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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.
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
🎥🐾Did you miss Alice's spot on WIFR TV 23 news yesterday morning?🐾🎥
Our WIFR TV 23 Pet of the Week is Alice! This ...well mannered and friendly girl is ready to cuddle up with her forever family.
Alice came to us as a stray and was never reclaimed by an owner.
At 6 years old, Alice loves to romp around in the yard with other dogs and then snuggle up on a soft bed.
Could she be the one for you? If you're interested in adopting, visit our website and complete an adoption questionnaire. www.winnebagoanimals.org
Check out Alice's segment below ⬇️
https://www.wifr.com/2022/12/05/pet-week-alice/
🎉🎉 Last week, Winnebago County Animal Services helped 58 pets find adoptive families! This included 29 cats and 29 dogs!🎉🎉
...
Although we didn't empty the shelter, The BISSELL Pet Foundation's Event was a huge success in helping us find homes for a lot of amazing pets! We even have 21 more cats and 7 dogs scheduled to go home with adoptive families this week!
We would like to thank the BISSELL Pet Foundation for sponsoring the adoption event and everyone who participated in our event by adopting!
We still have a shelter full of loving pets looking for a home!
For more information on adoptable pets, please visit our website at
www.winnebagoanimals.org .
🚨🎄🎄‼️ $25 and $10 adoptions! Let's empty the shelter tomorrow‼️ 🎄🎄🚨
Day 1 & 2 of this event was a ...success in finding homes for 11 cats 🐱 and 13 dogs 🐶!
👉We still have lots of amazing dogs and cats available for adoption! Be sure to visit our website www.WinnebagoAnimals.org to view available pets and complete an adoption questionnaire. (Pre-select adoption are not included in this event)
👉Adopters who fill out a questionnaire online will be the first to view our adoptable animals.
👉We will be open for adoptions Saturday from 11am to 3:30pm.
🎄🎄‼️ $25 and $10 adoptions! Empty the Shelter starts now‼️ 🎄🎄
🐾‼Our Eyewitness News Pet of the Week, Dharma, ...helped us spread the word with Meteorologist Joey Marino about our Empty the Shelter Holiday Hope Event‼️
Dharma enjoyed her time in the the studio showing off her sweet and playful personality! This girl weighs in at 30 pounds and is as sweet as can be! Dharma loves treats, cuddles, and playing with toys!
‼️Our shelter is at capacity meaning we are FULL with loving companion pets who desperately need homes of their own‼️
👉This event will be for a ‼️ LIMITED TIME ‼️ Make sure you get here ASAP to meet your new best friend!
Winnebago Animal Service will be participating in the BISSELL Pet Foundation's Empty the Shelters National Holiday Hope Event today, December 1st through Saturday, December 3rd. During this time, adoption fees will be $25 for dogs & kittens. Adult cats will have a reduced fee of $10!
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 will be the first to view our adoptable animals.
During #EmptytheShelters, adopters are still required to complete a standard adoption application as if it were a normal day.
** Pets available for pre-select adoption do not qualify for this event **
🎄🎄‼️ $25 and $10 adoptions! Empty the Shelter starts tomorrow‼️ 🎄🎄
‼️OUR POPULATION IS AT CRITICAL CAPACITY- We ...need homes for our pets now more than ever‼️
Take a look through just a few of the pets we will have available!⬇️⬇️⬇️
Winnebago Animal Service will be participating in the BISSELL Pet Foundation's Empty the Shelters National Holiday Hope Event Thursday December 1st through Saturday, December 3rd. During this time, adoption fees will be $25 for dogs & kittens. Adult cats will have a reduced fee of $10!
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.
During #EmptytheShelters, adopters are still required to complete a standard adoption application as if it were a normal day.
** Pets available for pre-select adoption do not qualify for this event **
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.