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SERVING PEOPLE. SAVING PETS.

winnebago county animal services is a department of Winnebago County government covering more than 500 square miles and serving the more than 280,000 residents who call Winnebago County home. We provide a number of services including pet licensing and registration, veterinary care to animals in need, animal welfare and cruelty investigations, pet adoptions, and more.  

The Animal Services department cares for an average of 4,000 animals each year, serves all municipalities, and is the only government run animal services/animal sheltering organization in the county.  We work to find homes for pets not reclaimed by their owners. If you are considering adoption we encourage you to view our adoptable pet listings, which are automatically updated every few minutes throughout the day.  If you don’t find the pet you’re looking for at Animal Services, also consider visiting other nonprofit shelters and rescues in the community. 

hours / contact

Shelter/Lobby Hours:
Monday: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday-Friday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: CLOSED
*Please note, all adoptions end 30 minutes prior to closing.

Patrol Hours:
Daily: 7:00 AM. – 12:00 AM (midnight)

Phone: (815) 319-4100
Fax: (815) 319-4101

Main Shelter

4517 North Main Street
Rockford, IL 61103

our services

In addition to pet adoption, WCAS offers services to help keep the pets and people of Winnebago County safe and healthy.

Pet Registration

Pet registration is required by law and a great way to help your pet get back home if they become lost. Plus, these fees fund our services.

Animal Welfare & Investigations

Our team investigates animal welfare and safety concerns. We also offer outreach and education about responsible pet ownership.

Vaccinations & Rabies Control

Regular vaccination is required for all cats and dogs and helps keep our pets and community healthy. Our team investigates bite incidents to prevent the spread of the rabies virus.

Spay/Neuter & TNR

Spaying/neutering pets helps prevent pet overpopulation in our community. Learn more about spay/neutering and our trap-neuter-return (TNR) program to control barn and feral cat populations.

featured
animals
for

adoption

Tanner

Male | 2 yearsDomestic Shorthair
Meet Me

Regimund

Male | 2 yearsDomestic Shorthair
Meet Me

Brewsey

Male | 3 yearsDomestic Shorthair
Meet Me

considering adopting?

add a furry member to your family

Winnebago County Animal Services works to find happy and healthy homes for adoptable dogs, cats, and other animals. We make finding and bringing home your new family member easy and affordable.

animal
fostering

interested in becoming a foster?

Fostering is a wonderful and rewarding way to help animals who require a little extra attention and care before they are able to be adopted into a permanent home.

we’re social animals

join our pack

🎉🐾 Today's Paw-some Pick Has Found a Home! 🐾🎉

We’re SO excited to share that Samantha has officially gone home!
❤️We couldn’t be happier to see her start her next chapter with a loving family!!!

📣A huge thank you to everyone who’s been liking, ...commenting, and sharing our Paw-some Pick of the Day posts — your support truly helps our animals get seen and find homes faster. Every share makes a difference!

👉Monday's Paw-some Pick will be announced tomorrow night, so be sure to keep an eye out!!!

Keep following along and continue spreading the word — you never know which Paw-some Pick might be the next to find their forever home! 🏡

‼🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉‼

❤Remember Princess???❤

Princess first came to us as a stray in late December and was never reclaimed. After spending a few weeks in our care, she was adopted—but unfortunately returned a couple of months later when she was not getting along ...with the resident cat in the home.

🚧🎉Luckily, Princess was quickly adopted on DAY ONE of our current Construction Sale Dog Adoption Event!

Princess' adopters reached out with an update and these fantastic photos!
🐾My wife and I adopted Princess the German Shepherd yesterday 4/7. We have an older GSD and a miniature Poodle. I also do Pet Sitting. She has been very good with my dogs. She got to meet 1 of the dogs that comes to our house a few times a week for play days. She did very good with him too. So glad we saw her on the WIFR TV post the other night. Who couldn't love that face? Thanks WCAS. You made the Adoption very easy.🐾

👉Interested in creating your own adoption story? We have lots of amazing dogs & cats available for adoption!
Also, today is the LAST day of our Dog Adoption Event! Select dogs are just $50 to adopt! Visit our Facebook page for a list of eligible dogs!

👉Visit our website - www.WinnebagoAnimals.org -to complete an adoption questionnaire!

👉If you've adopted from WCAS and would like to share an update & photos, you can message us OR send us an email at wcas@wcas.wincoil.gov

‼️🚨UPDATE🚨‼️
As of 2pm, 4 of the 7 dogs have been adopted!
Bear, Benzo, and Samantha (also today's Paw-some Pick) are still waiting to go home!

🚧🐶 CONSTRUCTION SALE: DOG ADOPTIONS JUST $50! 🐶🚧

Today is the final day of our Construction Sale ...Dog Adoption Event! We still have 7 dogs that are part of the event and ready to go home today!

Event Details:
📅 Final Day - TODAY - Saturday 4/11!
⏰Our doors open at 11am & are open until 3:30pm
💲 $50 Dog Adoptions

If you’ve been thinking about adopting, now is the perfect time to lay the foundation for love and give a deserving dog a fresh start. 🐾

👉 This special applies to dogs that are already altered and ready to go home the same day.
👉 Dogs available for pre-selection or not yet altered are not included in this event.
👉 We strongly encourage submitting an application ahead of time on our website, but you can also fill one out when you arrive!

🌟🐾 Paw-some Pick of the Day! 🐾🌟

We’re shining the spotlight on our pets with something special: each day, one amazing pet will be featured as our Paw-some Pick of the Day — and for that day only, their adoption fee is waived!

👉Saturday, April 11th's ...Paw-some Pick is Samantha A0060659234!

Samantha is a 6-year-old, 41-pound sweetheart with a calm and gentle nature. She came to us as a stray and was never reclaimed, so her past is a bit of a mystery—but she’s been quietly winning us over with her easygoing personality.

While in our care, Samantha participated in a dog introduction with another pup and did wonderfully. Staff noted that she is very low energy and approachable, initiating polite interactions with soft sniffs and friendly greetings. The two dogs spent their time calmly exploring the play yard together, showing just how well-mannered and social Samantha can be.

Samantha is looking for a home that will appreciate her relaxed demeanor and give her the love she deserves. She’d make a great companion for someone seeking a more laid-back canine friend.
Help us get to know Samantha even better by coming in to meet her—you just might find your perfect match! 🐱🐶✨

🖱Click here to submit an Adoption Questionnaire - https://winnebagoanimals.org/adoption-application

🚧🐶 CONSTRUCTION SALE: DOG ADOPTION EVENT🐶🚧

DAY FOUR UPDATE:
‼FOUR‼ dogs were adopted today!

🎉Thank you to everyone who adopted today and to everyone that continues to share our event posts! Also, a huge shoutout & thank you to the staff & volunteers... who facilitated these adoptions!

👉Here is our updated list - As of tonight, there are still 7 dogs who are part of the event & are ready to go home!
For photos and info, please see our original post - it's pinned to the top of our Facebook page.

🚧Samantha A0060659234
🚧Jeimy A0059681239
🚧Bear A0047453981
🚧Topher A0060707022
🚧Benzo A0058851855
🚧Torino A0060736124
🚧Izzy A0059439410

Event Details:
📅 FINAL DAY - Saturday 4/11!
⏰Our doors open at 11am & are open until 3:30pm
💲 $50 Dog Adoptions

👉 This special applies to dogs that are already altered and ready to go home the same day.
👉 Dogs available for pre-selection or not yet altered are not included in this event.
👉 We strongly encourage submitting an application ahead of time on our website, but you can also fill one out when you arrive!

🌟🐾 Paw-some Pick of the Day! 🐾🌟

We’re shining the spotlight on our pets with something special: each day, one amazing pet will be featured as our Paw-some Pick of the Day — and for that day only, their adoption fee is waived!

👉Friday, April 10th's Paw-some... Pick is Benzo A0058851855!

Benzo is a 2-year-old, 58-pound handsome pup with a calm and friendly demeanor. He came to us as a stray and was never reclaimed, so his past is a bit of a mystery—but he’s been showing us what a sweet companion he can be during his time here.

While in our care, Benzo participated in a dog introduction with another dog at the shelter. Staff noted that he had a lower energy level during the interaction, but was very friendly and interested in the other dog, taking his time to engage in a relaxed and positive way.

Benzo is looking for a forever home where he can feel comfortable, loved, and continue to come out of his shell. If you’re searching for a more easygoing companion, Benzo could be a great fit for your family.🐱🐶✨

🖱Click here to submit an Adoption Questionnaire - https://winnebagoanimals.org/adoption-applicatio

🚧🐶 CONSTRUCTION SALE: DOG ADOPTION EVENT🐶🚧

DAY THREE UPDATE:
‼THREE‼ dogs were adopted today!

🎉Thank you to everyone who adopted today and to everyone that continues to share our event posts! Also, a huge shoutout & thank you to the staff & ...volunteers who facilitated these adoptions!

👉Here is our updated list - As of tonight, there are still 9 dogs who are part of the event & are ready to go home!
For photos and info, please see our original post - it's pinned to the top of our Facebook page.

🚧BoomBoom A0060669732
🚧Samantha A0060659234
🚧Jeimy A0059681239
🚧Bear A0047453981
🚧Topher A0060707022
🚧Nathaniel A0060677990
🚧Benzo A0058851855
🚧Peter A0060689071
🚧Skye A0056623195

Event Details:
📅 NOW thru Saturday 4/11!
⏰Our doors open at 11am & are open until 4:30pm on Friday and 3:30pm on Saturday
💲 $50 Dog Adoptions

👉 This special applies to dogs that are already altered and ready to go home the same day.
👉 Dogs available for pre-selection or not yet altered are not included in this event.
👉 We strongly encourage submitting an application ahead of time on our website, but you can also fill one out when you arrive!

‼🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉‼

❤Remember Jubilee???❤

Jubilee first came to WCAS in November 2022 as a stray and was never reclaimed. After a couple of weeks in our care, she was adopted.

Fast forward two and a half years, and Jubilee found herself back at our ...facility—this time as a return from her adopter. She waited patiently for just over a month until the right person came along, fell in love with this sweet girl, and gave her the fresh start she deserved in a new home. 💛

Jubilee's adopter reached out with an update and this fantastic photo!
🐾Jubilee has been with us since June of last year. She loves to “talk” to us, greets us with a howl every day when we get home or has to go outside or just wants to cuddle. Jubilee has been an amazing! She loves everyone and everything. Other cats, dogs, kids, babies, and more. ❤️❤️😍🐾

👉Interested in creating your own adoption story? We have lots of amazing dogs & cats available for adoption!

👉Visit our website - www.WinnebagoAnimals.org -to complete an adoption questionnaire!

👉If you've adopted from WCAS and would like to share an update & photos, you can message us OR send us an email at wcas@wcas.wincoil.gov

🚧🐶 CONSTRUCTION SALE: DOG ADOPTION EVENT🐶🚧

We had an AMAZING kickoff to our adoption event on Tuesday—7 dogs found their forever homes!

But yesterday?
Not a single dog adoption—and there are still 12 dogs eagerly waiting to meet their people!

...💛Let’s change that today. Come meet the dogs who are still waiting for their second chance—you might just find your perfect match!

🚧BoomBoom A0060669732
🚧Samantha A0060659234
🚧Herbert A0060612127
🚧Nightwind A0060548707
🚧Cujo A0060443429
🚧Jeimy A0059681239
🚧Bear A0047453981
🚧Topher A0060707022
🚧Nathaniel A0060677990
🚧Benzo A0058851855
🚧Peter A0060689071
🚧Skye A0056623195

For photos and info, please see our original event post - it's pinned to the top of our Facebook page - or visit our website - www.WinnebagoAnimals.org

Event Details:
📅 NOW thru Saturday 4/11!
⏰Our doors open at 11am & are open until 4:30pm (Thurs & Fri) and 3:30pm on Saturday
💲 $50 Dog Adoptions
✔This special applies to dogs that are already altered and ready to go home the same day.
✔ Dogs available for pre-selection or not yet altered are not included in this event.
✔ We strongly encourage submitting an application ahead of time on our website, but you can also fill one out when you arrive!

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