Safe Humane Chicago

08/16/2026

Celebrate with us the last 5 dogs (out of a total of 35!) who participated in our summer Lifetime Bonds program at Chicago Animal Care and Control with Alternative Schools Network who were waiting for homes. Baltimore, Harvest, Spinderella, and Tamaki are now there. You have one opportunity to participate by giving Pippet a home. Watch for her post here soon!

McKinley Lakeside Leadership Academy Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Latino Youth High School Youth Connection Charter School

08/09/2026

That’s a wrap on our Summer Lifetime Bonds program in 2026! After six weeks of hands-on learning at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC), our 14 students celebrated their graduation!

This summer, students built new skills and confidence while working with dogs in the care of CACC, with 30 (so far!) of the 35 dogs who participated going on to be adopted or rescued after working with our youth! Those 30 dogs had spent an average of 56 days at CACC before finding their next chapter.

And the experience doesn’t end here! A handful of our students will continue into paid work internships in animal care this fall. Stay tuned for more!

Congratulations to the Summer Lifetime Bonds Class of 2026, and thank you to everyone who made this possible! We couldn't appreciate you all more.

Alternative Schools Network McKinley Lakeside Leadership Academy Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Latino Youth High School Youth Connection Charter School Daphy Snafu Tamara Gansz Lilliana Rosa Chaidez

08/08/2026

Help us celebrate 30 dogs who participated in the Safe Humane Chicago Lifetime Bonds program with Alternative Schools Network at Chicago Animal Care and Control. During the course of the six-week program, they found homes with adopters or rescue groups! Congratulations, pups and human guardians, and thank you! Thank you, students from McKinley Lakeside Leadership Academy, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School, Latino Youth High School, Youth Connection Charter School! Thank you, program volunteers and staff! Thank you, adopters (17) and rescue groups (13 transfers)! We’re so proud and happy!

Did we mention their names? Acton, Buckingham, Butterfinger, Cadence, Camper, Candelabra, Castine, Chara, Coachella, Cowbell, Diamond, Diora, Emryn, Frosted Donut, Garlic Knot, Grandella, India, Kenna, Lantana, Lisbon, Lord Farquaad, Moiraine, Pom Pom, Popcorn, Slainte, Snack Pack, Taffeta, Tik Tok, Wintergreen, Yeehaw! Ha — Yeehaw indeed.

Stay tuned to help us help the five other dogs who participated and still at CACC to find adopters or fosters: Baltimore, Harvest, Pippet, Spinderella, and Tamaki.

GRADUATION VIDEO coming soon, too.

07/28/2026

Learning continues in our Lifetime Bonds program at Chicago Animal Care and Control!

Over the past two weeks (Weeks 4 and 5), our students have explored what it means to be a responsible dog owner. We've discussed everything from training and meeting a dog's daily needs to the responsibilities that come with bringing a dog into a home. Students also had thoughtful conversations about topics such as spaying and neutering, ethical breeding, and the impact our decisions have on both dogs and the community.

Lead Trainer Daphne Mendoza has continued introducing new handling skills, demonstrating proper leash handling and showing how play can be just as powerful a motivator as food. With each class, students are asking more thoughtful questions and gaining a deeper appreciation that every dog is an individual with unique needs.

Students also had the opportunity to hear from Hasani Davis, owner of Leash Drop Canine, who shared how he built his own successful business after overcoming a childhood fear of dogs.

As the program wraps up, our students are looking forward to celebrating everything they've accomplished at this week's Lifetime Bonds graduation. We'll be posting highlights soon.

The dogs who have participated in the last two weeks include Acton, Camper, Castine, Chara, Cowbell, Diora, Harvest, India, Kenna, Lantana, Lisbon, Lord Farquaad, Moiraine, Pippett, Slainte, Spinderella, and Wintergreen. As of last week, 22 of the dogs who have participated in the program have left with adopters or rescue groups: 12 were adopted, 10 were transferred to CACC partner rescue groups. We are so proud.

Alternative Schools Network McKinley Lakeside Leadership Academy Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Latino Youth High School Youth Connection Charter School

07/14/2026

During Week 3 of Lifetime Bonds at Chicago Animal Care and Control, our students continued building their dog handling skills by exploring dog communication, leash handling, duration in training, and cooperative care. And the dogs continued building their own skill sets.

A special thank you to guest trainers Lilliana Rosa Chaidez and Jawaan Jackson for sharing their knowledge and helping students understand the importance of meeting each dog where they are. Their message reinforced one of the biggest lessons of the program: there is no one-size-fits-all approach to working with dogs.

One of our favorite moments came when students noticed Frosted Donut was uncomfortable because of her itchy skin. They gently cleaned her with grooming wipes, and she visibly relaxed. It was a simple act of kindness that perfectly reflected the compassion our students continue to show the dogs.

Even more exciting, students are telling us they're using what they've learned with their own pets and families at home. Seeing these lessons extend beyond the shelter is exactly what Lifetime Bonds is all about.

The 11 dogs our students worked with in Week 3 along with our dedicated volunteer handlers: Cadence, Camper, Castine, Chara, Diora, Frosted Donut, India, Moiraine, Popcorn, Taffeta, and Yeehaw. Look at some of the skills they practiced!

Alternative Schools Network McKinley Lakeside Leadership Academy Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Latino Youth High School Youth Connection Charter School

07/07/2026

A big highlight for our students and volunteers during our Lifetime Bonds Program is getting to celebrate the dog participants who have left Chicago Animal Care and Control with adopters or rescue groups! Visible proof that the work we do here matters and gets our Chicago dogs seen! 🙌

Congrats to the ten dogs from our first two program weeks who have headed home with awesome adopters and rescue groups: Tik Tok, Emryn, Garlic Knot, Butterfinger, Grandella, Pom Pom, Diamond, Candelabra, Snack Pack, and Coachella! Happy tails! 🥳🐶

Thank you, students, for all your incredible work! We could not have done this without you! 👏Alternative Schools Network McKinley Lakeside Leadership Academy Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Latino Youth High School Youth Connection Charter School

07/06/2026

Week 2 of Lifetime Bonds is in the books!

This week our students continued learning about dog body language and behavior through hands-on work with the dogs at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC).

Working in teams, students practiced luring, sit, down, impulse control, and even explored puppy fitness and yoga. With each class, we're seeing students become more confident in their handling skills and more comfortable reading dog body language and behavior.

We also welcomed zoologist Maureen Cleary, who shared her experiences working with animals and gave students a broader look at animal behavior and careers in the field.

Our Week 2 dog partners included Buckingham, Butterfinger, Camper, Castine, Chara, Coachella, Frosted Donut, Garlic Knot, India, Taffeta, Tik Tok, and Yeehaw! Some have already left for homes! Thank you, students, volunteers, and staff! very much!

We're excited to see what Week 3 brings!

Alternative Schools Network McKinley Lakeside Leadership Academy Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School Latino Youth High School Youth Connection Charter School

06/29/2026

A highlight from Week 1 of our Lifetime Bonds program at Chicago Animal Care and Control with Alternative Schools Network and YCCS Chicago schools!

Emryn met our students last week and learned to sit! This was after being confiscated in a cruelty case and spending more than three months at CACC.

Just a few days later, One Tail at a Time transferred Emryn into their care.

Dogs in shelters don't just need a place to wait. They need opportunities to learn, build confidence, and connect with people. Every positive interaction helps prepare them for what's next. That's one of the many reasons we do this work.

A huge thank you to One Tail at a Time for giving Emryn the fresh start she deserves.

1 Video

06/29/2026

We kicked off another summer of Lifetime Bonds this last week at Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC)! Students from McKinley Lakeside Leadership Academy, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School, and Latino Youth High School learned how to meet new dogs safely and read dog body language, and they got an inside look at CACC and the challenges facing animals in our city.

We're excited for the weeks ahead as we watch the impact our youth have on the dogs and the impact the dogs have on them.

Alternative Schools Network, Youth Connection Charter School

06/26/2026

🚨 Prime Days ends today! 🚨
Our volunteers are gearing up for some extra summer fun with the dogs and cats at Chicago Animal Care and Control 🐾☀️
Summer brings even more opportunities for enrichment, comfort, and love — helping these amazing animals feel cared for while they wait for their forever homes. 🐶🐱💕
Our volunteers are ready to bring the fun, but we could use a little help stocking up on extra snacks and treats to keep tails wagging and purrs happening! 🦴✨
If you’re doing any last-minute Prime shopping today, consider adding a few goodies for the shelter pets to your cart. Every treat, toy, and donation helps bring a little more joy, comfort, and hope to their day.
Thank you for helping support the incredible animals (and volunteers!) at CACC! 🧡🐾