The Best Illinois Dog Rescues & Shelters in 2026

American Brittany Rescue, Inc.

American Brittany Rescue, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed in 1991 as a cooperative effort of Brittany owners, breeders, trainers, and fanciers who ABR believes have a responsibility not only for their own dogs and the dogs they produce, but for the breed as a whole. For 30 years, the organization of volunteers has worked to rescue Brittanys and place them in loving homes. Over the years, thousands of dogs have found hope and a forever home, thanks to our placement efforts. Nearly 9,000 dogs have been rescued and lovingly adopted into carefully selected households. Included in this number are dogs from nearly every state, Canada as well as Greece and Spain. This work is accomplished by an army of dedicated ABR volunteers. There are over 1,500 amazing, active volunteers located within all 50 states and across Canada. From the President and Board members to the volunteers and the all-important foster families, each one plays an important role.

Dark Horse Dogs, NFP

An all breed foster based rescue saving dogs from our local open access shelters.

Chicago Canine Rescue

CCR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 2001 to help find permanent, loving homes for homeless dogs in our city. CCR has saved the lives of over 8,000 dogs while also finding their forever homes! Traditionally, these animals were automatically euthanized at area shelters. However, today, Chicago Canine Rescue exists to give many of these animals a second chance, too! CCR assists the animals that are the MOST vulnerable in our city ‚the dogs that are slated for euthanasia because they are too old, too young, too injured, have disabilities, or have simply been overlooked for too long by potential adopters at other shelters. We are committed to each dog who comes into our care and won't stop providing for them we find their perfect family! Though we are just one of many rescues in Chicago, our dogs are one in a million and we are committed to leaving no dog behind!

Community Animal Rescue Effort

Since 1987, Community Animal Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.‚Ñ¢) has been promoting adoptions and care for cats and dogs. C.A.R.E. is a volunteer-driven, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. Our Adoption Center opened in the Summer of 2018 and is located north of Chicago at 4927 Main Street in Skokie, IL. C.A.R.E. offers a combined adoption center and foster home model to better serve the needs of homeless animals as well as potential adopters and the community. C.A.R.E. is licensed by the State of Illinois Department of Agriculture (License 14383). Our Philosophy

One Tail at a Time

One Tail at a Time began in 2008 as a small grassroots effort and has since evolved into a pillar of Chicago's animal welfare community. As of 2024, One Tail at a Time has rescued more than 11,300 animals, hosts a bustling pet adoption and foster program, community outreach initiatives in partnership with top human service organizations in our city, and leads the Chicagoland Rescue Intervention & Support Program, a local rescue coalition that is the only operating shelter diversion program at Chicago's largest intake shelter.

Project Hope Animal Rescue

We're a foster based animal rescue with the overflow of animals kenneled in our facility.

Evanston Animal Shelter

We give companion animals the best chance at the life they deserve through rehabilitation, foster care, adoption and community support that keeps pets with the people who love them.

Quad City Animal Welfare Center

Quad City Animal Welfare Center (QCAWC) was established in 1977 and has been dedicated to a no-kill philosophy. Located in Milan, Illinois, QCAWC is the only full service no-kill animal shelter in the Quad Cities and surrounding area. Operating solely on donations, QCAWC serves the Iowa ‚Illinois Quad Cities and surrounding counties. Every family deserves to have a pet; unfortunately not all families have the same resources. QCAWC offers low cost spaying and neutering. Along with spaying and neutering QCAWC has a low cost, high quality clinic open to the public every Wednesday and the first Saturday of every month. These unique services give families the opportunity for affordable veterinarian care. Last year, 2023, our clinic surgically altered over 4,500 companion animals. We also operate a mobile vet van that offers low cost, high quality mobile wellness to make prevention care more accessible. In our own communities, each year thousands of pets are left homeless to fend for themselves. The QCAWC accepted and re-homed over 1,500 companion animals in 2023 and more than 500 pet parents visited our pet food pantry. QCAWC carries on the tradition of educating our young people to be humane and compassionate to all beings, knowing that kind acts can influence us all. QCAWC partners with schools throughout the Quad Cities and surrounding area to provide quality educational programs to teach young people that treating all living beings with kindness, compassion, and respect is the most responsible way to live. Our school presentations emphasize proper pet care, bite prevention, animal safety and the pet overpopulation. The QCAWC presents humane educational programs to schools in both Illinois and Iowa. The impact of our programs in the community not only could save an animals life, but could save a child's life by teaching them how to avoid being bitten by a dog. We are committed to remaining a no-kill and continually strive to improve our programs and enhance our efforts to control the pet population and service our community.

Felines & Canines

Felines & Canines is located in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago. Our focus at F&C is to place safe, social and loving dogs and cats into permanent loving homes. We are best known for our exceptional care for both our animals and adopters, ground breaking program for FIV-positive cats, and creation of our nation's very first rescue and relocation facility - Felines & Canines Rescue Center.

Wright-Way Rescue

Wright-Way Rescue is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization. Our mission is to reduce the number of homeless pet euthanized in the Midwest each year through an adoption program, community education, promotion of spaying and neutering, and a veterinary medicine program.

Doggy Has Soul Sanctuary

We specialize in Rottweiler senior hospice care. Every now and then a puppy sneaks in. We work with high kill shelters to safe those that nobody else will come for. We also are very active in Aruba trying to help with the street dogs. We are rather small scale, but work very hard for every dog we take on.

Anti-Cruelty

Anti-Cruelty is more than a shelter. We are a comprehensive animal welfare organization whose mission is to build healthy and happy community where pets and people thrive together. From our humble beginnings in 1899, we are now at the forefront of animal welfare and humane education. From our open door philosophy to our commitment to find a home for every adoptable animal we provide compassionate care for any animal in need.

Chicago Animal Care and Control

Chicago Animal Care and Control is equipped with a complete medical complex, full laboratory, radiology, and surgical capabilities for the care of its animals. Chicago Animal Care & Control veterinarians daily evaluate and treat the animals housed in the center.

Animal Care League

Animal Care League is a limited admission shelter located in Oak Park. We help homeless cats, dogs and other small animals by providing them food, shelter, medical attention and love until we can find them a loving home. As a not-for-profit 501¬©3 organization, we depend on the generosity of our communities to help us meet our goals of finding new homes for as many animals as possible each year. If you are in interested in helping, please visit our ‚Supporting the ACL page.

ALIVE Rescue

ALIVE Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was founded in March 2008 as a rescue and safe haven for animals. From March 2008 through November of 2012, we ran operations solely through the use of our foster homes. In November of 2011, we signed a lease for a building (The Little Barn) in the Roscoe Village neighborhood of Chicago. For nearly one and a half years, we rehabbed and re-designed the original structure, preparing it to become our first adoption center. On May 5th, 2013, we opened The Little Barn, celebrating this accomplishment with dozens of our donors, volunteers, and the animals we rescued. In June of 2019 we closed The Little Barn and opened our new Adoption Center ("AC") in Chicago's West Loop. We remained at the AC through the pandemic and closed those doors in January of 2022. On October 5, 2020, we broke ground on The Big Barn, a new location that will help us save more homeless pets.

PAWS Chicago

To build No Kill communities ‚starting with a No Kill Chicago ‚that respect and value the life of every cat and dog. To end the overpopulation of homeless animals through solutions, practices and education. To transform animal welfare by setting higher standards in the way animals are treated and developing a sustainable, solutions-based model.

Hinsdale Humane Society

Hinsdale Humane Society is a private, nonprofit organization operating the Tuthill Family Pet Rescue & Resource Center, providing innovative care and adoption services for all animals, including those that are harder to place. We educate, advocate, and adopt out pets, acting as a voice for animals who depend on people for their care. We nurture the human-animal bond through community outreach and progressive programming, to help ensure the compassionate treatment of all animals.

Caring Animal Rescue Inc.

Caring Animal Rescue Inc. is an incorporated, non-profit 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(2) no-kill International rescue organization dedicated to reducing overpopulation, abuse, and neglect of domesticated animals. Caring Animal Rescue Inc. is run entirely by compassionate like-minded individuals who volunteer their time and resources to help save the lives and care for these animals. We have two locations: Chicago, IL and Cairo, Egypt.

MCP Rescue Pack

MCP Rescue is a Chicago based animal rescue that finds Forever Homes for the overlooked, abused, neglected, in need, at risk dogs (and cats). We believe every animal is an individual with their own idiosyncrasies, gifts, likes and dislikes, just like humans. MCP is the opposite of a revolving door type of Rescue model. We may not have the large numbers monthly but we have a return rate lower than 3% and we know where our dogs are and how they are. 85% of the dogs we bring into our Pack are considered true underdogs and harder to adopt, whether they be of Pitbull types dogs, XL breeds, bonded pairs, seniors, major medical, or hospice.

Tiny N Tall Rescue Inc.

Tiny N Tall Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non for profit organization comprised of volunteers dedicated to providing temporary shelter, veterinary care and behavioral support for small and giant breed dogs as they transition into carefully selected homes. We rescue Tiny breeds under 25 pounds and Giant breeds. Our rescue is all foster based and we rely solely on donations. We provide medical care, shelter, a full belly and lots of LOVE to Tiny and Giant breed dogs. We have a great team of foster homes and volunteers that make this possible.

Great Pyrenees Rescue of Central Illinois

Great Pyrenees Rescue of Central Illinois (GPRCI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization licensed by the state of Illinois. We are dedicated to rescuing and re-homing Great Pyrenees and are funded completely by public donations. GPRCI is based in Bloomington, Illinois but also has a limited number of foster homes throughout central and southern Illinois.

CARE for PETS

C.A.R.E. for P.E.T.S. is committed to raising funds to benefit the pets in underserved areas of Winnebago County. Funds directly support pet retention efforts, health and vaccine clinics and spay / neuter programming. With your support, we can provide community programs to keep pets in their loving homes and decrease the number entering the shelter. The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated

K9s4U Dog Rescue

K9s4U Dog Rescue is a non-profit dog rescue organization founded by a group of friends committed to saving dogs from high-kill shelters and dire situations and placing them into their FUREVER homes. We are a foster-home based rescue and rely on donations and fosters to help us in our mission to save as many dogs as we can. Thanks to our wonderful fosters and the donations we've received, we have saved the lives of more than 5,700 dogs since we began.

Orphans of the Storm

To take responsibility for each and every orphaned, abandoned, abused, or neglected dog and cat who reaches our doors; to take them in and shelter them; to provide the best medical and physical care possible for them; to nurture them back to health if need be; and finally to place them into warm, loving, adoptive homes where they can enjoy the lives they deserve.

River Valley Animal Rescue

River Valley Animal Rescue is a registered non-profit no-kill animal rescue and shelter located in Momence, Illinois. River Valley Animal Rescue has no paid employees and operates fully on proceeds from our resale shop and donations from the public. We offer a temporary home at our shelter to dogs, cats, birds and a variety of small animals until their "furever" home arrives. We are proud to say that we have placed hundreds of animals in permanent homes since 2012!

Stephenson County Animal Control

At Stephenson County Animal Control, we are proud to serve as advocates for those who cannot speak for themselves. Our commitment to compassion, professionalism, and excellence guides everything we do as we work tirelessly to protect and improve the lives of animals in our community.

Henry County Humane Society - Geneseo

Henry County Humane Society - Geneseo is a No-Kill Animal Shelter. Our Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency located in Geneseo, Illinois, and is operated on donations from the public. All donations go directly to help with care of our animals while we look for a permanent home for them. Operations are overseen by our shelter manager. We also have three part time employees that have the responsibility of keeping the shelter clean. The rest of the shelter work and fundraising is done totally by our volunteer organization. We are a growing group of caring volunteers.

Bond County Humane Society

BCHS is a no-kill animal shelter and an IRS approved 501(c)3 charitable organization so all donations are tax deductible in accordance with IRS guidelines. Bond County Humane Society (BCHS) exists to provide temporary sanctuary for unwanted, lost and neglected animals for ultimate placement in loving and responsible homes. BCHS is a nonprofit charitable organization committed to promote animal welfare through education and to actively encourage pet population reduction. We are dedicated to creating, in Bond County, an environment that enhances awareness of homeless animals and support for the humane treatment of these animals. BCHS does not receive funding assistance from the city, county, state nor any other entity or organization. Especially NOT the Humane Society of the United States! BCHS is totally dependent on membership dues, donations, grants and fundraisers to help the animals. Bond County Humane Society was formed in Greenville, IL in 2003. Rachel and Dennis Hundsdorfer, along with a small group of concerned citizens, founded it with the intention of providing shelter for the stray and homeless animals in Greenville until they are released into responsible, loving homes.

Montgomery County Animal Control

Riverbend Humane Society

Riverbend Human Society (RHS) is private, non-profit totally depending on your support. We are truly a no kill shelter, providing care, food, shelter and safety for dogs and cats in need. RHS believes each one deserves a chance to find a family regardless of age, size, personality quirks or “adoptability”. Humans may have failed them before, but we will NOT. There are currently 30+ cats and more dogs than we have kennels waiting for their forever homes. We are in dire need of pet parents! RHS has been saving lives and building families since 2006. We have one usable building on 4 acres near Route 109, south of Jerseyville. This building houses the dog kennels and the cattery. A second building is on site and used only for storage due to lack of heating, cooling and plumbing. RHS receives no federal and state funding. We rely on, and appreciate, the generosity of our adopters, staff, volunteers, community members and businesses to support their life-saving mission.