Business Details
Your Trusted Animal Shelter in Riverwoods, IL
At Orphans of the Storm, we take full responsibility for every dog and cat that enters our care, providing compassionate shelter and the highest standard of medical and physical care. Our mission is to promote adoption, reduce pet overpopulation, and keep families united through humane treatment. Established as a beacon of hope for homeless animals in Northeastern Illinois, we operate on a 9-acre campus featuring specialized facilities for dogs and cats, including enrichment spaces and a nature trail. With a 96.7% release rate in 2024, we maintain a no-kill designation while finding loving homes for over 150,000 animals since our founding. Our values of compassion, respect, and dedication guide all interactions, supported by community collaboration and educational initiatives.We offer adoption counseling, foster programs, and community outreach, including low-cost microchipping and pet support during hardships. Our volunteer-driven model powers adoption events, dog walking, and enrichment activities, ensuring animals receive individualized attention. Through partnerships with local rescues and businesses, we expand our impact while maintaining transparency about our operations and financial stewardship. Every dollar raised directly supports animal care, medical treatment, and adoption programs, reflecting our commitment to ethical practices and community trust.
Services
Pet Adoption Services
Foster Care Programs
Volunteer Opportunities
Educational Workshops
Community Outreach
Highlights and features
- We maintain a 96.7% no-kill adoption rate with personalized animal care
- Our educational programs promote responsible pet ownership and spay/neuter awareness
- We offer community support through low-cost microchipping and pet food pantries
- Our volunteer network provides critical enrichment for animals awaiting adoption
- We partner with local rescues and businesses to maximize community impact
What people say
Loving care
Successful adoptions
Educational programs
Community support
Pet-friendly events
Services
Pet Adoption Services
We connect homeless dogs and cats with loving families through personalized adoption counseling and meet-and-greet sessions. Our process includes pre-adoption surveys to ensure compatibility and post-adoption support for successful transitions. Special programs help veterans adopt at no cost while senior pets and special needs animals receive discounted adoption fees with additional care guidance.
Foster Care Programs
Our foster network provides temporary homes for animals needing extra care, including medical recovery, socialization, or respite from shelter life. Volunteers receive training and support while helping pets prepare for permanent adoption. Foster opportunities range from short-term to long-term commitments based on animal needs.
Volunteer Opportunities
We rely on volunteers for dog walking, cat socialization, adoption event staffing, and facility greeter roles. Training programs equip volunteers to provide enrichment activities and assist with animal care. Offsite event volunteers help promote adoption and fundraising initiatives throughout the community.
Educational Workshops
Our workshops cover responsible pet ownership, behavior training, and spay/neuter importance. Community outreach programs engage schools and local groups to promote animal welfare awareness. We also provide resources about pet care during emergencies and financial hardships.
Community Outreach
We offer low-cost microchipping, food pantries, and temporary pet support to keep families together during crises. Collaborative initiatives with local businesses and adoption events at retail locations increase visibility for adoptable pets while educating the public about shelter animal adoption benefits.
Questions
What adoption services do you offer?
We provide dog and cat adoptions with personalized counseling, pre-adoption surveys, and post-adoption support. Special programs assist veterans and adopters of senior/special needs pets.
How can I volunteer at the shelter?
Volunteer opportunities include dog walking, cat socialization, adoption event staffing, and facility greeter roles. Training programs prepare volunteers to work directly with animals and visitors.
Do you offer foster care programs?
Yes, we place animals needing extra care in temporary foster homes, including medical recovery cases, young animals, and pets struggling in shelter environments.
What community programs do you provide?
We offer low-cost microchipping, pet food pantries, and educational workshops about responsible pet ownership and spay/neuter benefits to support local families.
How do you support military families?
Our Pets for Vets program waives adoption fees for veterans and active military members seeking companion animals.
What are your shelter hours?
We're open Wed-Fri 12-4pm, weekends 12-5pm. Closed Mondays, Tuesdays, and national holidays. Check our website for holiday schedule updates.
Reviews (4)
Stephanie Moreyra
Jun 19, 2022
Report
This was Dragon Night, now she goes by the name Sonja. She was very skittish at first and took sometime but she is slowly getting used to her new home. She is such a cutie all she wants is cuddles and endless head scratches! Everyone here are super nice and sweet. They gave her some treats and brushes when adopting. Over all the staff where really helpful. Just know that if you decide you want to adopt be sure to bring your own crate, otherwise they will let you purchase a box that you will able to take your new friend home!
Tessa Milner
Jun 18, 2022
Report
We adopted a dog from this shelter who ended up having a hind leg injury that was played off by the staff as paw discomfort due to the cement/woodchips they walk on. This was proven false by the vet, which is sad as the dog was in the shelter's care for 5 weeks and who knows when or how this injury happened. We think the pain of this injury and being in a home and playing with our other dog irritated the injury which then caused the new pup to be aggressive with our other dog.
We would have never brought home an injured dog had we known the full circumstances. When dropping him off, I also fear they did not listen to our feedback and likely will not disclose this dog's full history (medical & behavioral) to the prospectove owners. I hope the best for him, but really would not recommend this shelter for many reasons. Our first rescue came from a shelter that has all their animals in foster care.
This is the best way to go as there are more people looking out for the animals and the foster can give better insight into how the dog really is in a home environment, plus be able to spot any injuries.
We would have never brought home an injured dog had we known the full circumstances. When dropping him off, I also fear they did not listen to our feedback and likely will not disclose this dog's full history (medical & behavioral) to the prospectove owners. I hope the best for him, but really would not recommend this shelter for many reasons. Our first rescue came from a shelter that has all their animals in foster care.
This is the best way to go as there are more people looking out for the animals and the foster can give better insight into how the dog really is in a home environment, plus be able to spot any injuries.
Samantha Johnson
May 28, 2022
Report
A few months ago our family came in looking for a dog that could handle and love our 2 year old. The staff directed us to the storefront in the mall and told us all about Cuddle Bug. We went in and fell in love! The transition home and getting him comfortable was a challenge at first, but he has grown comfortable and confident in his new home. His new name is Baxter, after the town he came from, and he is best friends with our son.
They are INSEPARABLE! I just wanted to share an update and let you know that he is happy, safe, and LOVED sooo much. Thank you for all of your help. This is our second adoption from your shelter and our second success story. We love this shelter and we will continue to come here for our animals. You are honest, caring, and affordable. It's clear you care about the animals and not the profit. Thank you for all that you do for the animals in your care!
They are INSEPARABLE! I just wanted to share an update and let you know that he is happy, safe, and LOVED sooo much. Thank you for all of your help. This is our second adoption from your shelter and our second success story. We love this shelter and we will continue to come here for our animals. You are honest, caring, and affordable. It's clear you care about the animals and not the profit. Thank you for all that you do for the animals in your care!
Benjamin Thomasbsca
May 16, 2022
Report
We adopted a dog from you guys about 6 years ago his name was Kevin we named him clyde he came with lyme disease we never saw a issue from it. He turned out to be exactly what our family needed. Unfortunately last weekend we suddenly had to put him down due to a disk rupturing in his back vertically into his spinal cord and paralyzing him instantly. We will be back to find another one when we're ready but I couldn't imagine another rescue being as wonderful as orphans was. Thank you for guiding my family to clyde years ago he was truly our best friend and helped our family more than I could ever explain.
