WRIGHT-WAY
RESCUE

Adoption FAQ's





What are your adoption fees?
























*Adoption Fees subject to change for special needs pets that require additional care.


How do I adopt a pet?
There are two ways to adopt from Wright-Way Rescue.

1. Visit Our Adoption Center (or satellite Petco cat adoption center)
One of the ways you can adopt a pet from our shelter is by visiting our adoption center in Niles IL.

Our open hours are as follows:

Mon- Closed
Tuesday - 3PM-8PM
Wednesday - 3PM-8PM
Thursday - 12PM-5PM
Friday - 3PM-8PM
Saturday - 11AM-5PM
Sunday- 11AM-3PM

Our Adoption Center is located at 7136 W Touhy Ave. We are located one store east of Harlem on Touhy.


2. Reserve A Pet In Advance
Wright-Way Rescue is unique to many shelters because of it's ability to hold pets for pre-approved
adopters who make arrangements to meet them.  Approved applicants who are seriously interested in a particular animal may place them on reserve to meet once they become ready for adoption.There is NO FEE to place a reservation. We do however ask that the potential adopter is serious about meeting this particular pet. If we hold a pet and the person does not show up, that pet may have missed it's chance to find a family during the time it was on reserve.

If you are interested in adopting two pets, there is a fifty dollar fee to reserve a second animal. This fee applies toward the second adoption fee of either the dog or cat. If the adopter does not adopt (or only adopts one pet) this fee is maintained by our shelter as a donation.

On our website, each animal will have an availability date listed under its description on petfinder. If they do not you may call us for an estimated arrival day. This is the date this pet will most likely be ready for a new home. Prior to this time the pets are housed at our Intake & Quarantine facility where we begin their vaccination and worming program, evaluate their personalities, and have our vets perform their spay/neuter procedures (pets 4 months and up). If you see a specific pet on our website you believe to be seriously interested in meeting and adopting, please call our office to set an appointment (773) 353-9931. Please remember that we take only one reservation per pet. Please only set up an appointment if you know you can attend your time, are seriously interested in the pet you are asking us to hold, and please ensure you are ready to add a pet to your home.


What are the adoption requirements?
  • Adopters must be 21 (those 18 and over will be considered with additional references)
  • Must have a valid state issued ID
  • Adopters must be able to prove they are allowed to own a pet where they live.
  • Be able to provide the time and resources to properly care for the adopted pet including medical, training, housing, quality nutrition, etc.
  • Ensure all members of the household are in complete agreement with the adoption. All children under 5 must be present to adopt. We strongly encourage all family members to be come with as it is important everyone is in agreement with a new pet.
  • Must have an approved adoption application on file.
  • Be prepared to pay the adoption fee.
  • Be prepared to take the pet home the day you adopt.
  • Adopters should be prepared to spend 1-3 hours at our adoption center in order to go through the entire process.
  • Make a lifetime commitment to the pet you are adopting!

Please note that despite meeting these requirements, WWR reserves the right to deny any adoption it feels is not in the best interest of the pet or adoptive family. Your understanding is appreciated.


What kinds of animals do you help?
WWR primarily assists dogs and cats. In the past we have also helped horses, bunnies, ferrets, birds, reptiles, and even fish!  We are happy to make referrals to appropriate agencies and organizations regarding pets who need help that we cannot assist.

The majority of our dogs and cats available are mixed breed animals. We make educated guesses as to their breed and cannot guarantee their exact breed as often we do not know their entire history. When you adopt a pet from Wright-Way Rescue please assume it is a mixed breed animal.


Do you rescue animals who are ill or who have been injured?
Thanks for the Petco Foundation, Wright-Way Rescue has been able to begin a program called "Operation Lifesaver". This program has enabled WWR to assist animals who might otherwise be turned away. We now can commit to helping animals with medical issues that previously would have been cost prohibited. Operation Lifesaver is equipped to handle basic medical complications that unwanted and stray pets often face. Injuries, heartworm disease, dental problems, parasites, skin issues, and malnutrition are common problems solved by our veterinarian and technician teams. Orthopedic, cardiac, and other specialty surgeries are referred out to other qualified partner veterinarians. Our mission is to help as many adoptable pets as possible. If a pet has a treatable condition that can be fixed, we figure out how to provide that pet with the care it needs. This isn't always easy on a limited budget.


How many animals come to the shelter?
We take in over 3,000 animals annually. Our daily numbers vary due to the season, but we can house around 100 animals at one time.


Where Do All The Puppies At WWR Come From?!?!
We're glad you asked! Part of adopting a dog is becoming educated on all the known facts about the pet you are thinking of adding to your family. Wright-Way Rescue puppies, dogs, cats, and kittens come from two sources, animal control and owner surrenders. Wright-Way Rescue was opened specifically to help solve the pet overpopulation issues in the RURAL MIDWEST. We pull our pets from high volume, government run animal control agencies in farming communities. These pets often have little to no chance of ever being adopted or rescued due to their location.

In rural communities pets are turned in to animal control faster than they are adopted. Most of the government agencies we work with have or had a 90% or greater euthanasia rate. Most of these facilities take in 3,000 to 5,000 animals per year. Often times Wright-Way Rescue is their only chance of ever being made available for adoption. Day after day highly adoptable puppies, dogs, cats, and kittens are walked with wagging tails to a euthanasia room, never having had the chance to even find a potential home. Wright-Way Rescue is proud to say that we have been able to reduce euthanasia rates at several of these facilities from 90% to about 50-60%! There is still a long way to go but this is movement in the right direction.

To date in the 17 Southern IL counties we work with there is no low cost spay and nueter program available to the public. Complicate this fact with the lower income per household and the higher rate pets owned and there is a big problem.

We are often asked, "do they really put puppies and kittens to sleep"? YES, EVERY DAY! As a no kill shelter Wright-Way Rescue says no to puppies when we are full. The most heartbreaking part of doing rescue is knowing that there are very adoptable animals being euthanized but simply not enough space, time, or adoptive homes to help them all. Very few shelters have the capabilities to properly transport, quarantine, and deal with the issues pulling from rural animal control facilities creates. Have you ever been to Chicago Animal Care and Control (the city pound)? This is not the type of facilities we work with! CACC is the Ritz Carlton of city pounds, while we pull from places that would be more equivalent to Econo Lodge. Still, there are many hard working individuals at these facilities who wish to see change and improvement but simply don't have the resources available to make it happen.

But aren't there dogs and cats being euthanized still in Chicago? YES, many, however thanks to wonderful programs and spay and neuter clinics being made more available this number is dropping drastically. Based on our belief that all life deserves respect and is of value, Wright-Way Rescue focuses our efforts on animals who otherwise would not have a chance. We do not believe that because an animal was born in a certain part of the United States it is any less (or more) worthwhile to save.

If you are ever in the Southern IL area near our Admissions & Care Center, please stop by for a tour. We always need volunteers to assist with shelter pulls and would be happy to show you first hand where the adoptable pets listed on our pages come from.

To read more about where our pets come from and why we help visit "the road to rescue".

Why do you charge for these animals?
It costs a great deal of money to shelter, feed and take care of the animals. All of them require veterinary care before they can be adopted. Wright-Way Rescue operates on a shoe-string budget. Compare the number of adoptions we do to similar organizations that operate on 2-5 million dollar budgets. With the adoption fees we collect, we maintain and operate two separate facilities, several vehicles, utilities, payroll, host off site events, pay insurance, medical bills, etc, etc, etc. The adoption fees do not cover our operating budget and Wright-Way Rescue receives no state or federal funding. We are always looking for donors and supporters who believe in our work.

Our adoption fee includes medical screening by our veterinarian, microchipping, vaccinations, worming, flea and tick preventatives, free pet insurance, and a free vet check at our partner vet. Overall, we estimate our fees cover only about 40% of the combined cost of these medical expenses and the care of the animal while it’s waiting for its new family.


How long do you keep the animals? Do you ever put them to sleep?
We have no pre-determined time limit for how long we will hold an animal while we try to place it in a good home. Some highly adoptable breeds or cute kittens and puppies will be adopted almost immediately after arriving at the shelter. Other animals, particularly older ones, have stays as long as a year before finding the right family. When we take in an animal, we make a commitment to that pet's life and well being.

We have an adoption rate of 100%


Do you ever receive purebred animals?
Approximately 25% (1/4) of the dogs and cats that come in to the shelter are purebreds. The more popular the breed, the more we see of them.


Do you have "designer breeds" available?
Absolutely! What some people would call a Puggle or a Labradoodle (and might cost as much as one thousand dollars at a breeder) would be described by WWR staff as a “pug/beagle” or a “Lab mix”. In one sense, we could call all of our animals “designer” models. We do see some very interesting breed mixes – whatever you call them, they can make incredibly good companions. And you won’t have to pay a small fortune for the one that’s waiting for you here.


I want a "???" breed, do you offer a wait list?
YES, we do offer a wait list and are happy to write down the type of animal, breed, and age that you are searching for. When this type of animals comes in we will phone or email you. The animal will NOT be held unless a reservation is made. We however do encourage you to continue to watch our website as we may miss an opportunity to match you with a pet listed that your would consider.


How do you get the money you need?
Wright-Way Rescue is an independent not-for-profit organization. We are not a branch of any other animal welfare organization and we don’t receive any funding from government sources.

The majority of our funding is provided by the fees charged in the shelter and clinic, and some comes from special events and grants from corporations and foundations.

A portion of our expenses are covered by the contributions of individuals who share our passion for the animals. Visit the  "Donate" section of this website to learn how you can make contributions to our cause.

Of course we welcome your assistance in other ways as well. Visit the “Volunteer” pages for information on volunteering at the shelter and other things you can do to help the animals.


Are animals from shelters more likely to be sick?
The problems of illness exist in any facility with multiple animals, including shelters, pet stores and breeders. In fact, every time you take your puppy or kitten to the veterinarian, obedience school or the park, it can be exposed to a number of diseases. We encourage all pet owners to be extremely careful when considering the health of their pet and to maintain current immunizations and medical records. The stress of being held in a shelter environment can unquestionably reduce an animal's immunity to disease.

Our animals are surrendered to us from many sources, and we can never be certain of the health care they received before arriving at the shelter. This is why we try to determine an animal's health at the first evaluation and continue to monitor its well being while it stays with us. Our team of experienced veterinarians and technicians screen the animals and administer necessary medical care.

Health concerns are also the reason we offer high-quality pet food to our animals. These foods tend to keep animals healthier and put less stress on their systems.

If your pet has a serious condition that requires hospitalization within 7 days of adoption, and your pet insurance will not cover the issue, WWR will take the pet back and treat it at our cost. The pet will be returned to you once it has recovered or your adoption fee will be refunded. We do not expect anyone to adopt an animal and incur serious medical bills just after adoption. Wright-Way Rescue will however not pay for bills you incur at your private vet. If your free pet insurance is activated you will be able to treat the animal at your own veterinarian and receive reimbursement from the insurance company for most common shelter dog problems. As a not for profit, only bills incurred at our partner clinic, after a pet has been signed back to us, will be covered.

If your pet has a non life-threatening illness it can typically be treated while still in your home. Pet insurance is provided to reimburse you for your expenses minus the deductible. If you do not wish to treat your pet for a minor ailment WWR will always take back the pet and provide treatment however a pet returned for a non life threatening health issue will not be returned to it's adopter since medical insurance is provided with each adoption.

What should you expect? If you are adopting a puppy or kitten you need to expect and plan for the need for continued vaccines and intestinal parasite treatment and prevention. Even adult pets may need another round or two of deworming medication after coming home from a shelter environment. This is not because they are not treated while in the shelter, but due to the environment they are in (kennels) which causes the possibility of constant exposure via their feces.

Very few pets become ill post adoption. WWR does nearly 2000 adoptions yearly and approximately three percent of these adopted pets owners report health issues post adoption with only a handful having a serious medical complication. No shelter is immune to the health problems that put their pets at risk. Wright-Way Rescue makes every effort possible to ensure the health and well being of it's pets made available for adoption through a strict quarantine and vetting program. It is important to remember that when any shelter pet does become ill, it is more than likely due to and illness it was exposed to and harboring prior to it's rescue and not something the shelter wished upon it.

Wright-Way Rescue employs three veterinarians and several certified veterinary technicians who oversee the daily care of each pet. We take the health and welfare of our animals very seriously. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask us. We will be happy to take the time to discuss your questions and concerns with you.



PUPPY ADOPTIONS     $280
  • First one or two rounds of Parvo/Distemper vaccines
  • Bordatella vaccine
  • Parvo tested (negative) upon intake and again prior to adoption
  • Flea treatment
  • Quarantine prior to placement
  • Microchip w/ registration
  • Vet Check*
  • 30 days pet insurance
  • Spay/Neuter*
  • Educational Orientation prior to adoption
  • Lifetime support

* If you are adopting a puppy or kitten who is to young, or does not weigh enough to be spayed/neutered please speak to a WWR representative for details.


DOG ADOPTIONS      $280
  • DHLPP Vaccine
  • Bordatella vaccine
  • 1 year Rabies Vaccine
  • Heartworm tested and started on prevention (or treated)
  • Flea Treatment
  • Spay/Neuter
  • Quarantine prior to placement
  • Microchip w/ registration
  • Vet Check w/ Certificate
  • 30 days pet insurance
  • Started on crate training
  • Educational Orientation prior to adoption
  • Lifetime support
CAT & KITTEN
ADOPTIONS         $115

  • First one or two rounds of 4-way feline vaccines
  • FIV/FELV tested negative
  • Dewormed
  • Spay/Neuter*
  • Flea treatment
  • Quarantine prior to placement
  • Microchip w/ registration
  • Vet Check w/ Certificate
  • 30 days pet insurance
  • Lifetime support


* If you are adopting a puppy or kitten who is to young, or does not weigh enough to be spayed/neutered please speak to a WWR representative for details.


Wright-Way Rescue FAQ's