Animal Shelters & Rescues in Chicago

Chicago's own shelter takes in stray animals, and private humane societies and volunteer rescues rehome pets too. Many rescues are foster-based and have no public building, so their pets are often seen by appointment or at adoption events.

The city animal shelter

In Chicago, the city itself runs animal sheltering through Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC), which describes its work as sheltering, pet placement, education and animal law enforcement. Its pages are the place to see animals in the shelter, start an adoption or learn how to bring an animal in.

Found a stray or lost your pet

CACC's lost and found pet page tells owners of a lost pet to walk the area where the pet went missing, check the animals listed as being at the shelter, post on social media and file a lost report on the lost-pet sites it names, put up flyers, and call the microchip company if the pet is chipped. If you find a stray, it suggests checking for a collar or tag, asking neighbors, filing a found report, and having the pet scanned for a microchip at a vet office, a police station or an animal shelter. If no owner can be found, the animal can be brought to CACC. The page also advises leaving healthy outdoor cats where they are, since many are someone's pet or a community cat. To claim a pet at the shelter, bring photo ID and proof of ownership such as veterinary records and pictures.

Under the Chicago Municipal Code (section 7-12-060), the department holds impounded animals for a minimum of seven days unless the owner redeems the animal sooner. For an animal of unknown ownership, which includes most strays, the code lets the Executive Director allow adoption or transfer after three days and any other disposition after five days, and allows any impounded cat of unknown ownership to be adopted or transferred immediately. So check for your lost pet right away rather than waiting out a week.

Licenses and microchips

Every dog four months or older in Chicago must be registered with the city under Municipal Code 07-12-140, and a dog needs a current rabies vaccination to be registered. Registration is handled by the City Clerk, which offers 1-year and 3-year emblems to match the rabies shot. Separately, section 7-12-065 of the municipal code says a dog or cat impounded under the code must have a microchip implanted (if it has none), a confirmed current rabies vaccination and, if capable of reproduction, be sterilized before it is returned to its owner, with limited exceptions.

Surrendering or rehoming a pet

CACC's animal intake page says intake services are provided to City of Chicago residents and that a government-issued photo ID with a Chicago address is requested at intake. It also asks people to check its lost and found page first when they have found a pet. Check that page, or call 311, before you go.

Adopting a pet

CACC's adoption page says adopters must be 18 or older with a valid government-issued photo ID, and that it prefers to meet all family members on adoption day. Its adoption contract requires you to take your new pet to a veterinarian within 14 days, and a pet that is not yet spayed or neutered goes home once it is ready. Each adopted pet gets an ID tag. Some pets are on a stray hold or need foster care, and those may be adoptable through the shelter's transfer partners instead. Meet a pet more than once if you can, ask about its history and behavior, and have your landlord's pet policy ready before you apply.

About these listings

Many listings here were added from public business data and have not been claimed yet. Ask the shelter or rescue directly about opening hours, adoptable pets and whether it takes surrenders. If you run one of these shelters or rescues, you can claim or correct its listing from its page.