About OpenShelterAZ

OpenShelterAZ is a free website that puts Arizona's shelters, cooling and warming places, water stations, domestic violence programs and pet-friendly options in one place, in English and Spanish.

Why this exists

There is a lot of help in Arizona, but it is spread across dozens of websites, PDFs and maps, and much of it changes with the seasons. When it is 115 degrees out, when it is below freezing, or when you need to leave home quickly, nobody should have to search six different sites to find an open door. This site tries to make that first step a little easier.

Where the information comes from

Heat relief sites come straight from the official public maps published by the Maricopa Association of Governments and the Arizona Department of Health Services, and they are refreshed every day. Weather warnings come from the National Weather Service. Shelters, domestic violence programs and pet programs are checked by hand against each organization's own website or an official state list, and each listing shows when it was last checked.

Every listing names its source and links to it. If a place closes or stops appearing in its source, it comes off this site automatically.

• Maricopa Association of Governments, Heat Relief Network
• Arizona Department of Health Services, Statewide Heat Preparedness Network
• Arizona Department of Economic Security, Domestic Violence Services
• Maricopa County, Pet Housing Resources
• National Weather Service
• U.S. Census Bureau (city and ZIP code locations, address mapping)
• OpenFreeMap and OpenStreetMap contributors (map)

Please call ahead when you can. Hours and space can change without notice, and the organizations themselves always have the latest word.

Your safety and privacy

• There is no account to create and nothing to sign up for. The site does not use cookies.
• If you choose "Use my location," your location is used on your device to sort the list. It is never sent to us.
• The Quick exit button at the top of every page leaves this site right away. You can also press the Shift key three times. It cannot erase your browser history, so if someone may be checking your device, a private or incognito window, or a device they do not use, is safer.
• Many domestic violence shelters keep their addresses private to protect the people staying there. We only show a street address when the organization publishes it itself. Otherwise we show the city and a phone number to call for safe intake.

Pets

A lot of people will not go to a shelter if it means leaving a pet behind. Use the Bringing a pet filter to see places that welcome pets, and Pet help to find programs that can care for a pet for a while so you can get somewhere safe.

For organizations

If something about your program is wrong or missing, please let us know. We would much rather fix it today than have someone show up to a closed door.

Who runs this

OpenShelterAZ is a volunteer community project built by an Arizona resident. It is not run by or affiliated with any government agency or with the organizations listed. They do the real work. This site just helps people find them.