Freedom251 › Animal Shelter Software
ShelterBuddy
What ShelterBuddy is
ShelterBuddy is paid software for animal shelters, bringing adoption and operational functions together in one product. Its adoption portal supports the public-facing adoption process. Intake and outcome tracking covers animal records across those stages, while kennel management and medical records address housing and care information. Foster management and volunteer management add tools for two further parts of shelter operations.
The product is available on Android, iOS, and the web, giving teams access through mobile platforms or a browser. The listed functions span animal intake and outcomes, adoption, kennels, medical records, fostering, and volunteer coordination. This range can suit shelters looking for software that covers several operational areas, including public adoption access and internal animal and people management.
ShelterBuddy uses a paid pricing model, and its pricing is available on request. Prospective buyers need to contact the company for pricing details. The listed facts identify the product’s platforms and operational functions, but do not describe particular plan tiers or prices. ShelterBuddy is therefore most relevant to teams evaluating shelter software across adoption, animal records, housing, fostering, and volunteer management.
Who it suits
ShelterBuddy suits animal shelters that need software covering adoption as well as animal records and shelter operations. Its listed functions also fit teams managing kennels, foster arrangements, and volunteers.
What it does well
- Includes a public-facing adoption portal.
- Tracks intake and outcomes.
- Provides kennel management and medical records.
- Includes foster and volunteer management.
- Available on Android, iOS, and the web.
What to know first
- Paid software with pricing on request.
- A buyer needs to request pricing details to learn the cost.
Limits
ShelterBuddy is paid software, and pricing is on request. The facts do not describe free access or plan-specific limits.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Express | Subscription terms and price supplied by signed order · animal processes · volunteer management · limited canned reports · wildlife · foster · lost and found · basic fundraising · staff · HR | On request |
| Pro | Subscription terms and price supplied by signed order · centralized animal records · medical and behavioral records · adoption · identification · licensing · boarding · training · scheduling · lost and found · staff · donor · HR · incidents · evacuation · transfers · donations · tasks · API | On request |
| Gold | Subscription terms and price supplied by signed order · enhanced reporting and API · kennel and shelter maps · multi-location · concierge support | On request |
As shelterbuddy.com lists them, read 19 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit ShelterBuddy’s website.
- Request pricing from ShelterBuddy.
- Access the product on Android, iOS, or the web.
Overview
ShelterBuddy is animal shelter software for organizations coordinating adoptions and day-to-day care. It is best suited to shelters that want animal, kennel, foster, and volunteer work handled alongside adoption operations. Its breadth is a strength; custom pricing means buyers need a quote to assess cost.
Key features
An adoption portal and intake and outcome tracking cover the path from an animal entering care to adoption or another recorded outcome. Keeping these workflows in one product may suit shelters that want adoption activity connected to their broader operations.
Kennel management and medical records extend the system into housing and care, while foster and volunteer management cover two important support functions. That range can reduce the need to evaluate separate tools for each area, but organizations seeking only an adoption portal may find ShelterBuddy broader than they need.
Pricing
ShelterBuddy uses a paid model with custom pricing. Shelters should request a quote and weigh it against the value of bringing adoption, animal records, kennel, foster, and volunteer functions together. No published tiers or seat limits provide a way to compare costs before that conversation.
Platforms
ShelterBuddy is available on Android, iOS, and the web. That mix gives organizations mobile and browser access, though the platform range alone does not establish which workflows are supported on each one.
Who it's for
ShelterBuddy is a sensible fit for shelters looking for one product spanning adoption, intake and outcomes, kennel operations, medical records, foster work, and volunteers. It is less compelling for organizations with a narrow need, or for buyers who require a clear price before engaging a vendor.
Pros and cons
- Pros: Broad coverage combines adoption, animal-care records, kennel, foster, and volunteer functions.
- Pros: Android, iOS, and web availability accommodates organizations working across mobile and browser platforms.
- Cons: Custom pricing requires a quote, making initial budget comparison difficult.
- Cons: The breadth may exceed what a shelter needs if it is seeking only a public adoption portal or another single function.
Alternatives
For a free alternative with an explicit animal cap and public adoption portal, consider Cara: its free plan covers up to five animals and includes application management, basic email notifications, and Cara branding on the portal. PawPlacer is a web-based free option with all features included, full exports and SDK/API, and no contracts or usage limits.
RescueRM may suit smaller teams willing to work within its free-plan limits of two team members, one AI match per 48 hours, and six assistant queries per 48 hours. Pact is another paid, web-based alternative.
Choose Pet Friend if Android, iOS, and web access and a stated monthly price are priorities: its Rescue plan is $25 a month with 10 GB storage and 50 GB monthly data usage, while its Shelter plan is $50 a month. RescueBase offers a freemium, web-based alternative, and RescueGroups.org Data Management Service is a free, web-based option.
Browse the Animal Shelter Software category to compare more options.
Verdict
Choose ShelterBuddy if your shelter needs adoption, animal records, kennel, foster, and volunteer functions in one product, with both mobile and web access. Its main advantage is operational breadth; look elsewhere if you need a price up front or only need a narrower tool.
Verdict
Choose ShelterBuddy if your shelter wants adoption, animal records, kennel, foster, and volunteer functions in one product. It is available on mobile and web platforms. Buyers who need pricing before evaluating further will have to request a quote.
Questions
How much does ShelterBuddy cost?
ShelterBuddy is paid software, with pricing available on request.
Which platforms does ShelterBuddy support?
It is available on Android, iOS, and the web.
Does ShelterBuddy include an adoption portal?
Yes. An adoption portal is listed among its features.
Can it manage animal intake and outcomes?
Yes. Intake and outcome tracking is listed.
Does ShelterBuddy include foster and volunteer management?
Yes. Both foster management and volunteer management are listed.
Does ShelterBuddy provide kennel management and medical records?
Yes. Both functions are listed.
Facts from ShelterBuddy's own pages
- Accounting interoperability
- ShelterBuddy can export receipting reports and ledger information for use with existing accounting or point-of-sale software. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Android app
- Med Buddy is a companion Android app for scanning kennel cards, viewing medication details, updating medication status and adding notes; Google Play shows 1K+ downloads and no displayed rating. · play.google.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Animal control
- A cruelty complaint module follows cases from initial complaint through investigation, prosecution and court details. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Animal records
- The system keeps a centralized record containing physical details, photos, status, treatments, consultations, behavior and identification data. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- API authentication
- The API requires authentication and supports cookie authentication or an sb-auth-token header; tokens default to two-hour validity. · shelterbuddy.atlassian.net, 19 Oct 2026
- API availability
- A documented ShelterBuddy API is available for querying and caching data, with endpoint documentation for animals and related resources. · shelterbuddy.atlassian.net, 19 Oct 2026
- API guidance
- API documentation advises public sites to cache animal photos locally and describes PhotoV2 and animal-status endpoints. · shelterbuddy.atlassian.net, 19 Oct 2026
- Behavior management
- A behavioral module supports temperament ratings and recording information from former owners. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Company leadership
- Crunchbase identifies Harry Schechter as chief executive officer. · crunchbase.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Company origin
- Crunchbase says ShelterBuddy software was developed by RSPCA Queensland. · crunchbase.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Company status and size
- Crunchbase lists the organization as active, private, nonprofit and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with 51–100 employees. · crunchbase.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The knowledge base lists hundreds of help articles, videos, FAQs, release notes and product updates. · knowledgebase.petloyalty.co, 19 Oct 2026
- Foster management
- Foster operations are included in Express and the broader product feature set. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Fundraising
- ShelterBuddy provides donor records, donation history, campaigns, regular giving and fundraising functions. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Hosting model
- The terms define ShelterBuddy as a cloud and app-based management system and do not describe customer self-hosting. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Intake and outcomes
- ShelterBuddy tracks adoptions, surrenders, reclaims, transfers and other incoming and outcome scenarios. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Official add-ons include Finding Rover, Google Maps, online licensing, Pet Rescue, Petfinder and Adoptapet feeds. · shelterbuddy.zendesk.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Legal operating name
- The privacy policy identifies Pet Loyalty Inc. as the business operating ShelterBuddy. · petloyalty.co, 19 Oct 2026
- License model
- Terms grant a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive subscription license and prohibit copying, sublicensing or transferring the system. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Limit: access controls
- That reviewer said stronger login security and administrative controls would have been useful, while noting no security incident was experienced. · softwareadvice.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Limit: pricing transparency
- Independent listings show pricing available only by contacting the vendor and provide no published plan rates. · capterra.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Medical care
- The product records veterinary treatments, medication due and completed, and medical consultations. · shelterbuddy.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Petfinder feed
- The Petfinder integration uploads available animals about every 15 minutes and maps selected animal fields to Petfinder fields. · shelterbuddy.zendesk.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Praise: value and breadth
- The sole Software Advice reviewer praised the low price, broad feature coverage, website and paperwork data transfer, and helpful support. · softwareadvice.com, 19 Oct 2026
Where ShelterBuddy stands on Freedom251
- Animal Shelter Software#7 of 9