Best Lab Rescues For Adoption In Ohio

When you’re ready to add a dog to your family, you can search for a lab rescue in Ohio to find your furry friend. Whether you’re looking for a lab mix rescue or senior lab dogs for adoption, these seven best lab rescues have something for everyone.

Once you see the labs available to adopt from these seven rescues, you’ll have a tough time deciding who you’re going to bring home. After the application process and home visits, you’ll love your new pet so much that you’ll wonder “Who’s rescuing who?”

Best Lab Rescues In Ohio

1. Greater Dayton Labrador Retriever Rescue

For people looking to adopt lab dogs in Ohio, GDLRR features purebred labs and lab mixes that are five years old or younger. If you’re looking for a senior dog, you won’t find it here.

The organization has an extensive adoption application. If you’re unable to adopt but want to foster an animal, you can apply for that through the GDLRR website, too.

The rescue sets adoption fees according to the age of the animal. Fees include spaying or neutering, vaccines, and heartworm tests. 

GDLRR is a non-profit organization, but there’s no information on the site to back this up. There’s also no information about who runs the rescue or if they have a Board of Directors.

2. Almost Home Dog Rescue of Ohio

AHDRO is a non-profit, endorsed by GuideStar, run entirely by volunteers. All donations and adoption fees go to care for the dogs.

While the volunteers and Board of Directors aren’t listed on the website, the contact page has a lot of information about each department so you can contact them directly.

All AHDRO dogs live with foster families, so you’ll meet the pup at their foster home. The foster parent has the final say in the adoption, and you can give them the paperwork and take home your new pet at that point.

Adoption fees vary according to the dog’s age and breed. All dogs have medical care while they’re fostered, including spaying or neutering, heartworm testing, vaccinations, and microchipping.

3. Fairfield County Dog Adoption Center & Shelter

When you’re adopting through FCDACS, you first find the dog that looks like a good match for your family. Contact or visit the shelter to learn more about the dog’s availability and history.

If you’re still interested, you’ll fill out the adoption form, and a staff member reviews it. They’ll ask interview questions if necessary, but otherwise, you can pay the fee and take your dog home the same day.

For example, the shelter doesn’t ask if you have a fenced-in yard. You’ll want to have a yard for your dog if possible, but it’s also a good idea to crate train them. The shelter’s site provides informational resources related to this training.

The shelter’s website also has information about licensing your dog so they have tags to wear. If your dog doesn’t have tags and escapes, someone might return them to the shelter. You can contact the shelter or check the online database to see if they found your dog.

4. Charlie’s Wish Animal Rescue

Charlie’s Wish Animal Rescue is a lab rescue in Ohio, the Columbus region specifically. It’s a non-profit that houses all rescues in foster homes so they’ll get quality care and socialization. 

You can search available dogs on the website before you apply and mention the name of the dog you like on the form. But the organization knows that liking a dog’s picture is different than being a good match. They compare your living situation to the foster home to see if you’re able to care for the dog as it needs.

For example, they ask if you have a fenced yard and how you’ll exercise the dog if not. They want to know where the dog will sleep, and that you make their crate a safe space that they can’t escape from.

If your application moves on, you can meet the dog at its foster home. This meeting gives everyone in your family the chance to connect with the pup to see how you get along before you take your new pet home.

5. Berea Animal Rescue Friends

Berea Animal Rescue is a Cincinnati lab rescue that has no time limit on how long the animals can stay. This commitment shows that ARF wants to match each dog with the best possible family.

The adoption fee covers a check-up, spaying or neutering, a heartworm test, vaccinations, and a microchip. Though ARF doesn’t conduct a home visit, you want to ensure you have a great environment for your new pet. For example, even if you have a fenced-in yard, you’ll want a good crate for when they’re inside.

The organization runs completely on donations and the help of more than 300 volunteers. They’re a non-profit with a small staff and Board of Directors profiled on their leadership page.

6. Heaven to Earth Rescue Inc.

Heaven to Earth Rescue Inc is a lab rescue near Cleveland that started over 17 years ago. The founders noticed an overpopulation problem but weren’t able to get puppy mills to stop breeding dogs. The owners went to vet school to take the best care of the animals they rescued.

This rescue only has puppies for adoption — no older dogs or other animals. If you’re looking for an English labrador rescue in Ohio, you might find one at Heaven to Earth Rescue Inc. You can always see what puppies they have on their website.

If you find a lab you like, you can click on their profile and apply directly on that page. The adoption counselors review your application and schedule an interview.

Adoption fees vary according to the puppy and cover spaying or neutering, medical care, and vaccinations. Since this organization is a non-profit, fees and donations also cover the care of a dog relating to food, bedding, treats, and more.

7. Belmont County Animal Shelter

This Northeast Ohio lab rescue is a county-run, no-kill shelter. In addition to providing animals to adopt, they also help owners find lost pets and keep all animals in the community healthy.

You can view available labs on the website, along with other dogs and cats. You can also apply online to adopt an animal. If they accept your application, you pay the adoption fee and take home your new pet.

This shelter is unique because they allow animal rescues to adopt dogs as well. They have a separate application for rescues that asks just as much information as the standard adoption form. 

It’s good to know the shelter offers this because it can help prevent overcrowding. Overcrowded shelters aren’t healthy for the animals, so it’s clear that Belmont County cares about their dogs and cats.

How To Pick Rescues?

When you’re buying from a breeder, you have a chance to get to know the parents before you ever meet your pup. The parents should be well-socialized and healthy. Breeders always have the animals’ health in mind, so they’ll have a great living environment for the dogs. They’ll have experience with breeding and a good reputation.

Moreover, if you want to adopt dogs from breeders in other places, you might want to check out other lists of reputable centers:

• Top 5 Labradoodle Rescues in Illinois – Puppies for Adoption
• Top 5 Labradoodle Rescues In Indiana – Puppies For Adoption
• Top 5 Labradoodle Rescues In Minnesota – Puppies For Adoption
• Top 6 Labradoodle Rescues In Michigan – Puppies For Adoption

Cost Of Buying From Breeders?

Buying a dog from a breeder is going to be exponentially more expensive than adopting from a shelter. You can expect to spend anywhere from $500 to $5,000 for a purebred puppy.

Adoption Duration (From Application to Purchase)

Adopting from non-profit, volunteer-run rescues can take anywhere from a week to a month. There’s no full-time staff, so you have to wait until volunteers are able to process your application. They might do a phone interview and a house visit before you ever meet the dog. 

Since the dogs live with foster families, you have to wait until the foster has time to meet with you. After you meet the dog, the foster family still has the final say on if you’re a good fit. If they approve, you can give them the final adoption contract and the adoption fee and take your new pet home.

Tips For New Pet Owners

It takes time to adapt to having a new animal in your home. Give your dog the time and space to explore the house and familiarize themselves. Take time to train them, and don’t use their crate as punishment — it should be a safe space.

Make sure you have the food they like, give them plenty of water, and have treats to reward their good behavior. Start a routine as soon as possible so your dog knows when you get up, when they’ll go on a walk, when they’ll eat, when they can play, and more. This structure will help them feel more comfortable in your house.

Conclusion

If you’re an Ohio resident searching “lab rescue groups near me,” then we hope these seven best rescues help you find your new pet. You can also find other information on our site, such as Goldendoodle rescues in Ohio. 

Share this article with the animal lovers in your life, and share your thoughts and adoption experiences in the comments — we love to hear from our readers.