Updated September 23, 2026
The Petfinder app is closing. Your phone search does not have to.
Petfinder is retiring its iPhone and Android app on October 15, 2026. Petfinder.com itself is staying online. If you used the app to check for new pets near you, WeRescue is a free native adoption app that does the same job, with pets from more than 4,000 shelters and rescues.
Free to download and use. Also works in your browser at werescue.pet.
What is actually happening
Only the app is going away. In September 2026 Petfinder told app users, in a notice inside the app and by email, that it is closing the mobile app on October 15, 2026 and consolidating on its website. Petfinder's website is not shutting down, the shelters that list there are not going anywhere, and you can keep using petfinder.com in Safari or Chrome on your phone.
“We're bringing all of Petfinder under one roof and closing our app on Oct. 15th 2026.”
What you lose is the app experience: a home-screen icon, push notifications, and a search that remembers your filters. That is the part WeRescue can replace. It is a native adoption app on both platforms, it is free, and it lists pets straight from the software shelters already use.
If Petfinder changes its plans, we will update this page.
Keep searching on your phone with WeRescue
WeRescue is the official adoption app of NBCUniversal Local's Clear The Shelters campaign. Here is what you get in the app.
- Pets from more than 4,000 shelters and rescues. Listings come straight from the shelter software rescues already use, across the United States and Canada, and they refresh throughout the day.
- Dogs, cats, and more. Rabbits, birds, reptiles, small animals, and horses are in the same search, so one app covers every kind of adoption.
- More than 60 filters. Breed, age, size, gender, color, distance, and traits like good with kids or house trained. Set them once and they stick.
- Alerts for new pets. Save a search and get a notification when a pet that matches it is listed, so you hear about them early.
- Scout, an assistant that listens. Tell Scout what your home and days look like, and it suggests real pets and shelters that fit, whether you want to adopt, foster, volunteer, or give.
- Favorites, sharing, and dark mode. Keep a shortlist, send a pet to the family group chat with one tap, and browse comfortably at night.
Moving over takes about a minute
There is no import from Petfinder, so the fastest path is to rebuild your search once.
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Install WeRescue
Get it free from the App Store or Google Play. It takes a few seconds.
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Set your location and filters
Enter your ZIP code, choose dogs, cats, or another species, and add the breed, age, size, or traits you used to filter on. Or tell Scout what you are looking for and it sets the search up.
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Save it and turn on alerts
Favorite the pets you want to meet and save the search. WeRescue notifies you when a new pet that matches is listed, which is the part most people miss most when an app goes away.
Side by side after October 15, 2026
A plain comparison of the three ways to keep looking for adoptable pets on a phone.
| Feature | Petfinder app | Petfinder.com in a browser | WeRescue app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Available after October 15, 2026 | Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Native app for iPhone and Android | Retired | Website only | Yes, plus iPad |
| Push notifications for new pets | Ends with the app | No | Yes |
| Cost to adopters | Free | Free | Free |
| Where the listings come from | Shelters that list on Petfinder | Shelters that list on Petfinder | Shelters' own management software, U.S. and Canada |
| Dogs, cats, and other species | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Petfinder columns are based on Petfinder's September 2026 notice to app users. Shelters decide where they list, so check both if a specific rescue matters to you.
Questions people are asking
Is Petfinder shutting down?
No. Petfinder is closing its mobile app for iPhone and Android on October 15, 2026 and moving everything to its website. In its September 2026 notice to app users, Petfinder described the change as bringing all of Petfinder under one roof at petfinder.com. The website stays online and shelters keep listing pets there. Only the app is going away.
When does the Petfinder app stop working?
Petfinder has told app users the app closes on October 15, 2026. The notice appeared inside the app and in an email sent in September 2026, and it directs people to petfinder.com to keep searching.
What is the best alternative to the Petfinder app?
WeRescue is a free native pet adoption app for iPhone, iPad, and Android that lists adoptable pets from more than 4,000 shelters and rescues across the United States and Canada. It has the things people used the Petfinder app for: search by location, filters for breed, age, and size, saved favorites, and push alerts when new pets are listed. Petfinder.com also still works in a phone browser, and Petfinder says the site has saved searches, more filters, and out-of-town pets.
Are the same pets on WeRescue and Petfinder?
Often, but not always. Shelters choose where they list. WeRescue pulls listings directly from the shelter management software most rescues already use, so many of the same pets appear in both places, and some pets are only on one. If a shelter you follow is not on WeRescue yet, you can ask them to list there for free.
Is the WeRescue app free?
Yes. WeRescue is free to download and free to use for searching, saving favorites, and contacting shelters. Adoption fees are set by each shelter or rescue, not by WeRescue.
Can I move my Petfinder favorites or saved searches to WeRescue?
There is no import from Petfinder. Rebuilding a search in WeRescue takes about a minute: enter your ZIP code, pick a species, and add the filters you care about. You can also describe what you are looking for to Scout and it will set the search up for you.
Is WeRescue affiliated with Petfinder?
No. WeRescue is made by Pet Ventures, LLC and is not connected to Petfinder or its parent company. This page exists because people who relied on the Petfinder app are looking for another way to search on their phones.
Do I have to install an app to use WeRescue?
No. Everything in the app is also available at werescue.pet in any browser. The app adds push notifications for new pets, a home-screen icon, and a faster experience on a phone.
I run a shelter or rescue. How do I list our pets on WeRescue?
Listing on WeRescue is free for shelters and rescues. If you use shelter software such as PetPoint, ShelterLuv, or Shelter Buddy, your pets can sync automatically. Contact us through the site and we will get you set up.
Looking for a general overview instead? Read about the WeRescue pet adoption app for dogs, cats, and more.
Keep looking. The pets are still out there.
Install WeRescue and rebuild your search in about a minute. It is free, and every listing is a real pet at a real shelter.
