The Anti-Cruelty Society

What The Anti-Cruelty Society does

The Anti-Cruelty Society is a private, independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization founded in 1899 and headquartered in Chicago. It operates as an open-admission humane society providing animal adoption, low-cost spay/neuter and wellness veterinary care, foster care, animal abuse investigation and enforcement, and a growing suite of community support and education programs. Reported annual operational outcomes include 4,828 animals placed through adoption, 722,945 meals provided to animals, 1,349 animals in foster care, and 50,000+ volunteer hours contributed by 650+ volunteers, supported by a paid staff of 51-100.

The organization runs multiple physical sites — a headquarters and adoption center at 157 W. Grand Ave., an Education & Events Center at 169 W. Grand Ave., a downtown Spay/Neuter and Care Clinic, and a newly opened Pet Resource Center at 519 E. 103rd St. in the Greater Roseland neighborhood — and extends reach through mobile Dog Wellness Fairs and PetSmart adoption events. Its underlying technology stack is light: Acuity Scheduling for program registration, Zoom for the virtual pet loss support group, GoFundMe for fundraisers, an Amazon Wish List for in-kind donations, and integration with Petco Love Lost's facial-recognition database for lost-pet reunification. There is no proprietary technology product.

Revenue is generated from a mix of donations and charitable contributions (including the Open Door Monthly Giving program and planned giving), adoption fees, low-cost clinic services, small program fees ($5-$8 per participant), fundraising events, and corporate sponsorship from a roster of roughly ten pet industry and regional sponsors (Fetch Pet Insurance, PetSmart, VCA Hospitals, Hills Science Diet, Berman Subaru, Bissell, Caerus Foundation, Banfield Foundation, Tito's Handmade Vodka). The Society's customer base is the general public — pet owners, prospective adopters, families, and community members — with no enterprise or contract revenue concentration.

Name

The Anti-Cruelty Society

Legal name

The Anti-Cruelty Society

Website

https://anticruelty.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Anti-Cruelty Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, open-admission humane society founded in 1899 in Chicago that provides animal adoption, low-cost spay/neuter and wellness care, foster services, abuse investigation, and community education programs to pet owners and families across the Chicago area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Veterinary Services (54194), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Cruelty Prevention, Investigation & Humane Law Enforcement (BPAGAIAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC), Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Animal welfare services
• Pet adoption programs
• Low-cost veterinary clinic
• Animal shelter operations
• Pet resource support

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization is a private, independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on the generosity of donors and supporters. Includes monthly giving program (Open Door Monthly Giving), planned giving and bequests, and one-time donations.
2. Adoption Fees: Fees collected from animal adoptions, with periodic fee waivers for special promotions like Adopt with Pride and PetSmart Charities adoption events.
3. Clinic Services: Low-cost spay/neuter and wellness care services provided at the downtown clinic location, including end of life services.
4. Program Fees: Fees for educational and family programs such as Kids Who Care ($8 per person) and Crafting for Critters ($5 per person).
5. Fundraising Events: Revenue from events like Dog Days of Summer fundraiser ($30 tickets), Fuzzy Friends Yoga, and Bark in the Park.
6. Corporate Sponsorship: Support from corporate sponsors including Fetch Pet Insurance, PetSmart, VCA Hospitals, Hills Science Diet, Berman Subaru, Bissell, Cat's Pride, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Anti-Cruelty Society operates a comprehensive open-admission animal shelter and welfare organization offering animal adoption, low-cost spay/neuter and wellness veterinary services, foster care, free community Dog Wellness Fairs, and a Pet Resource Center providing supplies, counseling, and financial assistance. The organization supplements core services with family education programs (Kids Who Care, Crafting for Critters), a Virtual Pet Loss Support Group, Lost & Found pet services, and a Wild Tunes music enrichment initiative for shelter animals.

Product overview

The Anti-Cruelty Society is Chicago's oldest and most comprehensive open admission animal shelter (founded 1899), offering a multi-faceted portfolio of animal welfare services organized around three pillars: Support, Shelter, and Advocate. Core offerings include animal adoption programs, low-cost spay/neuter and wellness clinic services, foster care, and dog wellness fairs providing free veterinary care. The organization operates a Pet Resource Center in Greater Roseland offering pet supplies, counseling, and transport services. Education and enrichment programs include Kids Who Care, Crafting for Critters, and Wild Tunes music enrichment. Support services feature a Virtual Pet Loss Support Group and Lost & Found Pet services integrated with Petco Love Lost. The society also publishes educational resources through its Pet Care Library covering over 80 topics on animal care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pet Resource Center: A welcoming, community-based space designed to support people and their pets with resources they need to stay together.

Products and services

• Animal Adoption Comprehensive animal adoption program connecting homeless pets with forever families through available animal listings, adoption events at PetSmart locations via the Adopt Joy program, and adoption promotion campaigns.
• Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic Low-cost veterinary clinic offering spay/neuter services, wellness care, and end of life services for pets in the Chicago area at the downtown clinic location.
• Dog Wellness Fairs

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,828 animals placed through adoption
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PetSmartcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPetSmart hosts adoption events through PetSmart Charities' Adopt Joy program at multiple Chicago locations including Skokie and South Loop. Animals from Anti-Cruelty are available for adoption at PetSmart stores.
• Fetch Pet InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting Anti-Cruelty's mission and programs.
• VCA HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate sponsor and partner in pet wellness services, including hosting educational events like heartworm prevention workshops.
• Hills Science DietminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing pet food support for animals in Anti-Cruelty's care.
• Berman SubaruminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting Anti-Cruelty's programs.
• Cook County Animal and Rabies ControlcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Dog Wellness Fairs providing free canine veterinary services throughout Chicago. Assists with animal welfare enforcement.
• Petco Love LostcoreTechnology or IntegrationNational lost and found pet database partnership using facial recognition technology to help reunite lost pets with owners.
• Wild TunesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnrichment initiative collaboration where musicians play live music for shelter animals daily 1-2pm. Non-profit dedicated to soothing shelter animals through live music.
• Chicago Animal Care and ControlcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized holding facility for stray dogs within Chicago city limits. Handles stray dog intake per municipal code.
• Animal Welfare LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner shelter handling stray dogs and animal intake. Location at 6224 S. Wabash, Chicago.
• Chicagoland Humane CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of Chicago area animal welfare organizations working together on pet-centric concerns and community needs during emergencies.
• Far South Chicago CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting Dog Wellness Fairs in Chicago's South Side.
• Phalanx Family ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner hosting Dog Wellness Fair events.
• Breakthrough FamilyPlexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting Dog Wellness Fair events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PAWS Chicago: Large Chicago-based no-kill animal shelter and humane society offering adoption, veterinary, and community education services; the most direct local peer to Anti-Cruelty in both mission and operating model.
• Animal Welfare League (Chicago): Chicago-area animal welfare organization and direct partner with Anti-Cruelty on stray dog intake; operates a comparable shelter, adoption, and veterinary clinic model in the same geography.
• Chicago Animal Care and Control: Municipal open-admission animal shelter serving Chicago; directly comparable in stray animal intake, adoption services, and field services, and a referral/transfer partner for Anti-Cruelty.

Broad incumbents

• Humane Society of the United States: National umbrella animal welfare advocacy organization; comparable on cruelty prevention, advocacy, and policy work, but operates across the country at a far broader scale and no single-city shelter footprint.
• ASPCA: National animal welfare organization running adoption, veterinary, and cruelty investigation programs; closely aligned mission with Anti-Cruelty but with national scope and significantly larger footprint.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National no-kill movement leader running adoption, sheltering, and cruelty prevention programs; comparable in advocacy mission and shelter services though operates nationally rather than in a single city.

Regional players

• Wisconsin Humane Society: Midwest humane society running adoption, low-cost veterinary, and behavior programs; very similar operating model to Anti-Cruelty but primarily serves the Milwaukee region.
• Michigan Humane: Animal welfare organization providing adoption, low-cost spay/neuter, cruelty investigation, and humane education in Michigan; overlaps substantially with Anti-Cruelty's three pillars (Support, Shelter, Advocate).
• Evanston Animal Care and Control: Municipal open-admission shelter in the Chicago metro area; smaller-scale regional peer offering adoption, cruelty response, and licensing services in nearby Evanston.

Others

• PetSmart Charities: Animal welfare grant-making and adoption partner; current Anti-Cruelty partner through PetSmart Adopt Joy events and a peer in distributing adoption, fostering, and community resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/anticruelty
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/anticrueltytv
• Facebookfacebook.com/AntiCruelty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-anti-cruelty-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/anticruelty
• TikToktiktok.com/@anticruelty

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Anti-Cruelty Society