PAWS Chicago - Crisis Foster Care
You’re viewing PAWS Chicago - Crisis Foster Care on Help My Pet.
Help My Pet is a free, independent guide that helps pet parents find care they can afford and ways to pay for it. Listings are free and can’t be bought. Families find this page in our Illinois guide and through our Near You search.
Is everything right? Check the phone number, address, hours and who can use it, below.
Want your page to say more? Tell us anything that would help families who find you: services we didn’t list, languages you speak, what to bring or know before calling, how busy you are, how you’d describe yourselves. We’ll add it to your page. You can also just reply to our email.
- What it is
- Crisis and temporary pet care
- Who it helps
- Dogs and cats, up to 2 pets per family.
- Where
- Chicago, Illinois
- Status
- Accepting applications
- Checked
- on the official website, November 3, 2026
Need help paying for your pet’s care? Ways to pay a vet bill in Illinois · Get a free funding plan
Temporary foster care for pets of owners facing a housing, domestic, health or other crisis. Stays last up to 60 days. PAWS covers veterinary care. Owners get weekly notes and photos.
Good to know
- Who can use it: Dogs and cats, up to 2 pets per family. Puppies and kittens under 1 year, pets showing aggression and pets with unmanageable health conditions are not accepted. Owner visits are not allowed. Longer needs are likely not a good fit.
- How to get started: Complete the Crisis Care form on the PAWS Chicago website. Staff then schedule an intake appointment where you sign program forms and your pet gets a medical exam and behavior evaluation. The phone number is PAWS Chicago's general line.
Emergency? Call your veterinarian or the nearest 24-hour emergency hospital now, and tell them if cost is a barrier. Emergency signs and poison hotlines
Before you go
Call or check their page for current prices, appointment availability, any income or residency rules, and which animals they see. Ask what to bring.
If cost is the barrier, Paying for Care compares grants, payment plans and fundraising, and a free funding plan puts them together for your pet.
Also from this organization
- PAWS Chicago Community Cats (Trap-Neuter-Return) · Chicago
- PAWS Chicago Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic · Chicago
- PAWS Chicago PAWS for Life Outreach · Chicago: Englewood and Back of the Yards