Available to Adopt

chocolate labrador retriever

Dogs Available For Adoption

Want to adopt a Lab? Meet our Labrador retriever dogs available for adoption! You’ll find dogs who are ready for immediate adoption, and others who will be soon. 

Labrador Rescue rehomes more than 300 Labrador Retrievers each year, and around half are advertised right here. So keep an eye on this page for updates – your new best friend may be waiting for you!

How do I Adopt a Labrador?

  1. Complete the Labrador Adoption Application. 
  2. We’ll assess your application and let you know if you’re a pre-approved adopter.
  3. Watch this page and our Facebook Page for new dogs available for adoption, and dogs who will be available soon.  
  4. If we list a dog you think would be perfect, contact us. Please include the name of the dog and whether you have been pre-approved to adopt. The matching team will be in touch.

Filters

Got Questions?

We’re always happy to answer your questions about Labrador adoption. We want you to be completely confident applying for your new best friend.

How does the Lab adoption process work?

Found a potential adoptee? Please fill in our adoption application form as soon as possible! Our rescue dogs are very popular. Once you’re all approved as a prospective adopter, we’ll submit your application to our matching team. If they think you’re a terrific match, they’ll pass on your details to the foster family for consideration. If the foster family agrees that you’re a perfect match, they’ll call to arrange a meet and greet. Following a successful meet and greet, you’ll have a two-week trial period to get to know the dog to see if they’re a great fit for your home.  

What happens if the trial is unsuccessful?

Unsuccessful trials are stressful for the dog, the adoptive family and the foster carer (who likely loves your dog and had a little cry in their car after handover). We’ve refined our matching process carefully to ensure maximum success at trial. But we also know things happen, so if you’re not completely comfortable, please get in touch. Your foster carer is invested in ensuring the dog lives his or her best life, so we will always welcome an unsuccessful placement back into care. Always. We’ll collect the dog, get your feedback (so we’re aware of challenges for the next family), and we’ll refund your adoption fee.

What if I don’t get the dog I applied for?

Generally, foster families receive more than ten good matches for their foster dog.  Didn’t get the dog you wanted? Don’t worry. Once you’re an approved adopter, our matching team will actively look out for dogs that are a perfect match for you. Fewer than one in ten dogs make it to the website. The rest are matched with existing applicants on our waiting list.

Where are Labrador Rescue dogs located?

Labrador Rescue provides rehoming across 5 locations:

  • Queensland (HQ in Brisbane/Gold Coast area)
  • New South Wales (HQ in Sydney area)
  • Victoria (HQ in Melbourne area)
  • South Australia (HQ in Adelaide area)
  • Australian Capital Territory (HQ in Yass area)

Each office manages surrenders, fostering, volunteering, and placements across the state. While the majority of Labradors for adoption are near the major cities, we have foster families across these states. We always need foster families and transport volunteers in regional locations.  

Learn About Becoming a Foster Carer
Can I adopt a Lab from another state?

​Some dogs can be moved interstate (this involves an additional transport fee). However, most of our rescue Labs have had a disruptive few weeks, and we prefer to spare them the stress of a long journey.

Where are the rescue Labs coming from?

All our dogs have their own unique story. Some come from a pound, some from families who cannot care for a beloved pet any longer, and some come with sadder stories. Each dog is kept in foster care for as long as needed to “love them back to happiness.” This may only take a week or two, but for some, it takes months of intensive training and care. Dogs that have been through trauma may arrive in a withdrawn and shut-down state. These dogs are placed with senior foster carers with experience working with traumatised dogs. If the dog is deemed dangerous, they will not be made available for adoption.

Do we have puppies for adoption?

If you’re looking for Labrador puppies for sale, we’re probably not the best fit for you. Generally, we don’t get a lot of new puppies. However, there can be an influx of young dogs a few months after Christmas (dogs are for life, not for Christmas). If we’ve been asked to assist after a puppy mill shutdown, we may have puppies for adoption, but generally, our dogs are over two. As a team, we’ve cared for hundreds of dogs, and most of us recommend a dog over two, as there’s nothing tougher than a mischievous puppy!

Do Labrador Rescue dogs come with papers for breeding?

Occasionally, we perform a removal from a breeder where the dog’s lineage has been documented. However, we don’t provide papers for the purpose of breeding.  In fact, all Labrador Rescue dogs have been desexed.  

What is a private dog adoption?

We occasionally assist owners attempting to rehome their Labrador without surrendering to Labrador Rescue. You will collect dogs listed as available for private adoption directly from their current owner. They aren’t part of the Labrador Rescue program.  We haven’t met the dog, provided health care, training and eased them through the transition.

Why was my application to adopt rejected?

Unfortunately, not all applications are accepted. If your application was denied, it doesn’t mean we think you’re a bad dog owner!  After more than a decade and thousands of successful adoptions, we know our Labs.  We understand what they’ve been through and what they need to thrive. Our approval process meets very strict standards. It’s unlikely we rejected your application because of anything you did, but because we know that unsuccessful trials are stressful for the dog and the applicant.

If my application was rejected, can I apply again?

We recommend reapplying only if your circumstances have changed. Make sure to note these changes on the second application so we know that it’s a reconsideration application.

Hey Lab Rescue, there’s a Maremma on your site!

Yes, sometimes we assist other rescue organisations that are overwhelmed. While most of our adoption dogs are Labradors or Labrador crosses, we do get the occasional Maremma, Golden Retriever and even the odd cat.  While we’re all crazy Lab people, we don’t turn our backs on our fellow rescue organisations when they’re in need.

Ready To Adopt a Lab? Get Started Now!

The first step to welcoming a beautiful rescue Lab into your home is completing our application form.

Apply Now