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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
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
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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
join our pack
✨🙏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.orgJust a reminder that Winnebago County Animal Services will be closed today, Friday, July 4th in observance of the Fourth of July.
We will re-open tomorrow, Saturday, July 5th at 11am.
Have a safe and fun holiday!
Winnebago County Animal Services will be closed tomorrow, Friday, July 4th in observance of the Fourth of July.
We will re-open Saturday, July 5th at 11am. If you're interested in adopting, be sure to complete an adoption questionnaire at www.WinnebagoAnimals.org.
Have a ...safe and fun holiday!
‼🚨More Pets are Lost on 4th of July Than Any Other Time of Year🚨‼
While our country celebrates its independence, this time of year can be a frightening time for pets. The noise caused by fireworks can cause dogs and cats to go to great lengths to escape their house, fenced yard, ...or even a leash. This is why more lost pets end up in animal shelters on this holiday than any other time of the year.
👉Take a look at our website resource for suggestions on how to help you and your pet celebrate the holiday together without anxiety.

Noise caused by fireworks can cause pets to go to great lengths to escape their home. Here we provide suggestions to help you and your pet celebrate...
winnebagoanimals.org✨🙏It's Wishlist Wednesday! 🙏✨
(Our model is Maevis A0058552628! 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
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.