The Anti-Cruelty Society
Chicago's oldest humane society, founded in 1899, operating one of the largest no-kill shelters in the Midwest out of its long-standing River North home.
The Anti-Cruelty Society is the oldest humane society in Chicago, founded in 1899 by a group of civic leaders during the period when American humane societies were largely concerned with the welfare of working horses. The organization's mission expanded over the twentieth century to cover dogs and cats, and the LaSalle Drive headquarters in River North — opened in 1981 — has been one of the central pieces of Chicago animal welfare infrastructure for over four decades.
It is sometimes confused with the ASPCA (the national organization) or with Chicago Animal Care and Control (the municipal shelter). It is neither. Anti-Cruelty is an independent nonprofit, funded by Chicago donors, with its own board and policy positions.
How they work
Anti-Cruelty operates a comprehensive adoption program out of the LaSalle Drive building. The adoption process is structured: an application, a brief interview with adoption counselors, and a meet-and-greet with the specific animal. The counselors are looking for fit, and the conversation usually centers on lifestyle, household composition, and prior pet experience.
Adoption fees are listed on the organization's website and vary by animal age and demand. Fees cover spay or neuter, age-appropriate vaccinations, microchipping, and a starter pack of food and supplies.
The shelter operates as no-kill in current practice, with a live release rate consistently above 90%. Animals with significant medical or behavioral issues are stabilized in-house when possible; the organization's veterinary clinic is large enough to handle most cases without external referral.
Beyond adoptions, Anti-Cruelty runs:
- A full-service veterinary clinic open to the public, providing affordable care to animals across Chicago — not just shelter intakes.
- Behavior training programs for dogs the shelter accepts that need rehabilitation before adoption. Some of this work runs for months.
- Humane education programs reaching tens of thousands of Chicago schoolchildren annually.
- Spay and neuter services at reduced cost for low-income households.
- Pet food pantry distribution helping keep animals in homes that are struggling financially.
The organization also operates The Anti-Cruelty Society Center for Recovery in suburban Tinley Park, which handles long-term rehabilitation for animals with significant medical or behavioral needs.
What 125 years of Chicago animal welfare looks like
Anti-Cruelty has been operating long enough to have outlasted most of the institutions it might compare itself to. The organization's archives contain records of cases dating back to the 1900s — humane society work in Chicago during that period largely meant intervening in cases of cruelty toward horses pulling streetcars, dairy delivery wagons, and ice carts. The mission has shifted with the city.
What hasn't shifted is the institutional weight. Anti-Cruelty has been part of nearly every significant piece of Illinois animal welfare legislation since the 1940s. The organization's policy and advocacy arm continues to lobby on state-level rescue and adoption policy.
The LaSalle Drive location specifically has, over its 40+ years, become a piece of River North's daily fabric. The dog-walker volunteers pass through Lake Street and Erie multiple times daily. The annual gala draws a meaningful slice of Chicago's nonprofit donor community.
You can support them in the standard ways:
- Adopt from the River North location; weekly availability is posted online.
- Foster — particularly for puppies, kittens, and post-surgery recovery animals.
- Volunteer — dog walking, cat socializing, event support, and the foster network.
- Donate — financial statements are published annually; the organization holds high charity ratings.
Field & Era at Anti-Cruelty
The LaSalle Drive coordinates appear regularly in Companion Edition orders shipped to Chicago, Evanston, Oak Park, and the broader suburbs. If you adopted from The Anti-Cruelty Society and want the address set on archival paper, see the Companion Edition. 10% of every Companion order supports a rescue partner.
Last verified May 29, 2026. Facts about hours, intake policies, and adoption fees can change. Confirm with The Anti-Cruelty Society directly before visiting.