[1] It was founded on January 19, 1899, by a group of Chicago residents who had concerns about the treatment of the city's animals, from stray cats and dogs, to workhorses, to livestock.
[3][4][5] The Anti-Cruelty Society changed its policies to align with the no kill movement, in 2004, turning strays over to Chicago Animal Care and Control.
During this time, the Anti-Cruelty Society implemented its first humane education movement to provide basic access to literature and lectures.
[12] In 2014, Chicago's Alderman passed the Anti-Puppy Mill Ordinance 49-1, which did not allow dogs, cats and other animals to be sheltered if they came from large-scale breeding operations.
[14] Before Illinois' stay-at-home order in March 2020, the Anti-Cruelty Society urged people to Foster animals because of an influx of pets and a limit of space in the shelters.
[15] The Anti-Cruelty Society has a yearly event, "Clear The Shelters", where the adoption fees are waived and all their pets are up to date in vaccines.