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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

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

👀🚨Do you know any of these dogs?🚨👀

Can you help us find their families? Each animal's Intake Date & Location Found is include in their photo's caption.

👉If you believe one of these dogs is yours, please call us at 815-319-4100 and one of our call ...takers can speak with you about next steps OR stop by our facility.

👉We're open today (Friday 10/2) until 5pm.

👉Some of these dogs are available for preselect adoption, which means that although the dog is still on their stray hold period and awaiting reclaim by their owner, an interested adopter is able to complete an adoption application and pay the fee to pre-select the animal for adoption. If the dog is not reclaimed, the adoption is finalized and the dog can go home as soon as they're spayed/neutered.

🌟🐾 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, October 2nd's ...Paw-some Pick is Dozer A0061440723 !

Dozer is a handsome 2-year-old pup weighing 70 pounds who is ready to find a patient and understanding family to call his own.

Dozer came to WCAS as an owner surrender after his previous owner was moving and was unable to bring him along. Since arriving at the shelter, our team has been getting to know Dozer and helping him adjust to his new surroundings.

During a dog introduction, Dozer showed us that he can be a shy and nervous guy, particularly when interacting with people. He was a little flighty when first brought into the yard and wasn't interested in seeking out pets or attention. At one point, when staff attempted to retrieve his leash, Dozer tried to move away. Importantly, no aggression was observed—his behavior appeared rooted in fear and uncertainty.

When Dozer was introduced to Sully, however, we saw him become much more open and comfortable. He displayed friendly body language and a wagging tail and showed increased interest in interacting with Sully. He successfully passed his dog introduction.

Dozer is looking for a family who understands that he may need some time to build trust and feel comfortable with his new people. A calm environment, patience, consistency, and allowing him to approach interactions at his own pace will be important as he settles in.

Once Dozer knows he is safe, we think there's a sweet companion waiting to emerge. Could you be the person to help this shy guy find his confidence? Come meet Dozer and talk with our team about whether he's the right fit for your home🐱🐶✨

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

🎥🐾 Adoptable kitten Baby Smores had a wonderful time during her Pet of the Week appearance on Eyewitness News with Meteorologist Joey Marino! 🐾🎥

At just 4 months old, Baby Smores is full of playful kitten charm and is ready to find a family to call her own. This sweet girl ...comes running to greet staff, purrs like a little tractor when she's being loved on, and happily climbs into laps to hand out kisses. She has the perfect combination of affection and fun kitten energy!

Could Baby Smores be the feline of your dreams? ❤️

If you're interested in adopting, visit our website and complete an adoption questionnaire:
www.winnebagoanimals.org

‼🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉‼

❤Remember Arugula (now Winston)???❤

Winston came to WCAS earlier this month as a stray along with two other kittens and was never reclaimed by an owner. Fortunately, Winston's stay at the shelter was a short one! Just two weeks after ...arriving, Winston was adopted!❤️

Winston's adopter shared these great photos and this wonderful update with us!
🐾We have only had Winston (formerly Arugula) for just over a week but he is already right at home and best buds with our older cat Franklin.🐾

👉Interested in creating your own adoption story?
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.go

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

We’re SO excited to share that Gerta has officially gone home!
❤️We couldn’t be happier to see them start their 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!

👉Today's pick is Suki! She's still here - patiently awaiting adoption!

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

🌟🐾 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!

👉Thursday, October 1st's ...Paw-some Pick is Suki A0061607267 !

Suki is a 2-year-old, 58-pound Shar-Pei who came to us as a stray and, unfortunately, was never reclaimed. Now, this sweet girl is ready to find a family of her own!

Suki is a friendly, affectionate girl who enjoys attention both in and out of her kennel. She happily allows handling and petting all over her body and has been a joy for staff to interact with.

Suki also did wonderfully during her dog introduction with Ellie! The two were immediately interested in one another through the fence, and once they were brought into the same yard, they were both eager to play. There were plenty of play bows, jumping, rolling, and playful antics, and they interacted very nicely together on dropped leashes.

With her friendly personality and playful spirit, Suki is sure to bring lots of fun and love to her future family. Come meet this adorable, wrinkly girl and see if she might be your perfect match!🐱🐶✨

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

‼🎉ADOPTION UPDATE!🎉‼

❤Remember Mushroom???❤

Mushroom came to WCAS earlier this month as a stray and was never reclaimed by an owner. Fortunately, Mushroom’s stay at the shelter was a short one! Just two weeks after arriving, Mushroom found what we know will be a ...wonderful forever home!❤️

Mushroom's adopter shared these great photos and this wonderful update with us!
🐾Mushroom is doing good. We are getting him used to our other cat Bear a little at a time. He is super sweet and cuddly, and we just love him. Super handsome 😍
Thank you so much for letting us adopt such a wonderful pet. I am attaching some new pictures of our handsome boy 🐈💕🐾

👉Interested in creating your own adoption story?
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.go

👀🚨Do you know any of these dogs?🚨👀

Can you help us find their families? Each animal's Intake Date & Location Found is include in their photo's caption.

👉If you believe one of these dogs is yours, please call us at 815-319-4100 and one of our call ...takers can speak with you about next steps OR stop by our facility.

👉We're open today (Wednesday 9/30) until 5pm.

👉Some of these dogs are available for preselect adoption, which means that although the dog is still on their stray hold period and awaiting reclaim by their owner, an interested adopter is able to complete an adoption application and pay the fee to pre-select the animal for adoption. If the dog is not reclaimed, the adoption is finalized and the dog can go home as soon as they're spayed/neutered.

✨🙏It's Wishlist Wednesday! 🙏✨

Our model is ❤Danish A0061696509❤ and is available for adoption here at WCAS!

This week, we're in need of the following item(s):
✨Kitten Wet Food

Donations can be dropped off at our facility OR ordered & ...shipped to our address
- 4517 N. Main St. Rockford, IL 6110

making news