chip follows his foster mom around the house, he won’t approach her unless she’s sitting on the couch. With some time, love, and patience, Chip will ultimately become a great lap dog! Even though he’s scared, Chip has never offered to bite and doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his body. He prefers to bark then run and hide. Chip is crate trained but as most dogs expect a treat after being a good boy and going into his crate when told.” Photo via HART Animal Rescue
Cortland Age: 8 months old / Breed: Shepherd mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: Louie’s Legacy “Cortland loves to watch and chase birds. He enjoys playing fetch and running whenever possible. Cortland loves to chew on rope toys or anything that is left around the house. He also enjoys taking long afternoon naps and cuddling at night. Cortland is house trained but still gets excited from time to time and may have a minor accident. He likes to preform tricks for treats and always aims to please. Cortland is used to being in a crate, but he will most definitely miss you and whine or bark for a while before settling down. He has completed basic puppy training and is ready to join a loving, energetic family!” Photo via
Esmerelda Age: Senior / Breed: Dilute Tortoiseshell / Sex: Female / Rescue: SPCA Cincinnati “Esmerelda was rescued from a hoarding situation when she was a kitten and has grown up to become an elegant cat with a gentle demeanor and a spunky streak. If you enjoy both the therapeutic benefits of stroking a responsive pet and interactive playtime, Esmerelda is your girl. Her coat is a lovely example of what is called a dilute tortoiseshell; in which the typically bold black and rust colors are replaced with soft tones. Her subtle pattern alternates gray and tan; she has an apricot star on her forehead. Esmerelda will make a wonderful companion, so come in to meet her today!” Photo via
Gianni Age: Young / Breed: Labrador Retriever & Shar-Pei Mix / Sex: Male / Rescue: SPCA Cincinnati “Gianni (pronounced like “Johnny”) was much loved by his former family. They had taken him to the vet under our shelter’s spay/neuter grant, which helps dogs and cats in our community. But Gianni had too many skin infections to be neutered and needed a fairly intensive skin treatment. The poor guy was miserable and itchy. Wanting the best for Gianni and unable to afford his ongoing care, the family asked STAF to nurse him back to health and see him safely to a family that could provide all the TLC he deserves. You will see both before and after photos of Gianni in his profile. In just a short period of time, his coat is now shiny, thick and beautiful!” Photo via
Rico Age: Adult / Breed: Domestic Short Hair / Sex: Male / Rescue: SPCA Cincinnati “A couple using electric clippers to trim the English ivy growing up the side of their house could swear they heard a squeaking noise. But each time they turned off the loud clippers, the noise also ceased. At last, the discovery of a tiny orange kitten hidden in the ivy proved their sanity. The well-meaning couple brought the little fuzzball to STAF, Fortunately, a nursing momma kitty, Calypso, accepted him into her litter and, rather ironically, Rico soon became her favorite. Until Calypso was adopted from STAF, Rico was never far from her side. Perhaps for this reason, he was initially very shy with people, running when quickly approached but reminded that touching is nice once enduring it. Rico, however, has come a long way and gained considerably in confidence. He even approaches people for petting now and is occasionally bossy with the other cats in his room. Play brings this svelte orange tabby out of his shell, so it is important that his family make time for entertainment. A little patience (and a few treats) will make Rico your bff!” Photo via
Rachel Age: 7 years old / Breed: Chihuahua Mix / Sex: Female / Rescue: HART Animal Rescue “Meet RACHEL! RACHEL is a chihuahua assumed to be around 7 years old and joined HART in December after being surrendered to a shelter in WV along with the other 5 small dogs she lived with. After transport to HART and while on the table for her spay, she was found to be pregnant! RACHEL delivered her puppies at the end of January and has been an absolutely amazing momma. The time has now come to find this girl the forever home she deserves. Like most chihuahuas, RACHEL really enjoys following her people around and being involved in whatever is going on in the house. Want to take a nap- great, she will burrow all the way under the blankets and snooze right along with you! Cooking in the kitchen- she’d love to help! Watching your favorite reality TV show- she will curl up in your lap ready for the drama! Looking for very regular kisses- she’s your girl!” Photo via
Papaya Age: Adult / Breed: Torbie / Sex: Female / Rescue: SPCA Cincinnati “Papaya is elegant, with beautiful markings in unusual amber and red tones. At times she loves being held, snuggling into your neck and shoulder, while at others she can be little feisty. She is also a pro at table tennis!” Photo via