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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 - 5:00 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
lost &
found
lost
a pet?
found
a stray?
our services
In addition to pet adoption, WCAS offers services to help keep the pets and people of Winnebago County safe and healthy.
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
📣 ‼️STARTING THURSDAY- $25 Adoptions sponsored by the BISSELL Pet Foundation! 📣 ‼️LET'S EMPTY THE SHELTER‼️📣
...
📢Our dog and cat kennels are at critical capacity and we need your help! We have over 40 dogs available for adoption and over 50 cats and kittens!
📢Starting Thursday, October 5th Winnebago County Animal Services adoption fees will be just $25 for select dogs, cats, and kittens. This event will be for a ‼️LIMITED TIME‼️ Make sure you get here ASAP to meet your new best friend!
** This event will be for pets ready to go home same day! **
📢Please visit www.WinnebagoAnimals.org to view pets at Winnebago County Animal Services and complete an adoption questionnaire. Adopters who fill out a questionnaire online and stop in to get their approval card prior to the day of the event, will be the first to view our adoptable animals.
🚨🚨Please share, tag friends, family, coworkers, and even strangers!
Take a peak at just a few of the furry friends looking for a home!
🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉
❤️Remember Oso❤️
Oso came to WCAS as a stray in April of this year and was never reclaimed by an ...owner. After a little over a week in our care Oso was adopted by his forever family !!!
Oso's owner shared this wonderful update with us-
🐾Oso is the best! He loves his farm life with his kids, he is the absolute best. Thank you again!🐾
❤️Just look at these adorable photos!❤️
👉Interested in creating your own adoption story?
We have lots of amazing dogs & cats available for adoption! We are open for adoptions today from 11am until 4:30pm!
👉Visit our website - www.WinnebagoAnimals.org - to view all of the pets currently available for adoption and to complete an adoption questionnaire!
🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉
🤍Remember Benson???🤍
Benson initially came to us back in August of 2015 as a stray, but was never ...reclaimed. After a couple of weeks in our care he was adopted; however, after a few months in his new home, he was returned back to WCAS. Benson then spent over 4 months at WCAS eagerly awaiting adoption. Finally, on the last day of March in 2016, Benson was adopted and went to his forever home!
Benson's owner shared this wonderful update with us-
🐾I adopted Benson 3-31- 2016. He is the best dog a person could ask for and is so loved by everyone! Just wanted to share an update. Thank you🐾
🤍Just look at these great photos!🤍
👉Interested in creating your own adoption story?
We have lots of amazing dogs & cats available for adoption! We are open for adoptions tomorrow from 11am until 4:30pm!
👉Visit our website - www.WinnebagoAnimals.org - to view all of the pets currently available for adoption and to complete an adoption questionnaire!
🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉
🖤Remember Storm???🖤
Storm came to us in April of this year as a stray and was never reclaimed by an... owner. After almost a week in our care, her adopter visited WCAS and fell in love with this sweet girl!
Storm's owner shared this wonderful update with us-
🐾I adopted Storm back in April and we have become best friends! She loves cuddling and getting the zoomies. She is the sweetest cat and everybody loves hers!!!!🐾
🤍Just look at these precious photos!🤍
👉Interested in creating your own adoption story?
We have lots of amazing dogs & cats available for adoption! We are open for adoptions tomorrow from 11am until 3:30pm!
👉Visit our website - www.WinnebagoAnimals.org - to view all of the pets currently available for adoption and to complete an adoption questionnaire!
💚💙WCAS is so grateful to be participating in BBISSELL Pet Foundations #EmptyTheShelters Fall Adoption Special! 💙💚
Stay ...turned for more details on event dates and pics of our adorable adoptables coming soon. Housing over 200 animals in-house with an additional 103 pets in foster homes, there is no better time to adopt!
🎥🐾Pebbles showed off her best smile during her Pet of the Week segment on Eyewitness News with Meteorologist Joey Marino yesterday ....🐾🎥
My name is Pebbles, I am thirteen-years-old, and I am awaiting a forever home. Please don't look me over just because I have a few more years on me than some of the other dogs here. My family adopted me from WCAS 8 years ago. I came back a couple of weeks ago as a stray but my family never came back for me. I'm hoping you can give me a happy ending to live out my golden years!
I am a staff and volunteer favorite! Everyone here loves how well I walk on a leash and my good manners. I've been great with other dogs and I don't seem to mind cats. I'm really hoping to find a family to get back to. Could you be that for me?
💛Old, but wise and young at heart! As a Golden Whiskers member, Pepper's adoption fee is partially sponsored by WCAS Auxiliary and just $75! Pebbles is looking for a home to live out the rest of his golden years! Check her out and the multiple other senior dogs we currently have available for adoption! 💛
Think she's the one for you?
Haven't applied yet? No worries! You can visit our website and complete an adoption questionnaire below.
www.winnebagoanimals.org
making news
WCAS Returning to Past License Tag Style Due to Global Shipping Disruptions
Winnebago County Animal Services (WCAS) will be returning to the past pet license tag style for 2022 pet registrations. This license tag style, which is a flat, stamped aluminum tag, was last used...
Kitten Season
Kitten season hits every spring and every spring staff prepares for the influx of kittens about to come through our doors. Learn more here!
Working Cat Program
The Working Cat Program finds homes for those cats are better suited to a non-traditional home setting.
PetSmart Adoption Program
WCAS has partnered with six PetSmart locations to help cats and kittens find their new homes.