McHenry County Animal Control

Animal shelter in Crystal Lake, Illinois

Get in touch with this shelter

Never miss a new pet

Create an alert, and we will notify you every time a new pet comes in who meets your criteria.

Shelter FAQs

We're the municipal animal shelter for McHenry County, IL. Many wonderful pets are found as strays in the cities around McHenry County, and we give them refuge at the shelter until their families reclaim them. Unfortunately, some dogs, and a great many cats, are never reclaimed by their families.

When stray pets aren't reclaimed by an owner, we spay/neuter the cat or dog, give them all the necessary (age-appropriate) shots, and microchip them. They're then moved into our Adoption Center to wait for their new family to discover them!
We are a division of McHenry County (IL) Department of Health, and provide municipal Animal Control services for the county. Our office and Pet Adoption Center are located in Crystal Lake; we serve all of McHenry County.

Adoption steps

  1. Submit Application
    Our adoptions are by appointment only. The first step to make an appointment is to submit an adoption app online. https://bit.ly/MCACadopt
  2. Approve Application
    Once we receive and approve your application, we will contact you to schedule an adoption appointment.
  3. Visit the Facility and Find a Pet
    Come to our facility in Crystal Lake at your scheduled time to have a meet & greet with our adoptable pets.
  4. Take the Pet Home
    If you find the right pet for you, you can do the paperwork and take your new pet home the same day you meet them!

Additional adoption info

Our adoptions are by appointment only! Start by filling out an adoption application!

Your new pet has already been spayed/neutered, microchipped, and has all age-appropriate shots. You'll also receive information about welcoming the pet into your home and a bag of pet food.

Adoption fees: $100 for kittens under 6 months, $80 for adult cats, $150 for puppies under 6 months, $125 for adult dogs