Rescue dogs show some signs of cognitive impairment compared with non-rescue dogs, particularly in their ability to maintain eye contact with their owner. However, they perform better than controls in a simple memory test. The citizen science methods used in this study may be a viable method to collect valuable cognitive and behavioural data on resuce dogs. Still, the design of the tests may need to be reconsidered and performed with the dogs directly in order to obtain more accurate data on potential cognitive impairment in rescue dogs, and to assess the viability of the citizen science method used in this study.