I Found a Dog or Puppy

SCAA Dog Adoption Services

As Shanghai’s dog lovers and owners know, local animal control regulations impose many restrictions on the type, size and number of dogs allowed.  Yearly licenses are mandatory and random inspections are becoming more frequent.

Due to the strict dog licensing controls in Shanghai, SCAA has had to change the way we help dog rescuers find good permanent homes for their rescued dogs.

SCAA no longer has an active network of dog foster homes.  However, we continue to have an extensive network of supporters who are dog lovers and we receive many requests from potential adopters looking for healthy and social dogs.  We are happy to continue bringing rescued dogs and potential adopters together, but unfortunately SCAA cannot assist rescuers with a temporary home. 

We are always willing to discuss placing licensed dogs looking for a new home into SCAA foster care, if we have the fostering resources available.

Although we cannot physically take possession and legal responsibility for any unlicensed dog you decide to rescue, SCAA’s can assist dog rescuers who agree to follow SCAA dog adoption policies with re-homing rescued dogs by:

1. referring rescuers to Western-standard veterinary care options;
2. offering an initial vet consultation discount with our vet partner, PAW
3. posting photos and a story of the dog on our website adoption gallery
4. opening access to regular SCAA Adoption Days for the dog/puppy to meet potential adopters
5. contributing towards any spey/neuter costs (upon the dog’s adoption through SCAA)

 If you have rescued a dog and would like SCAA’s help finding the dog a good permanent home, please read details about SCAA’s new Dog Adoption Services process:

• SCAA’s Dog Adoption Director must approve any dog/puppy to be re-homed through SCAA’s network.  Once approval is given, SCAA will arrange for a (one time, initial) discounted PAW vet consultation.  This is to ensure all dogs adopted through SCAA have been consistently assessed for good health and temperament. 

Rescuers book their PAW appointment, advise SCAA of the date and time and SCAA will confirm the discount;

• Rescuers who find a dog/puppy are responsible for caring for the (unlicensed) dog in their home until a good permanent home is found through SCAA’s adoption network (based on SCAA’s experience, this process could take weeks or months). 

If you have a pet dog, then you should follow immediate quarantine procedures to ensure the dog or puppy you rescued does not pass any contagious diseases.   Reasonable precautions (separate room and food), rather than unfounded panic over disease, are the recommended approach.

• Rescuers are responsible for licensing their rescued dog and bear the risks associated with choosing not to do so;

• The rescuer is responsible for all medical care costs for the dog until the time of adoption through SCAA.  At a minimum, this includes flea and worm treatment and vaccinations.   For significant costs such as spay / neuter, SCAA will reimburse the cost of this necessary procedure (less the rescuer’s RMB 500 contribution) upon the dog’s adoption through SCAA;  

• SCAA will post photos and a story of the dog on our website’s Adoptable Pet Gallery and field adoption enquiries on the rescuer’s behalf;

• Once the approved dog/puppy has received a first vaccination, the dog/puppy should attend all SCAA Adoption Days to have the opportunity to meet as many potential adopters as possible; and

• Rescuers must provide records of Western-standard medical care from an SCAA approved veterinarian before the dog can be adopted through SCAA’s adoption network and before receiving any financial contribution from SCAA for the spey/neuter cost;

SCAA’s Dog Adoption Director will review dog re-homing terms with each individual rescuer and SCAA reserves the right to terminate access to our adoption network where a rescued dog is found to be too ill (e.g. chronic illness) or too ill-tempered (e.g. prone to biting people) or in situations where rescuers have provided medical care through unapproved clinics or veterinarians.

For more information or dog re-homing assistance, please contact SCAA Dog Adoption Director Jaycee Chan at