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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
lost &
found
lost
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our services
In addition to pet adoption, WCAS offers services to help keep the pets and people of Winnebago County safe and healthy.
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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
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‼🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉‼
❤Remember Jakey???❤
Jakey came to WCAS as a stray in early-June and was never reclaimed by an owner. Thankfully Jakey didn't have to wait long for adoption, after a couple of week in our care Jakey was adopted!
Jakey's adopter ...shared an update with us along with these adorable photos!
🐾I wanted to give an adoption update!! We adopted JAKEY last month on the 20th and he has settled in greatly!!! He loves my daughter and loves going on walks and car rides. He had his first pup cup and he loved it. His favorite toy is his squeaky bird he takes it everywhere with him. He's such a good boy and is a great addition to our family!!!🐾
👉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!
🐾🎉 Happy National Kitten Day! 🎉🐾
Today we’re celebrating the tiniest toe beans, the fiercest zoomies, and the loudest purrs packed into the smallest bodies! 🐱💕
‼️📢 LET’S EMPTY THE SHELTER! 📢‼️
For a limited time only, adoption fees at Winnebago ...County Animal Services are reduced thanks to the generous support of the BISSELL Pet Foundation:
🐶 $50 for dogs
🐱 $50 for kittens
🐱 $20 for adult cats
Kittens bring joy, curiosity, and just the right amount of chaos into our lives—and here at WCAS, we’re lucky enough to witness their adorable antics every single day! 😻
Thinking about adding a kitten (or two!) to your family? Now is the purr-fect time to adopt, foster, or even just stop by for some snuggles and smiles. Take a look at just a few of the kittens currently up for adoption at WCAS below!
💛 Whether you’re ready to bring home a new furry friend or just want to celebrate the cuteness, we’d love to see you today. Come visit us and help us find homes for these precious little floofs!
📍 Adoption Hours:
🕚 Thursday & Friday: 11 AM – 4:30 PM
🕚 Saturday: 11 AM – 3:30 PM
‼️📢 LET’S EMPTY THE SHELTER! 📢‼️
Now through a limited time, adoption fees at Winnebago County Animal Services are REDUCED thanks to the BISSELL Pet Foundation!
🐶 $50 for dogs
🐱 $50 for kittens
🐱 $20 for adult cats
🎥🐾 Eyewitness News Pet ...of the Week: Watson! 🐾🎥
Watson joined Meteorologist Joey Marino to show off just what makes our adoptable dogs so special—and he nailed it!
🐾 Meet Watson!
This handsome, young pup came to us as a stray in rough shape—emaciated and needing lots of TLC. But thanks to some love, care, and plenty of snacks, Watson is now nearly 10 pounds healthier and ready to find his forever home! 💪❤️
At about a year old, Watson still has that goofy, fun-loving puppy energy. He lives for playtime—especially with other dogs and toys. Afterward? It’s snuggle city. 🧸🐕
Watson’s journey hasn’t been easy, but he’s ready for a fresh start with a family who will love him as much as he loves belly rubs. 🥰
All adoptions include:
✔️ Wellness exam
✔️ Spay/neuter
✔️ Microchip
✔️ Age-appropriate vaccines
✔️ Flea/tick preventative
...and more!
📢 Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to adopt!
Visit www.WinnebagoAnimals.org to view available pets and complete an adoption questionnaire.
📍 Adoption Hours:
🕚 Thursday & Friday: 11 AM – 4:30 PM
🕚 Saturday: 11 AM – 3:30 PM
Let’s find Watson—and all his furry friends—the forever homes they deserve! 🏡💛
‼🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉‼
❤Remember Zoey???❤
Zoey initially came to us as a stray in May of 2022 and was never reclaimed by an owner. When she arrived, she had a broken right paw and a large wound on her head. Her paw was surgically corrected and she spent the next couple... of months in foster care while she healed & recovered and was eventually adopted by her foster. However, a couple of months after getting adopted, Zoey found herself back at our facility, again as a stray. Sadly, her adopter never showed up to reclaim her. After a couple of months back at WCAS, Zoey was adopted into what she thought would be her forever home, but after two and a half years, Zoey was returned to WCAS. For the next 3 months, Zoey patiently awaited adoption until she was adopted in mid-June of this year!
Zoey's adopter shared an update with us along with these great photos!
🐾We adopted Zoey about a month ago from the Winnebago County Animal Services shelter. She’s such a joy and a wonderful addition to our family. She’s so sweet and loving, she even loves her new brother. Thank you everyone who made it possible for Zoey to find her forever home!!!
Zoey loves to run around in the yard with her brother Echo, which we also adopted from your faculty a year ago. She loves when it’s time to eat and loves her treats!!!
🐾
👉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!
✨🙏It's Wishlist Wednesday! 🙏✨
(Our model is Tomás A0058664698! They're currently available for adoption here at WCAS!!!)
This week, we're in need of the following items:
✨ Kitten Wet Food
✨ Dog Wet Food
Donations can be dropped off at... our facility OR ordered & shipped to our address
- 4517 N. Main St. Rockford, IL 61103
💛🐾 EMPTY THE SHELTERS STARTS TOMORROW WITH REDUCED ADOPTION FEES THRU A LIMITED TIME! 🐾💛 at Winnebago County Animal Services! 📣
—since the 4th of July we have had almost 60 animals come into our care at a time when we were already at capacity.💔 Our shelter is ...overcrowded, which puts pets at risk. These animals deserve a second chance and a loving family ‼️🚨
Thanks to the incredible generosity of the BISSELL Pet Foundation and the compassionate heart of Cathy Bissell, we’re proud to participate in Empty the Shelters—a nationwide adoption event dedicated to giving pets the second chance they deserve.
🎉 ADOPTION FEES:
🐱 Cats $20
🐱 Kittens $50
🐶 Dogs $50
(Pre-select animals are not a part of the event)
Each pet has a story—some came in scared, others were surrendered, and many were simply lost. But all of them have one thing in common: they’re waiting for you. ❤️
Help us empty our full kennels by filling homes and hearts.
📢 Please share and spread the word—let’s find them all forever homes!
👇 Meet some of our adoptable pets below!
Then, click the link to see all available pets and submit your adoption application:
🔗 www.winnebagoanimals.org
🎉🎉 Last week, Winnebago County Animal Services helped 33 pets find their forever homes! That includes 18 cats, 13 dogs, and 2 birds! 🎉🎉
🐾 Browse all of our available pets at: www.winnebagoanimals.org
Let’s work together to save more lives! 🐶🐱🐹🐾
🚨 Calling all Lab lovers! 🚨
We’ve got TWO amazing black labs at WCAS who are ready to find their forever homes — and the best part? Their adoption fees are SPONSORED! 🐾🖤
👇 Meet our incredible duo:
🌟 Memphis - 7 years old
Memphis was surrendered due to... housing issues, but his former owner had nothing but love for him! He’s house-trained, did well with another dog in the home, and loves people.
Since arriving at WCAS, Memphis has quickly become a volunteer favorite thanks to his calm demeanor and affectionate nature. He’s the definition of a good boy. 💙
🌟 Molly Mae - 8 years old
Molly Mae came to us from a rough situation where she was left alone in a home with two cats in poor conditions. But you’d never know it — she’s been nothing but sweet, gentle, and resilient.
She’s gotten along well with other dogs here and is a total lovebug with people. Her hair has grown back beautifully, and she’s feeling better every day! 💗
🎉 Both of these wonderful dogs have SPONSORED ADOPTION FEES, thanks to generous supporters and our WCAS Auxiliary! 🎉
If you're looking for a loyal companion, you’ll find one (or two!) waiting here at WCAS.
📍 Stop by and meet Memphis and Molly Mae — they’re ready to love you forever.
www.winnebagoanimals.org
Lost a pet? Found a pet? Thousands of people visit our website every week and it's probably no surprise that the most popular pages are the adoptable dogs and cats. We totally get it! But we hope that you'll also make browsing the lost and found pages on our site a regular habit as ...well!
Of course all stray animals coming to our facility are shown here, but residents are also able to file a lost or found report right our website, picture and everything, and that report gets published on our website. These are people who have lost their pet and are asking for help finding them. Browse these listings, which are updated throughout the day, and see if you can help!

What do you do when you have a lost pet or you found one? Check out our lost and found pets page for more information.
winnebagoanimals.orgmaking news
WCAS Returning to Past License Tag Style Due to Global Shipping Disruptions
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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.