Where to adopt a dog in Mumbai
Five rescues and shelters with their own adoption programmes.
- IDA India, DeonarDeonar
- YODAMalad West
- Bombay SPCAParel
- World For AllAdoption by form, across Mumbai
What each one says about its own adoptions:
- The Welfare of Stray Dogs has about 100 dogs waiting, mostly Indies, with some abandoned pets. It screens and interviews every adopter, tests the dog's temperament to match you, and vaccinates every dog over three months old before it goes home.
- IDA India keeps its adoptable dogs at the Deonar centre, open Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 4 pm. It charges nothing. A staff member visits your home and you fill in one form. For adoptions, call +91 93200 56587.
- YODA runs a shelter in Malad West and lists each dog on its website with a name and age. You apply through the enquiry form on the site, and the team takes it from there.
- Bombay SPCA rehomes dogs from the animal hospital in Parel. The adult dogs on its adoption page are neutered, vaccinated and dewormed, and it checks that the home has a steady carer and the income to keep a dog. The number above is its adoption line.
- World For All has no walk-in shelter. You fill in its form, it sends you the animals available, and an adoption counsellor calls you. Dogs are vaccinated if old enough, and some are already sterilised.
Call or message before you travel. Dogs are also placed through foster homes, so the one you saw online may not be at the shelter.
We list more rescue and adoption groups in Mumbai, with numbers and directions.
How adoption works at a Mumbai rescue
An enquiry, a meeting, a home visit and a form. Expect follow-up afterwards.
- Enquire. Phone the rescue or fill in its form. Say what your home and working day look like, so they can suggest a dog that fits.
- Meet the dog. Go more than once if you can. The Welfare of Stray Dogs encourages adopters to spend time bonding with the dog before deciding.
- Home visit. IDA India sends a staff member to your home to confirm where you live. Other rescues may ask for a visit or a video call.
- Paperwork. You fill in an adoption form and take every medical record the rescue has.
- Follow-up. IDA India asks for a photo of the dog after one month, then every three months, and the name of your vet.
If it doesn't work out, take the dog back to the rescue. IDA India says in writing that it accepts returns with no penalty, and asks only that the dog is never abandoned.
What adoption costs in Mumbai
The dog costs little or nothing. The first year is where the money goes.
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Adoption charge at IDA India | Nothing |
| Puppy vaccination course at a private clinic | ₹7,199 as a package at Vetic's Mumbai clinics |
| Yearly boosters for an adult dog | ₹899 for the combination vaccine and ₹699 for rabies at Vetic |
| Sterilisation, if the rescue hasn't done it | ₹500 to ₹2,000 through an NGO, ₹6,000 to ₹15,000 at a private clinic |
| Leash, collar, two steel bowls, bed and crate | From ₹2,900 for the plainest of each |
| Food, tick tablets, deworming, boosters and check-ups | About ₹2,000 to ₹3,300 a month, by the dog's size |
Other rescues set their own terms, and some ask for a donation towards the vaccines and sterilisation already done. Ask for the amount before you visit, so it isn't a surprise on the day.
An adult dog that is already vaccinated and sterilised removes the two largest lines. Our Mumbai monthly cost guide shows every figure by dog size and food brand.
Get the BMC dog licence
Online only, with two vaccination certificates. Approval takes up to seven working days.
Every pet dog in Mumbai needs a licence from BMC, and an adopted dog is no exception: the application form asks whether the dog was bought, adopted or transferred.
- Go to portal.mcgm.gov.in, then For Citizens, then Apply, then License - Dog.
- Choose Individual, pick your ward, and enter your details and the dog's.
- Upload your address proof and the dog's rabies and leptospirosis vaccination certificates, signed and stamped by a registered vet. Each file must be a PDF or JPG under 2 MB.
- Note the nine-digit reference number and wait for BMC's approval email. BMC says this takes up to seven working days.
- Pay online with the reference number. The licence and receipt arrive by email.
BMC doesn't take applications at ward offices. It doesn't publish the fee in its manual: the portal shows the amount due once your application is approved.
Don't pay before the approval email arrives. BMC says the payment fails if the application hasn't been approved yet. If you are stuck, BMC's dog licence helpline is +91 96358 39888, Monday to Saturday, 10.30 am to 5.30 pm.
Ask the rescue for the leptospirosis certificate as well as the rabies one. If the dog hasn't had that vaccine, your vet can give it at the first visit.
Common questions
Quick answers to what people ask most.
Is it free to adopt a dog in Mumbai?
At IDA India, yes: it says there are no charges for adoption. Other rescues set their own terms, so ask when you enquire. The real cost is keeping the dog, from about ₹2,000 a month for a small one.
Where can I adopt an Indie dog in Mumbai?
The Welfare of Stray Dogs has about 100 waiting, most of them Indies. IDA India in Deonar, YODA in Malad West, Bombay SPCA in Parel and World For All also rehome them.
Will the rescue visit my home?
Expect it. IDA India sends a staff member to confirm your address, and the Welfare of Stray Dogs screens and interviews every adopter.
Can I return an adopted dog?
Yes, to the rescue it came from. IDA India accepts returns with no penalty. Never hand the dog to someone else or leave it on the street.
Do I need a BMC licence for an adopted dog?
Yes. Apply online at portal.mcgm.gov.in with the rabies and leptospirosis certificates. Approval takes up to seven working days.