Animal Shelter Software Built for the Way Shelters Actually Work
Pet Friend is cloud-based animal shelter management software trusted by rescues, municipal shelters, and animal control agencies across the country. Track animals from intake to adoption, manage medical records, and run your entire operation from any device — starting at $25 per month.
What Is Animal Shelter Software?
Animal shelter software — sometimes called shelter management software or animal management software — is a purpose-built tool that replaces the patchwork of spreadsheets, paper forms, and legacy desktop applications that shelters and rescues have relied on for decades. Instead of tracking animals across half a dozen disconnected systems, everything lives in one database: intake records, kennel assignments, medical history, vaccinations, behavior notes, adoption contracts, foster placements, and reporting.
Modern animal shelter software is cloud-based, which means there is nothing to install, no server to maintain, and no IT staff required. Staff and volunteers sign in through a web browser on a phone, tablet, or desktop and get the same up-to-the-minute information whether they are standing in the kennels or working an offsite adoption event.
Pet Friend was built from the ground up to be the animal shelter management software that actually fits how small rescues, large municipal shelters, and animal control agencies operate day-to-day. If you are currently evaluating options, our comparison of the best animal shelter software walks through how Pet Friend stacks up against Chameleon, PetPoint, Shelter Manager, and Shelter Buddy.
Who Uses Pet Friend Animal Shelter Software?
Animal Rescues & Foster Networks
Small rescues and foster-based organizations use Pet Friend to track animals across multiple foster homes, coordinate vet visits, and manage adoption paperwork without spreadsheets. See rescue features.
Municipal & Private Shelters
Open-admission shelters and private 501(c)(3) organizations run their intake, medical, and adoption workflows entirely in Pet Friend. Volunteer management, donor tracking, and government reporting included. See shelter features.
Animal Control Agencies
Animal control officers use the dedicated Shelter Plus module for bite case tracking, call records, mileage logs, citation management, and field reporting from any device. See animal control features.
What Pet Friend Does
Every feature in Pet Friend was designed by talking to shelter staff about what slows them down. Instead of dozens of disconnected screens, the animal is the center of everything — click on a dog's record and you see its intake, medical history, kennel location, adoption status, and every note anyone has added. Here is what you get in every plan:
Animal Intake & Tracking
Record intakes from strays, surrenders, transfers, or field pickups. Every animal gets a unique ID, photo, breed, age, color, microchip number, and full history from day one. Move animals between kennels, foster, medical hold, or ready-for-adoption with a single click.
Medical Records
Track vaccines, medications, procedures, vet visits, test results, spay/neuter status, and behavior notes per animal. Built-in reminders for boosters and follow-ups. Export veterinary records as PDFs for transfer or vet referrals.
Adoption Management & E-Signatures
Process adoption applications, run reference checks, and capture e-signatures on adoption contracts directly on a phone or tablet. No printers, no scanners, no lost paperwork — the signed PDF is automatically attached to the animal's record.
Petfinder Integration
Animals marked adoptable sync to Petfinder automatically. No manual re-entry, no outdated listings. Update a photo in Pet Friend and it updates on Petfinder too.
Mobile Apps for iOS & Android
Native apps on both the Apple App Store and Google Play mean you can process an intake in the field, photograph an animal at a transport, or capture an adopter's signature at an offsite event. Offline support for spotty connections.
Volunteer & Donor Management
Track volunteers, schedule shifts, record donor contributions, and generate tax receipts. Included in every plan with no per-user fees.
Reporting & Analytics
Pre-built reports for intake totals, adoption totals, euthanasia logs, length-of-stay, vaccine compliance, government filings, and more. Custom reports for board meetings and grant applications.
Pet Friend Pricing
Unlike most animal shelter software vendors, Pet Friend publishes transparent pricing. No sales calls required just to see a number. No setup fees. Cancel anytime.
Why Shelters Choose Pet Friend Over Other Animal Shelter Software
There are several established animal shelter software vendors in the market. Here is why shelters move from those systems to Pet Friend:
- Transparent, published pricing. No "contact us for a quote" to find out how much it costs. PetPoint, Shelter Buddy, and Chameleon all require a sales call.
- E-signatures included. Most legacy shelter software either doesn't support electronic signatures or charges extra for a third-party add-on.
- True mobile apps, not just a mobile website. Native iOS and Android apps with offline support.
- Cloud from day one. No servers to patch, no backup tapes, no database administrator required. Your data is backed up nightly on AWS infrastructure.
- Built for non-technical users. If your volunteers can use a web browser, they can use Pet Friend. No dedicated IT staff required.
- AKC Reunite microchip integration and automatic Petfinder sync out of the box.
- Okta SSO for municipal organizations that require federated identity.
For a side-by-side feature comparison, see the best animal shelter software comparison.
Ready to Try Pet Friend?
Start your 14-day free trial today. No credit card required for the interactive demo. See why shelters across the country choose Pet Friend.
Try Free DemoFrequently Asked Questions About Animal Shelter Software
What is the best animal shelter software in 2026?
The best animal shelter software depends on your organization's size, budget, and the workflows you need to support. Pet Friend is cloud-based, transparently priced, and built for shelters of all sizes — from small foster-based rescues to large municipal operations and animal control agencies. For a side-by-side comparison against Chameleon, PetPoint, Shelter Manager, and Shelter Buddy, see our animal shelter software comparison.
How much does animal shelter software cost?
Animal shelter software pricing varies widely. Open-source options like Shelter Manager are free but require technical expertise to install and maintain. Enterprise vendors like PetPoint and Shelter Buddy require custom sales quotes, often several hundred dollars per month plus setup fees. Pet Friend publishes transparent pricing: $25/month for rescues, $50/month for shelters, and $100/month for large organizations that need animal control officer modules. All plans include a 14-day free trial and no setup fees.
Is Pet Friend cloud-based or on-premise?
Pet Friend is 100% cloud-based. There is no server to install, no software to download, and no IT staff required. Your data is hosted on enterprise-grade AWS infrastructure with automatic nightly backups and high availability. All you need is a device with a modern web browser.
Can I use Pet Friend on a phone or tablet?
Yes. Pet Friend has native apps on the Apple App Store and Google Play, plus a responsive web interface that works on any modern browser. Staff and volunteers can process intakes in the field, photograph animals at transports, and capture adoption signatures on a tablet.
Does Pet Friend integrate with Petfinder?
Yes. Pet Friend automatically syncs animals marked adoptable to Petfinder. There is no manual re-entry and no risk of outdated listings. When you update a photo or description in Pet Friend, it updates on Petfinder automatically.
Can I migrate from my current animal shelter software?
Yes. Most shelters can migrate to Pet Friend within a few days. Account setup takes minutes, and our team can help you import existing animal records, medical history, and adoption data. Many organizations run both systems in parallel for a short period during the transition. See our migration guide.
Does Pet Friend support animal control operations?
Yes. The Shelter Plus plan at $100/month includes dedicated animal control features: officer management, bite case tracking, call records, mileage logs, citation management, impound fees, and field reporting. See the full animal control feature list.
Still deciding? Read our buyer's guide to choosing animal shelter software or jump straight to a free interactive demo.