Arizona Cattle Dog Rescue

Arizona Cattle Dog Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and ultimately re-home abandoned, stray and neglected Australian Cattle Dogs throughout the state of Arizona. Whenever possible, we also assist ACDs who, because of extenuating circumstances, are unable to remain in their homes with their owners.

Arizona Cattle Dog Rescue obtains dogs at risk of death or abandonment from shelters, private owners and the streets. ACDR finalized 32 adoptions in 2021. Since our 2010 inception, ACDR has saved over 1,200 dogs! Every ACDR dog is fully vetted prior to adoption. This includes spay/neuter, full vaccination and microchip, plus treatment of any special condition or injury.

ACDR is a foster-based rescue organization with no central physical facility. 30+ volunteers bring abandoned dogs into their homes, obtain veterinary care for them, provide training, and coordinate their adoptions by loving families.

Why rescue? Why breed-specific rescue? Why cattle dogs in Arizona?

Overpopulation of domestic animals is a horrific problem in the US whose most common solution is wide-scale killing of healthy, friendly, adoptable animals. Irresponsible breeding practices and failure to spay or neuter domestic animals cause this societal and environmental problem.

Rescue organizations aim to lessen euthanasia statistics by finding homes for abandoned animals and by preventing future unwanted litters through aggressive spay and neuter programs.
Breed-specific rescue helps align volunteers and adopters with the types of dogs they prefer and for which they have expertise. ACDR works with shelters and other rescues to find cattledogs at risk of euthanasia

Australian cattle dogs, or "blue heelers", are very popular ranch dogs who can be instrumentally helpful in managing livestock. Their popularity in Arizona, coupled with thoughtless breeding, coupled with a bold and stubborn personality, results in many of these dogs being abandoned in the shelters, on the streets, and out in the vast desert.