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The 21 Best Animal Shelters in Spain (2026)

By Julia WrenfieldUpdated September 11, 20263 min read
Evidence-based · Sources checked
{"en": "Dogs and cats in a Spanish animal shelter, rescued animals awaiting adoption and care", "es": "Perros y gatos en un refugio de animales espa\u00f1ol, animales rescatados esperando adopci\u00f3n", "fr": "Chiens et chats dans un refuge animalier espagnol, animaux secourus en attente d'adoption", "de": "Hunde und Katzen in einem spanischen Tierheim, gerettete Tiere warten auf Vermittlung", "nl": "Honden en katten in een Spaans dierenasiel, geredde dieren wachtend op adoptie", "pt": "C\u00e3es e gatos em um abrigo de animais na Espanha, animais resgatados aguardando ado\u00e7\u00e3o", "it": "Cani e gatti in un rifugio per animali spagnolo, animali salvati in attesa di adozione"}

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Spain's animal shelters and rescue associations save thousands of dogs, cats and other animals every year. This ranking lists only registered shelters with a verified, working website — scored from 6,264 public Google reviews by a transparent, review-weighted method. Boarding kennels, grooming salons, pet shops and veterinary clinics are excluded.

Our methodology

Each organisation is scored with a Bayesian weighting of its Google rating and review count — the same approach used for film and product rankings — so a shelter with hundreds of genuine reviews outranks one with a single 5-star rating. Every shelter here has an active, reachable website (verified at publication).

🏆 ForPetsHealthcare Award — Best Animal Shelter in Spain 2026

Winner of the 2026 ForPetsHealthcare Award for Best Animal Shelter in Spain: Todos los Caballos del Mundo. Protectora y Refugio de Caballos y Otros Animales — 4.9★ across 139 reviews. Congratulations to their team and volunteers.

The 21 best verified animal shelters in Spain (2026)

#OrganisationCityRatingReviews
1Todos los Caballos del Mundo. Protectora y Refugio de Caballos y Otros AnimalesAlhaurín el Grande4.9★139
2Associació Protectora d'Animals de ParetsParets del Vallès4.8★257
3Asociación para la Protección y Adopción Canina (Aspacan)Laredo4.7★61
4Refugio SVPAPSan Antonio de Benagéber4.6★665
5Refugio Reyes de la asociación upra málagaMoclinejo4.7★54
6Refugio de AnimalesMougá4.6★127
7APAG Associació Protectora d'Animals de GranollersGranollers4.5★1,449
8P.A.D - Proteccion de Animales DomesticosLas Lagunas4.5★235
9Asociación Protectora de Animales de Santander (Asproan)San Román de la Llanilla4.5★161
10Protectora cometaNarón4.5★108
11Protectora DANA TeiàTeià4.6★11
12Lugo Animal and Plant Protection SocietySanta Mª4.4★303
13Pats Rescue RetreatAlhaurín el Grande4.4★8
14Municipal Pet Animal ShelterA Coruña4.3★140
15Protectora de Animales de XermadeXermade3.9★11
16Adopte su Mascota - Centro de Protección AnimalAlhaurín de la Torre4.2★252
17Sociedad Protectora de Animales y Plantas Málaga—4.2★1,718
18Protectora AUPAEl Puig de Santa Maria4★42
19Refugi Municipal d'Animals de Companyia (RMAC)Sant Boi de Llobregat4.1★287
20Refugio de Animales de PaternaPaterna4★106
21Sociedad Protectora de Animales BizkaiaAreeta / Las Arenas3.4★130

Run a shelter in Spain?

Listed here? You may display the ForPetsHealthcare "Verified Best Shelter" badge on your site. Missing or need a correction? Write to info@forpetshealthcare.com.

#best animal shelters spain 2026#forpetshealthcare

Sources & further reading

This article is based on peer-reviewed veterinary research and reputable animal-health sources. Explore the underlying science in our Research Library.

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Disclaimer:This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary advice. Always consult a qualified veterinarian for your pet's health concerns.

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