One Tail at a Time
Our Mission
One Tail at a Time is dedicated to ending pet homelessness by making pet ownership a joyful and accessible experience for all. We rescue animals from overcrowded shelters and place them in loving forever homes, while providing vital support and resources to pet owners in our community.
Our Story
Born in 2008 inside an Albany Park apartment, One Tail at a Time began as a small group of friends aiming to be the solution for animals often overlooked by other rescue groups. Over the years, we have grown into a respected rescue organization, becoming a top transfer partner for Chicago Animal Care and Control and expanding our impact through a robust network of fosters and dedicated adoption facilities.
How We Help
We operate as a cooperative that prioritizes vulnerable populations, including big dogs, seniors, and neonate kittens. By utilizing both our physical Adoption Centers in Bucktown and the South Loop, alongside a vast network of foster homes across Chicagoland, we ensure every animal receives the individualized care they deserve. We also provide essential community support through our Pet Mutual Aid program, offering pantries and veterinary services to keep pets with the families who love them.
The Adopter Connection
Adoption is a life-changing partnership, and we are committed to helping you find the perfect match for your lifestyle. Our Adoption Team works closely with potential adopters to provide guidance, resources, and, most importantly, the support needed to ensure a successful transition. We believe in a non-judgmental, transparent process that celebrates the bond between humans and their new companions.
Find Your New Best Friend
We invite you to explore our available pets online or visit us at one of our Adoption Centers to meet our wonderful residents in person. Whether you are ready to adopt, foster, or simply learn more, we are here to help you take that next step. Together, we can save lives, one tail at a time.
- Compassionate and dedicated staff
- Successful and joyful adoptions
- Communication and organizational friction
8/27 - From yoga mats to forever homes: How rescue puppy yoga creates connections beyond the shelter
Across the country, rescue puppies are trading kennels for yoga mats as shelters look for new ways to connect animals with future families.
8/9 - Chicago’s First Cat Tour Brings Cat Lovers to Lincoln Square
LINCOLN SQUARE — Cat lovers from across the Chicago area prowled the Lincoln Square neighborhood Saturday, taking in the city’s first-ever neighborhood
7/21 - Urban Pooch Adoption Event - One Tail at a Time
Details Date: August 8 Time: 01:00 pm - 05:00 pm Event Category: Adoption Event, Third-party Event Website: Event Website Venue Urban Pooch Training and Fitness Center 5400 N DamenChicago, Illinois,...
7/12 - Chicago Bark-BQ Bash collects donations for local animal rescues
Organizers Kelly Weekly and Rosa Lugardo joined ABC7, along with Cinderblock Sue, to discuss on Sunday
5/29 - Anxious Shelter Dog Refuses To Go Anywhere Without His Emotional Support Stuffies
“His love of stuffies was pretty much instant!”
5/15 - They Used Cardboard For Warmth In Snow-Covered Dump — Then A Hero Arrived
Huddled in a snow-covered garbage dump in La Loche, a village in Saskatchewan, Canada, a group of four puppy siblings struggled to survive. With no one looking out for them, the pups fended for themselves. They cuddled together and used bits of cardboard for protection, waiting for someone to pass by and offer a helping hand.
10/13 - Huge congratulations to our Team One Tail marathon runners who competed in the @chimarathon Sunday! 🎉🎉 Together, our athletes raised over $198,000 in support of One Tail’s foster pets and life-saving programs. Thank you to our amazing runners who trained all year and dedicated their race to help save animals! 🤩 We had so much fun cheering them on with OTAT Alumni Fuller and Tucker. Congrats, runners! 🥇
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10/8 - Lala is ready to meet you! 💖 If you have a pet-free home and love to give, consider this girl! She has such a sweet personality and charms everyone she meets. She is low-maintenance in the home and enjoys snuggling, playing with stuffies, or working on new tricks! View her profile at onetail.org
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10/2 - Who remembers Amelia Bonow? She went from abandoned to ADOPTED from our Everyday Adoption Center 💙 Success stories like Amelia’s help us remember how much of a difference we can make in an animal’s life by helping support their medical care and recovery ❤️🩹 We are so grateful for our amazing foster homes and incredible staff for helping animals like Amelia heal! Amelia is now enjoying cuddling, napping, and chatting in her forever home 💙 Learn more about how to adopt, foster, or volunteer 👉 onetail.org #adoptdontshop❤️ #emergencyvet #adoptingsaveslives #fosterkittens
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10/1 - A pretty perfect bunch if you ask us! These kiddos are on their way to their foster homes or our Adoption Centers 💙
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9/29 - Respectfully, this is just a joke because Lillie is ✨perfect✨ Lillie is: ✔️ housebroken and cratetrained ✔️ good with dogs outside the home ✔️ low-maintenance gal in the home ✔️ has a sponsored adoption fee We just did an @embarkvet DNA test for fun and she is Catahoula Leopard Dog (54%), Plott Hound (18.7%), Redbone Coonhound (8.9%), American Foxhound (7.9%), American Pit Bull Terrier (5.9%), and English Foxhound (4.6%)! View her full profile at onetail.org and email us at adopt@onetail.org with any questions!
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9/22 - We vaccinated and microchipped 138 community pets at our last @petmutualaidchi vaccine clinic! Our next clinic is October 10th from 9am-2pm at our Pet Mutual Aid space in Englewood. Follow along at @petmutualaidchi for the scoop on all our community events! 💙
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9/21 - *Adds accomplished musician to Marcy’s profile* Marcy is looking to move to a new foster home this week! She has come so far in her current foster and we would love for her to continue to stay in a home. Send us a DM to get Marcy’s full scoop, or visit her profile on our website onetail.org 💗
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9/18 - Is this the most awkward first kiss we’ve ever seen? Yes, probably. Milhouse and River are at our Bucktown Adoption Center ready to meet you! 💙 onetail.org
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