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The Animal Welfare League is located in the southwest suburb of Chicago Ridge. The League has grown to become the largest humane facility in the Chicagoland area, serving more than 64 communities.
Animal Welfare League's adoption process
1.
Submit Application
The first step in the adoption process is to complete our Adoption Application. You may submit it to us via Fax, Email, or in person.
2.
Approve Application
Once your application has been approved by our adoption committee, they will call you to schedule an appointment.
3.
Meet the Pet
The day of the appointment, bring your family or other pets so that we may conduct a pet introduction to see the compatibility of the pets.
Additional adoption info
Please visit our website for Animal Welfare League's adoption steps.
The Animal Welfare League was founded over 85 years ago. In 1935, a vision became reality when a group of compassionate humanitarians came together to relieve suffering among animals.
Seventy-five years later the AWL has grown to become the largest humane facility in the Chicagoland area, serving over 22,000 animals annually from more than 64 communities. Its multi-faceted mission: to prevent cruelty to animals, provide quality homes through its adoption program, promote respect and compassion for all creatures through education, provide shelter and care for homeless and unwanted animals, reduce pet overpopulation through low cost spay/neuter clinics, provide veterinary care for low-income pet owners and relieve the suffering of all animals - is carried out by a dedicated staff and volunteers.
Today, the Animal Welfare league operates two shelters in the Chicagoland area. Our founding shelter is located on Wabash Avenue in Chicago serving the impoverished area. Our main office, located in Chicago Ridge, is a full-service shelter open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The AWL operates a full service clinic that is open to the public Monday through Saturday.
The Animal Welfare League was founded over 85 years ago. In 1935, a vision became reality when a group of compassionate humanitarians came together to relieve suffering among animals.
Seventy-five years later the AWL has grown to become the largest humane facility in the Chicagoland area, serving over 22,000 animals annually from more than 64 communities. Its multi-faceted mission: to prevent cruelty to animals, provide quality homes through its adoption program, promote respect and compassion for all creatures through education, provide shelter and care for homeless and unwanted animals, reduce pet overpopulation through low cost spay/neuter clinics, provide veterinary care for low-income pet owners and relieve the suffering of all animals - is carried out by a dedicated staff and volunteers.
Today, the Animal Welfare league operates two shelters in the Chicagoland area. Our founding shelter is located on Wabash Avenue in Chicago serving the impoverished area. Our main office, located in Chicago Ridge, is a full-service shelter open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The AWL operates a full service clinic that is open to the public Monday through Saturday.
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Support adoption and rescue. Why go to a dog breeder, cat breeder or pet store to buy a dog or buy a cat when you can adopt?
Why should you adopt?
Dog adoption and cat adoption saves lives. Adopt a dog or adopt a cat and you'll have a friend for life.
What is the difference between adopting a dog, adopting a cat, adopting a kitten or adopting a puppy versus getting dogs for sale, cats for sale, puppies for sale or kittens for sale from a dog breeder or a cat breeder?
When someone is breeding puppies or breeding kittens, they are creating new dogs and cats who need homes. Some people are interested in a very specific breed of dog, cat, puppy or kitten and they think the only way to find that specific breed is to buy a dog for sale or buy a cat for sale from a puppy breeder or a kitten breeder. Yet animal shelters are filled with dogs and cats who must find homes.
So rather than buying a dog or puppy for sale from a dog breeder or buying a cat or kitten for sale from a cat breeder, we encourage people to adopt a dog, adopt a cat, adopt a puppy or adopt a kitten at their local animal shelter, SPCA, humane society or pet rescue group.