About Adoption

Building families one adoption at a time.

The Anti-Cruelty Society celebrates the human-animal bond by making lifelong adoption matches between pets and people. Our team of experts guide adopters to help each person find their best match. We provide customized adoption consultations and post-adoption support with each adoption. We offer drop-in, same-day adoptions across Chicagoland. Learn more about Locations & Hours and the Adoption Process. 

Why Adopt? 

Adoption isn’t just about bringing home a new pet - it’s about building a family. That’s why our team is so committed to supporting adopters throughout the entire process. As Chicago’s premier animal shelter, we have a variety of programs that support pets and their people from the day they adopt and beyond. By adopting from The Anti-Cruelty Society you become a part of our community and have the support you need to help you and your new pet succeed.

Adoption Preparedness: 

Bringing home a new animal is a happy and exciting moment for both the person and the adopted pet. We want to set every adopter and their new companion up for success - which is why our team is available to help adopters navigate each step of the experience. Start your adoption journey by learning more about the Adoption Process to ensure you’re fully prepared to welcome an animal into your home. Reach out to our adoption team at adoption@anticruelty.org if you have any questions along the way. Note that only adults who are 18 year of age or older qualify for adoption. 

Adoption Fees:

Each adoption fee covers just a portion of the care, training, and medical services provided for each adoptable pet. We keep our fees affordable to encourage people from all walks of life to adopt! Learn about discounted fees through our special adoption programs.

Cats: 

• Adults - 5 months and up - $75
• Bonded Adults -  $75 - second fee is waived!
• Kittens -  Under 5 months - $130
• Bonded Kittens - $195 - second fee is half off

Dogs:

• Adults - 5 months and up - $175
• Bonded Adults - $265
• Puppies - Under 5 months - $300

Small animals:

• Rabbits - $35
• Guinea Pig - $10
• Pair of Guinea Pigs - $15 - second fee is half off
• Gerbils, hamsters, fancy rats - $8

What’s included with each adoption:

• Each adoption includes a variety of services and resources to set you and your new pet up for success. Each adoption package includes:
• An adoption consultation: our adoption team will assist people with choosing a pet who is a good match for their lifestyle and provides customized counseling to prepare them for welcoming home a new pet.
• Starter supplies: each adopter animal goes home with a collar, leash (dog) or carrier (cat/small animal), and for pets adopted from our River North location, an engraved identification tag as well as a sample bag of Science Diet dry food.
• Medical package: complete veterinary examination, basic health screening (heartworm test for dogs, feline leukemia test for cats), age-appropriate vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, microchip
• VCA Health Certificate: complimentary exam and follow-up care at a VCA hospital near you within 14 days of adoption. Learn more here.
• 24 PetHealth Insurance Trial: complimentary one-month trial, must be activated by the adopter immediately to provide coverage
• Behavior support: our team of behavior specialists have developed a number of resources to assist adopters with transitioning their new pet into their home. This includes care information sheets provided at the time of adoption, our Pet Care Library, as well as access to our Behavior Helpline.

Adoption Match Guarantee 

The Anti-Cruelty Society team works closely with each adopter to find the best possible animal companion match but realizes that sometimes things just don’t work out. That’s why we offer our “Adoption Match Guarantee.” If you’ve adopted a pet from us, and the match isn’t quite right, know that we’re here to support you! Reach out to us so we can welcome the animal back and help you find a better fit. We offer full refunds to adopters upon request if an animal is returned to us within 30 days of the original adoption date. Reach out to our adoption team at adoption@anticruelty.org or call 312-645-8220 for details.