San Diego is a great city for pets. The data doesn’t lie, around 47% of San Diego citizens own a pet! Which is probably obvious since you can’t go outside and throw a stick without a dog chasing it. But pets are a lot of responsibility! Even just adopting one can be a struggle as there are tons of options and it’s hard to know which are the right ones, so we decided to put together this quick resource list that contains some helpful tools/places to check out!
Note: this is not a definitive list. Just a list we were able to put together from research and from conversations we’ve had with local pet owners and local businesses.
Vet Finding Tools
There are a lot of vets in San Diego. From the SD Bay Animal Hospital, to traveling vets like Better Vet, you have a lot of options.
We highly recommend that you start with San Diego’s Veterinary Medical Association website that allows you to search all credited vets near you on their website. https://sdcvma.org/search-tool
This search tool allows you to refine your search for specific species of animals, specialties, and different services. This tool is a life saver if you own a pet other than a dog or a cat.
If you have Pet Insurance, make sure that you go to one who is in network. However, if you have the insurance we offer through Nationwide, you don’t have to worry about networks. You can see any accredited vet in the country.
Best Pet Places to Adopt
There are plenty of shelters in San Diego that are no-kill and non-profit that offer cats and dogs. If you’re looking for birds, reptiles, rodents, or amphibians, it might be a little bit harder to find options for adoption, but there are some agencies that carry other types of pets. Here is a quick list of some of the places we know to be ethical choices:
The SD Humane Society - https://www.sdhumane.org/
Helen Woodward Animal Center - https://animalcenter.org/adopt-a-pet/
TAP - https://theanimalpad.org/adopt/
Also check out SD Shelters, a site ran by the San Diego Animal Support Foundation!
http://sdshelters.org/shelters.html
This website contains a long list of local groups that offer all sorts of pets. Just be sure to read their warning as they do list shelters that are for-profit. This option requires a bit of research on your end, but it is a wealth of information.
Cool Dog Friendly Parks
San Diego is home to many awesome Dog Parks that are great places for dogs to socialize and get some energy out. This is a quick list so there might be more closer to you. As always please make sure you check the park out on your own before you bring the dog there and check reviews too!
Balboa Park
Grape Street Dog Park - 1998 28th St, San Diego, CA 92102
Morley Field Dog Park - Morley Field Dog Park, 2225 Morley Field Dr, San Diego, CA 92104
Nate’s Point Dog Park - 2500 Balboa Dr, San Diego, CA 92103
San Diego City
Fiesta Island Dog Park - 1750 Fiesta Island Rd, San Diego, CA 92109
Kearny Mesa Leash Free Dog Park - 3170 Armstrong St, San Diego, CA 92111
Capehart Dog Park - Soledad Rd and Felspar Street, San Diego, CA 92109
Dog Beach – Off W Point Loma Blvd, San Diego CA 92109
Doyle Dog Park - 8100 Cargill Ave, San Diego, CA 92122