Anderson Animal Shelter


South Elgin, Illinois

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About Anderson Animal Shelter

Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin, Illinois is a no-kill, limited-admission shelter with three locations:

  • South Elgin: 1000 S La Fox Street, South Elgin, IL 60177
  • North Aurora: 180 N Randall Road, North Aurora, IL 60542
  • Bloomingdale: 412 W Army Trail Road, Bloomingdale, IL 60108

The first shelter was built in 1971 in South Elgin where the main shelter is still based today.

Anderson Animal Shelter's mission is to create mutually beneficial connections between the people and animals in their community. They aim to inspire empathy and kindness through their various humane care programs.

As a no-kill organization, no healthy, adoptable animal will ever be euthanized to free up space for another. They rely entirely on the generosity of kind donors, staff, and volunteers to fulfill their mission, as well as fundraising efforts and adoption fees.

In addition to a comprehensive adoption program Anderson Animal Shelter offers the following services:

  • Dog training classes
  • Volunteer programs
  • Owner-surrendered intakes
  • Low-cost spay/neuter clinics
  • Humane education and outreach programs
  • Pet therapy programs
  • Foster care

If you live in Illinois and are looking for a new furry addition to your family, consider adopting from Anderson Animal Shelter today. To learn more about the process and fees, keep reading below.

Contact Info

Address:
1000 S La Fox St
,
South Elgin
,
IL
60177
Phone:
(847) 697-2880
Email:
info@andersonanimalshelter.org
Website: andersonanimalshelter.org

Hours of Operation

Mon - Fri: 12:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Sat - Sun: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

Adoption Process

If you're interested in adopting a lucky animal from Anderson Animal Shelter, the application process works like this:

  1. View adoptable animals on their website. Each animal's profile includes their picture and details about their personality, age, weight, breed, sex, and shelter location
  2. See an animal you'd like to meet? Call to see if they're still available. During busy periods, you may need to schedule an appointment.
  3. Once at the shelter, sit with Anderson Animal Shelter's friendly staff. They'll work with you to find the purrfect pet to complement your home, lifestyle, and family. If that sounds like the animal you've already picked, great! If not, the shelter's staff can help you find a better match.
  4. Meet the animal to ensure compatibility.
  5. Think they're the one for you? Great! Complete an adoption application.
  6. Application approved? All that's left is to complete the required paperwork and pay the adoption fee.
  7. Bring your new companion home, possibly on the same day!

Adoption Fees

Adoption fees at Anderson Animal Shelter are as follows:

  • Dogs: Starting from $100
  • Cats: Starting from $50

Your adoption fee includes spay/neuter surgery, microchipping, deworming, an ID tag, up-to-date vaccinations, and a 30-day free trial of 24PetWatch pet insurance. Dog adoptions include a heartworm test, a post-adoption veterinarian visit, a leash, and a free dog training class.

Adoption Process & Fees

Our writing team is hard at work researching this shelter's adoption process and fees, so this page will be updated soon!

In the meantime, below you'll find some nice-to-know info that applies to nearly every animal shelter, humane society, and rescue.

But first...

Do You Have Everything Your New Shelter Pet Needs?

Check out the Checklist, now →

Give your new best friend the life and love they deserve.

Why Rescue A Shelter Dog?

Because shelter dogs are full of love!

Is it because they know you saved them and love you harder for it?

I can't say for certain, but yes.

Jokes aside, there are three things all shelter dogs need to thrive in their new home:

  1. Love
  2. Patient
  3. Training

Older shelter dogs, generally 1+ years old, may have experienced a lot of trauma, which often results in one of 8 common behavioral issues:

  1. Anxiety
  2. Aggression toward people & pets
  3. Resource guarding
  4. Destructive behavior
  5. Housetraining regression
  6. Poor social skills
  7. Leash reactivity & barrier-related aggression
  8. Constant whining

These issues are correctable! Your dog isn't broken, they're just damaged. You can fix them with enough love, patience, and a good training plan.

Animal Shelter vs Humane Society vs Rescue: What's the Difference?

You can learn a lot about an animal welfare organization just by looking at their name.

Animal Shelters

  • Most Animal Shelters are city or county-run organizations, often operated by the local Animal Control department, that manage strays and handle owner surrenders.
  • They usually have kennel facilities you can visit to adopt animals, and they usually have less stringent adoption requirements, lower adoption fees, and same-day adoptions (because their goal is to get animals out of the shelter).
  • Unfortunately, they usually know very little about each animal, including their true personalities and any behavioral problems.

Humane Societies

  • Most Humane Societies are non-profit organizations, many of which are no-kill shelters.
  • Some (but not all) are affiliated with The Humane Society of the United States.
  • They exist to improve animal welfare in the local community and often partner with city or county-run Animal Shelters that often euthanize animals due to capacity restraints.
  • They usually have kennel facilities, sometimes at multiple locations, and usually offer other services to the community such as low-cost spay/neuter clinics, community education programs, and more.
  • They may also have some animals in foster care.
  • There's a lot of variation in process and fees among Humane Societies, but they usually have really good websites that detail everything for you.

Rescues

  • Most Rescues are foster-based organizations that don't have physical facilities.
  • They usually have websites and contact emails, but not all of them have phone numbers.
  • Because they don't have a physical facility, you need to view animals in their foster network online, usually on their website but sometimes on their member pages on either PetFinder or Adopt-a-Pet.
  • If you see an animal you'd like to meet, contact the rescue using the process listed on their website or via email. They'll help you through the application process and set up a time for you to meet the animal at the foster's home.
  • Adopting from a rescue generally is the most expensive option here and takes the longest, but you get an animal that's been cared for in a loving home environment and their foster can tell you a lot about their personality.

6 Tips to Improve Your Adoption Experience

Adoption processes vary drastically from organization to organization, but here are some general tips that apply in most instances. Note that we'll use the term "shelters" here for simplicity but it includes all types of rescue organizations.

  1. See an animal online that you'd like to meet? Call the shelter before your visit to make sure the animal is still available. This especially applies for puppies, which are adopted out quickly.
  2. Usually, you'll need to get some paperwork in order: a photo ID, vaccination/medical records for any pets you currently have, possibly your vet's contact info and a couple of personal references, and (for renters) proof you're allowed to have a pet (copy of your lease or your landlord's contact info).
  3. If you need to provide contact info for your vet, let your vet know ahead of time. Otherwise, they may not release your information.
  4. Many shelters require your current dogs to meet adoptive dogs. Your current dogs need to be up-to-date on vaccinations.
  5. Some shelters require you to schedule a home visit to ensure a suitable living environment for the new animal.
  6. Adoption fees may seem excessive, but they're actually amazing values. Truthfully, caring for a pet is expensive. Most adoption fees include required medical care to get the animal ready for their new home including (but not limited to) spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, general vet exams, flea/tick treatment, deworming, heartworm testing/treatment for dogs, and feline leukemia and feline AIDS testing/treatment for cats. In general, your adoption fee is less than the cost of this care, so you're saving money in addition to your new animal's life!

If you have any questions about adopting an animal (what you'll need, what to expect, etc.) feel free to contact the PetLists team!

For more information about what's included in your adoption fee, or any other questions about the adoption process, reach out to
Anderson Animal Shelter
in
South Elgin
,
Illinois
directly using the contact info above.

Check Out The PetLists Dog Adoption Guide!

Other Shelters in

Illinois

Curious about other shelters? Here's 6 more. You can also browse all
animal shelters in
Illinois
.


You can also go back to our listing of all 50 states to find shelters elsewhere in the US.
All information on this page is accurate and up-to-date to the best of our knowledge. If you spot an error, please contact us using our contact form.
Note: Hours of operation and other information on this page are subject to change during the COVID-19 pandemic.