PAWS Chicago - Community Outreach

06/05/2026

We are excited to announce that PAWS Chicago Community Outreach now has Pet Owner Resource Stations at THREE Chicago Public Library locations across the South and Southwest Sides.

Starting today, pet owners in Englewood can pick up free supplies at the Kelly Branch. We are also at Toman Branch in Little Village and Back of the Yards Branch on 47th Street.

As the cost of pet ownership continues to rise, we know that families who love their animals are sometimes forced to make impossible choices. These resource stations exist so that supplies cost is never the reason a pet has to leave home.

Stop in and pick up what your pet needs while supplies last. Resource stations are refilled on a bi-weekly basis.

Kelly Branch (Englewood): 6151 S. Normal Blvd., Chicago, IL 60621
Toman Branch (Little Village): 2708 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60623
Back of the Yards Branch: 2111 W. 47th St., Chicago, IL 60609

Questions? Reach us at [email protected].

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Nos emociona anunciar que PAWS Chicago Community Outreach ahora cuenta con Estaciones de Recursos para Duenos de Mascotas en TRES sucursales de la Biblioteca Publica de Chicago en el Sur y Suroeste de la ciudad.

A partir de hoy, los duenos de mascotas en Englewood pueden recoger suministros gratuitos en la Sucursal Kelly. Tambien estamos presentes en la Sucursal Toman en Little Village y en la Sucursal Back of the Yards en la calle 47.

A medida que el costo de tener una mascota sigue aumentando, sabemos que las familias que aman a sus animales a veces se ven obligadas a tomar decisiones imposibles. Estas estaciones de recursos existen para que el costo de los suministros nunca sea el motivo por el que una mascota tenga que dejar su hogar.
Pasa a recoger lo que tu mascota necesita mientras haya existencias. Las estaciones de recursos se reabastecen cada dos semanas.

Sucursal Kelly (Englewood): 6151 S. Normal Blvd., Chicago, IL 60621
Sucursal Toman (Little Village): 2708 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60623
Sucursal Back of the Yards: 2111 W. 47th St., Chicago, IL 60609
Preguntas? Escribenos a [email protected].

06/05/2026

🎉

📊 May 2026 at Chicago Animal Care and Control

Every day, animals arrive at CACC needing help. Every day, staff, volunteers, fosters, adopters, and rescue partners show up to help write the next chapter of their story. ❤

Throughout May, Chicago Animal Care and Control processed 1,508 dog and cat intakes, averaging nearly 49 animals per day. Despite continued intake pressure, hundreds of animals found positive outcomes through adoption, transfer, and reunification.

🐶 Dogs
Adoptions: 115
Transfers: 309
Returned to Owner: 102
Euthanasia (non-owner-requested): 86
Live Release Rate: 85.8%

🐱 Cats
Adoptions: 183
Transfers: 520
Returned to Owner: 6
Euthanasia (non-owner-requested): 39
Live Release Rate: 93.7%

📌 May Highlights
✔ Combined Live Release Rate increased from 85.1% to 90.1% year over year
✔ Nearly 900 animals moved into rescue placement
✔ Almost 300 adoptions completed during the month
✔ Dog euthanasia decreased substantially compared to May 2025
✔ Dog and cat intake decreased by 13.5% compared to May 2025

Programs like PAWS Chicago's 360@CACC, which places social workers at intake to help connect pet owners with resources and support, continue to play an important role in keeping families and pets together whenever possible.

While there is always more work ahead, these numbers reflect meaningful progress. More animals are leaving our shelter through adoption, rescue placement, and reunification with their families.

For comparison, May 2025 live release rates were:
🐶 Dogs: 75.6%
🐱 Cats: 92.8%

Combined Live Release Rate:
📈 85.1% (May 2025) → 90.1% (May 2026)

Full data is available at: www.cityofchicago.org/CACC
(under Supporting Information)

📍 2741 S Western Ave
🕛 Adoption hours are 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. If you're ready to adopt that day, please arrive by 5:30 p.m.

06/02/2026

Mango was picked up off the streets of Bridgeport by a neighbor who wanted to get him fixed. Turns out, Mango had other plans.

Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the most effective and humane approach to managing community cat populations. When a cat is trapped, spayed or neutered, and returned to their outdoor home, it stops the cycle of reproduction without removing cats from the communities where they live. Over time, managed colonies stabilize and shrink naturally. PAWS Chicago's Community Cats program supports this work across Chicago neighborhoods, providing resources, trapping support, and surgery to help community members care for the cats living around them.

However, Mango was so friendly and affectionate that it was clear pretty quickly he was not cut out for the outdoor life. PAWS Chicago completed his surgery in late 2025, and the search for a home began.

A few months and one very good neighbor later, Mango landed in Pilsen. He now lives with his brother Nacho and has fully committed to his new indoor life.

From the neighborhood of Bridgeport to a couch in Pilsen.

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Mango andaba por las calles de Bridgeport cuando un vecino decidió atraparlo para esterilizarlo. Pero Mango tenía otros planes.

Atrapar, esterilizar y devolver — TNR — es el método más efectivo y humanitario para manejar las poblaciones de gatos comunitarios. Cuando un gato es atrapado, esterilizado y devuelto a su entorno, se interrumpe el ciclo de reproducción sin necesidad de desplazar a los gatos de las comunidades donde viven. Con el tiempo, las colonias manejadas se estabilizan y disminuyen de manera natural. El programa de Gatos Comunitarios de PAWS Chicago apoya este trabajo en vecindarios de toda la ciudad, ofreciendo recursos, apoyo para el trampeo y cirugías para ayudar a los residentes a cuidar a los gatos que viven cerca de ellos.

Mango era tan cariñoso y sociable que rápidamente quedó claro que la vida en la calle no era para él. PAWS Chicago completó su cirugía a finales de 2025, y así comenzó la búsqueda de un hogar, una conversación a la vez.

Unos meses después, gracias a un muy buen vecino, Mango llegó a Pilsen. Ahora vive con su hermano Nacho y se ha adaptado completamente a su nueva vida bajo techo.

De las calles de Bridgeport a un sofá en Pilsen.

06/02/2026

Excited to be a part of this event! 💛

05/30/2026

Happy Saturday! Some of the Community Outreach team and interns spent the morning outside Kocourek Medical Center & Lurie Clinic getting to know neighbors, sharing info about our low-cost services, and giving away pet toys and supplies.

One of our goals this summer is getting more involved in the community our medical center calls home. Fun fact: the 26th Street corridor in Little Village is Chicago’s highest-grossing commercial district after the Magnificent Mile. We are glad to be part of this neighborhood.

If you have questions about our services, reach us at [email protected].

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Feliz sabado desde la Calle 26! Parte del equipo de Alcance Comunitario y nuestros practicantes estuvieron esta manana afuera de Kocourek Medical Center & Lurie Clinic conociendo vecinos, compartiendo informacion sobre nuestros servicios de bajo costo, y regalando juguetes y suministros para mascotas.

Uno de nuestros objetivos este verano es involucrarnos mas en la comunidad donde se encuentra nuestro centro medico. Dato curioso: el corredor de la Calle 26 en Little Village es el distrito comercial mas alto de Chicago despues de la Magnificent Mile. Nos alegra ser parte de este vecindario.

Si tienes preguntas sobre nuestros servicios, escribenos a [email protected].

05/25/2026

Last week, the veterinary social work teams from MedVet Chicago and PAWS Chicago spent the day together visiting both the PAWS Chicago Kocourek Medical Center & Lurie Clinic and Chicago Animal Care and Control.

Families often arrive at a shelter not because they want to give up a pet, but because they have run out of options. A medical emergency, rising veterinary costs, pet restrictions in housing, job loss, or a personal crisis can quickly put the human-animal bond at risk.

Veterinary social workers help bridge that gap. In hospitals, they support families through difficult diagnoses, treatment decisions, emergencies, and end-of-life care. In shelters, they work upstream, helping families access resources that may allow them to stay together.

Collaboration between animal welfare, veterinary medicine, and social services helps create more pathways to care, improves outcomes for pets and families, and strengthens efforts focused on both saving lives and keeping pets in loving homes.

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La semana pasada, los equipos de trabajo social veterinario de MedVet Chicago y PAWS Chicago pasaron el día juntos visitando tanto el PAWS Chicago Kocourek Medical Center & Lurie Clinic como Chicago Animal Care and Control.

Muchas familias llegan a un refugio no porque quieran entregar a su mascota, sino porque se han quedado sin opciones. Una emergencia médica, el aumento en los costos veterinarios, restricciones de vivienda para mascotas, la pérdida de empleo o una crisis personal pueden poner rápidamente en riesgo el vínculo entre las personas y sus animales.

Los trabajadores sociales veterinarios ayudan a cerrar esa brecha. En los hospitales, apoyan a las familias durante diagnósticos difíciles, decisiones de tratamiento, emergencias y cuidados al final de la vida. En los refugios, trabajan de manera preventiva, ayudando a las familias a acceder a recursos que les permitan permanecer juntas.

La colaboración entre el bienestar animal, la medicina veterinaria y los servicios sociales ayuda a crear más caminos hacia la atención, mejora los resultados para las mascotas y sus familias, y fortalece los esfuerzos enfocados tanto en salvar vidas como en mantener unidas a las personas con los animales que aman.

05/22/2026

Nothing like a sunny Friday to get some spring cleaning done! Our volunteers spent the afternoon washing the community outreach vans after another week of PAWS For Life transports. Thank you volunteers for everything you do! 🕶️☀️

05/20/2026

Upcoming Pet Food Pantry with Community Innovation Center! Our team will be on site to support and provide TNR appointment scheduling!

05/19/2026

Free spay and neuter services are available to residents of Back of the Yards, Englewood, West Englewood, and Woodlawn through PAWS Chicago's Lurie Clinic!

Through PAWS for Life, qualifying pet owners can access free spay or neuter surgery, vaccines, microchip, de-wormer, and flea and tick prevention. To qualify, you must live in zip code 60609, 60621, 60636, or 60637 and have a Medicaid or County Care card.
Schedule your appointment here: https://www.pawschicago.org/our-work/spayneuter/lurie-clinic
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¿Sabías que los residentes de Back of the Yards, Englewood, West Englewood y Woodlawn pueden obtener servicios gratuitos de esterilización para sus mascotas a través de la Clínica Lurie de PAWS Chicago?

A través de PAWS for Life, los dueños de mascotas que califiquen pueden acceder a cirugía de esterilización gratuita, vacunas, microchip, desparasitante y prevención de pulgas y garrapatas. Para calificar, debes vivir en el código postal 60609, 60621, 60636 o 60637 y tener tarjeta de Medicaid o County Care.
Programa tu cita aquí: https://www.pawschicago.org/our-work/spayneuter/lurie-clinic See less

05/18/2026

Looking to break into animal welfare or nonprofit work?

PAWS Chicago is now accepting applications for internships across a variety of departments. Gain hands-on experience with Chicago's largest No Kill organization, build real-world skills alongside industry professionals, and make a direct lifesaving impact for homeless pets.

Plus, yes - there will absolutely be animal cuddles along the way.

Internships are in-person, unpaid, and open to applicants 18+ who can commit 12-20 hours per week. Priority consideration is given to students seeking academic credit and those interested in career experience in a relevant field.

Apply by June 15: https://www.pawschicago.org/how-to-help/internships