A complete 2026 resident guide to the limited-admission nonprofit on Diehl Road that matches companion animals with western suburbs families — and the many ways residents can help, even if they cannot adopt today.
The Naperville Area Humane Society (NAHS) at 1620 W Diehl Rd is a 501(c)(3) limited-admission animal shelter that has matched dogs and cats with western suburbs families since 1979. Adoption begins with an online application, then a whole-household meet-and-greet at the shelter on Diehl Road. Every pet goes home spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. In 2026, Naperville residents can help in four ways:
- Adopt — Fees range from $0 (senior pets, Lucky 7 Fund) to $500 (puppies); start with the online application.
- Foster — Open your home for a few days to a few months; NAHS provides food, supplies, and partner-hospital vet care.
- Volunteer — In-shelter roles for ages 18+; the NAHS Junior Board welcomes high schoolers 15 and up.
- Donate or attend an event — Run Your Mutt Off 5K (June 13), Fore The Paws Golf (Aug 3), Black Cat Ball (Sept 25), Giving Tuesday (Dec 1).
Prefer a quick tour? Executive Director Christine Natarelli walks through the Naperville Area Humane Society on Diehl Road in this short video — covering the adoption process, what every pet gets before going home, fostering, microchipping, and Dog Day Out.
Table of Contents
- A Local Mission Built Around Lasting Bonds
- What to Know Before You Adopt at NAHS
- What Happens Before a Pet Is Ready to Go Home
- Why Microchips Matter (and Why Yours Should Be Updated)
- How to Help Beyond Adoption
- The Dog Day Out Program: How Volunteers Take a Shelter Dog Out for the Day
- Mark Your Calendar: 2026 NAHS Events
- What Makes NAHS Different from a Rescue?
- Plan Your Visit: Hours, Address & Contact
- Full Video Transcript
- Frequently Asked Questions
A Local Mission Built Around Lasting Bonds
The NAHS mission is straightforward: to promote the humane treatment of companion animals and create lasting human-animal bonds. The accompanying vision is to engage people to compassionately and responsibly create a more humane world.
Those words are reflected in how the shelter operates day to day. Staff and volunteers care for each animal individually. The organization runs on community donations, partners with local businesses and schools across Naperville, Warrenville, and the rest of DuPage County, and operates as a thoughtful nonprofit rather than an emergency rescue.
You will not hear NAHS describe itself as a rescue, and that word choice is intentional. The shelter is limited-admission, meaning it can accept animals only as space and resources allow.
What to Know Before You Adopt at NAHS
The first thing to understand about adopting from the Naperville Area Humane Society is that the team treats it as a lifelong commitment.
NAHS does not do quick, walk-in adoptions. You’ll be asked to come in with a clear sense of your own lifestyle and to think honestly about what your family can offer a pet day after day. Every family member who lives in the home is asked to come to the meeting — including kids and any current pets, when appropriate.
“It’s a lifelong commitment. We just ask that any potential adopter come knowing their lifestyle, knowing what they can offer a pet, give them the best home possible.” — Christine Natarelli, Executive Director, Naperville Area Humane Society
Practical requirements are straightforward. Adopters must be at least 21 years old and bring a valid driver’s license or state ID along with proof of current address. The first step is filling out the online application on the NAHS website, especially for dogs. The application gives the team enough context to set up a scheduled meeting and, in some cases, to recommend a different pet who might be a better fit than the one your family had in mind.
Adoption fees in 2026 are set by age:
- Dogs. Puppies (2 to 11 months): $500. Adult dogs (1 to 6 years): $350. Senior dogs (7 and older): fee waived, courtesy of the NAHS Lucky 7 Fund.
- Cats. Kittens (2 to 11 months): $175 for a single or $250 for a pair. Adult cats (1 to 6 years): $125. Senior cats (7 and older): fee waived, also courtesy of the Lucky 7 Fund.
The fee covers significantly more than the animal itself. The next section breaks down exactly what is included.
What Happens Before a Pet Is Ready to Go Home
Animal welfare is at the core of everything the shelter does, and that shows up most visibly in the work that happens before an animal is ever listed for adoption.
Every dog and cat at NAHS receives:
- A full initial veterinary exam
- Spay or neuter surgery
- A microchip
- Age-appropriate vaccinations, including rabies when applicable
- A fecal test
- Deworming and flea treatment if needed
Dogs additionally get a heartworm test and first preventive (when age-appropriate), the DA2PPV combination vaccination, the Bordetella vaccination, and a collar to go home in. Cats also receive an FeLV/FIV test and the FVRCP combination vaccination.
Medical care is only half of the picture. Behavioral care and daily enrichment are taken just as seriously. Animal trainers work with the pets, and the animal care team builds enrichment activities into the daily routine to support each animal’s well-being.
“Beyond just medical care, we also take behavioral care and enrichment very seriously, because their well-being is much more than just the health as well.” — Christine Natarelli, Executive Director
Not every pet at NAHS finds a home immediately, and that is okay. The shelter continues to invest in each animal’s quality of life for as long as they are there. Trainers and animal care staff partner closely on individualized plans, including additional medical checks when needed.
NAHS also partners with local and national organizations to take pets offsite to community events when possible. Each appearance gives an animal a break from the shelter environment and exposure to new people.
Why Microchips Matter (and Why Yours Should Be Updated)
Every animal adopted from NAHS goes home microchipped. The chip itself does not broadcast a location, but it does carry a unique number that links back to the owner’s contact information in a registry.
That contact information is only as useful as it is current. Every time NAHS takes in an animal, the staff scans for a chip. If one is present and the registration is up to date, the team can call the registered owner and start the process of getting the pet home. If the registration is outdated, the trail goes cold quickly.
The takeaway for every pet owner in Naperville: if you have moved between neighborhoods, changed your phone number, or switched email addresses since your pet was chipped, log into the microchip registry and update your contact information today. It is one of the most important things you can do to protect your dog or cat — particularly if you live near Springbrook Prairie, the DuPage Riverwalk, or any of Naperville’s dog-friendly neighborhoods where off-leash moments can happen.
How to Help Beyond Adoption
Adoption is not the only way to support the animals at NAHS. Many meaningful contributions come from people who are not currently in a position to bring a pet home.
“After fostering for NAHS for three years, what struck me most is how much time the team spends getting to know each animal. They aren’t running a quick-adoption mill. They’re matching companions for life — and that matters, especially for families with young kids or other pets at home.” — Representative reflection from a long-time Naperville NAHS volunteer
“Anytime we could get an animal out of the shelter and into a home environment is super helpful.” — Christine Natarelli, Executive Director
Ways to make a difference:
- Fostering. Open up your home for as little as a few days or as long as a few months. Fosters welcome adult dogs, pregnant cats and dogs, moms with litters, orphaned puppies and kittens, and animals needing extra medical or behavioral support. NAHS provides food, supplies, and veterinary care through partner hospitals. Foster volunteers must be at least 18, have reliable transportation, and live in pet-friendly housing.
- Volunteering. Volunteer opportunities range from in-shelter roles to landscaping, handicraft, and event support. Most in-shelter roles require volunteers to be 18 or older. The NAHS Junior Board is open to high schoolers age 15 and up. For specific role descriptions, schedules, and orientation details, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@naperhumane.org or (630) 420-8989 x1004.
- Donations, financial and in-kind. Cash donations help cover the medical and behavioral care every animal receives. Supplies on the NAHS wish list are welcome any day between noon and 5:00 p.m. For the current wish list and giving options, visit naperhumane.org.
- Pet therapy. Owners of well-behaved, certified therapy dogs or cats can participate in two NAHS programs. PAWSitive Pet Therapy teams visit senior centers, nursing homes, and other facilities across the western suburbs. Paws for Tales teams visit Naperville-area schools to help children read aloud to a friendly, non-judgmental animal. For requirements and current openings, contact the Pet Therapy Program Coordinator through the NAHS website.
- Corporate partnerships. Local businesses can explore the NAHS Corporate Partners program. Details are available on the NAHS website.
- Showing up online. Following NAHS on social media, sharing adoptable pet posts, and engaging with stories all help. Visibility is how animals find homes.
The Dog Day Out Program: How Volunteers Take a Shelter Dog Out for the Day
One of the most rewarding ways to volunteer at NAHS is the Dog Day Out program. Volunteers take a shelter dog out for the day, giving the dog a break from the shelter environment and exposure to new places and people.
Outings typically focus on trails, neighborhood walks, and quiet spots where the dog can meet people without the chaos of a dog park. Volunteers often head to the trail systems through Springbrook Prairie, the wooded paths around the DuPage Riverwalk, or quiet neighborhood sidewalks in Tall Grass or Cress Creek. The team intentionally avoids dog parks during these outings — for the right kind of off-leash energy, see our guide to dog parks in Naperville, IL.
The benefits run both ways. The dog gets enrichment and a change of scenery. And every additional person who meets a shelter dog in the community is another potential adopter — or another voice spreading the word.
For Dog Day Out eligibility, scheduling, and sign-up, contact NAHS through the volunteer coordinator.
Mark Your Calendar: 2026 NAHS Events
Four community events anchor the NAHS calendar this year.
Run Your Mutt Off 5K Walk/Run
- When: Saturday, June 13, 2026
- Where: Warrenville
- Format: A 5K walk and run, dog-friendly and kid-friendly
The event raises awareness and funds for the dogs and cats in NAHS’s care and includes a community atmosphere with local vendors. Registration is available through the NAHS website.
Fore The Paws Golf Outing
- When: Monday, August 3, 2026
- Where: Naperville Country Club
- Registration: Now open
Registration and sponsorship information are available on the NAHS events page.
Black Cat Ball 2026
- When: Friday, September 25, 2026
- Where: Mesón Sabika
An evening of cocktails, dinner, entertainment, and impact stories at one of the western suburbs’ most beloved tapas restaurants — celebrating second chances for animals in need.
Giving Tuesday 2026
- When: Tuesday, December 1, 2026
The annual day of giving in support of the lifesaving work at NAHS. Save the date and watch the NAHS website for details closer to the event.
What Makes NAHS Different from a Rescue?
Plenty of shelters and rescues in the Chicagoland area place animals into homes. What makes the Naperville Area Humane Society different is the depth of attention each individual animal receives — and the deliberate choice to call itself a limited-admission shelter rather than a rescue.
“We really do specialize in individual care. Every animal that comes in, we take a lot of time to evaluate them, get to know them, and adjust what we need to do to give them the best care possible. We’re not here just to do quick adoptions. We truly are here to make sure that it’s the perfect fit for both the family or the person and the pet.” — Christine Natarelli, Executive Director
That philosophy shapes the whole experience: the unhurried adoption process, the time spent matching the right pet to the right household, the depth of medical and behavioral preparation, and the long-term commitment to each animal until the right home is found.
It is not the fastest way to run a shelter. It is the way that produces the lasting bonds the mission talks about.
Plan Your Visit: Hours, Address & Contact
Naperville Area Humane Society
1620 W Diehl Rd
Naperville, IL 60563
The shelter sits on the south side of Diehl Road, about two blocks east of Route 59 and a short drive from I-88. Parking is at the corner of Wall Street and Diehl Road, with overflow availability nearby. If you’re new to Naperville and figuring out the area, see our guide to the best Naperville neighborhoods for families for context on nearby communities.
Public Hours
- Mondays and Tuesdays: By appointment only
- Wednesdays through Fridays: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
- Saturdays and Sundays: 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Adoption appointments are required. The first step is filling out the application on the NAHS website. On weekends, dog visits are by appointment only, but cat walk-ins are welcome. Animal interactions stop 15 minutes before closing. NAHS is closed to the public on New Year’s Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.
Donations can be dropped off any day between 12:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Contact
- Main: (630) 420-8989
- Email: info@naperhumane.org
- Foster: foster@naperhumane.org or (630) 420-8989 x1008
- Volunteer: volunteer@naperhumane.org or (630) 420-8989 x1004
- Humane Education: humaneeducation@naperhumane.org
Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube under @naperhumane.
Video Transcript
Prefer to read instead of watch? Below is the full chapter-by-chapter transcript of the video tour above — covering everything Executive Director Christine Natarelli shared about the adoption process, medical care, microchips, fostering, volunteering, the Dog Day Out program, and what makes the Naperville Area Humane Society different. Click any timestamp to jump straight to that moment in the YouTube video.
Read the full video transcript — chapter-by-chapter tour with Christine Natarelli (~9 min, click any timestamp to jump to that moment in the YouTube video)
0:00Intro: Arriving at the Naperville Area Humane Society on Diehl Road
Hello everyone, I’m Dan with Naperville. Today I’m at the Naperville Area Humane Society. Very dear to my heart. I’m going to meet with Christine and she’s going to give us a tour.
Super excited. Let’s go on inside.
0:22Meeting Executive Director Christine Natarelli (and the puppies)
Hello, I’m Dan with Naperville today. I have the pleasure of being at the Naperville Area Humane Society. And I’m with Christine. Yes.
Hello. Thank you for being here. Thank you for having us. My heart is already melting.
Here I have these. This little girl. Black females, both females. So you have Karina.
And I have Calypso. Okay. And there are approximately how old they. They’re about two months old.
Oh, so they actually have another sibling as well who’s not with us right now? She’s in the back. But I know they’re very excited to be here as well. Oh, they’re so chill and relaxed.
They’re not like being puppies. They’re not like, oh, they must have known that I run a tight ship. They knew you were coming. And they’re on their best behavior.
Right? I think we got them during their nap time.
1:06What to know before you adopt: lifestyle, family meeting, online application
So what should somebody know before adopting a beautiful dog? Yeah, yeah. Great question. It’s a lifelong commitment, right?
We know that they take a lot of time energy resources. So really here at the Naperville Area Humane Society, we just ask that any potential adopter come knowing their lifestyle, knowing what they can offer a pet, give them the best home possible. We don’t just do quick adoptions, right? So we really take the time to get to know the potential adopter.
We ask that every family member comes in to meet with that pet. We encourage them to ask us questions as well. Take the time to get to know that pet better, spend more time with them. And we also do encourage everybody before they adopt to fill out an online application on our website.
This is especially important with dogs, because we want to make sure you know that we could set up that scheduled time with them, make sure that dog is a good fit or potentially even another dog might be a good fit. So we just asked that, do you ever have anybody take two home? We do. Could it be you today.
Talk about that off camera. So actually three I don’t know if you could you’re going to have to take the home. Okay. Well, we have room at the house.
You so cool. Thank you for sharing that.
2:17How NAHS cares for every pet: medical exam, microchip, spay/neuter, enrichment
Of course. So, Christine, how does the shelter care for the pets before they’re adopted? Yeah. So animal welfare is really at the core of everything we do here at NHS.
So anytime an animal comes in before they go up for adoption, they have an overview of their medical exam, which includes vaccinations. They get microchips. Each pet also gets spay or neutered. So we do a medical check just to make sure they’re healthy.
Beyond just medical care. We also take behavioral care and enrichment very seriously too, because it is just their well-being is much more than just the health as well. So we want to make sure that they’re doing well physically, emotionally, all of the things. So we really put a lot of time into the enrichment that we give them.
Our volunteers and staff will give them each daily enrichment every day to kind of simulate their minds and activity here. So.
3:08Why microchips matter and how the registry actually works
Excellent. Yeah. So people always ask me about the chip. What exactly does the chip do?
The microchip. Yeah. Yeah. No.
Great question. So we microchip all our pets before they go home so that people, if, heaven forbid, they ever were to move or lose their pet or the pet got lost, we could track that number. So it doesn’t necessarily direct. Their information is linked, but we can then call them and say, hey, we found your pet.
So we hope that as long as that information is all accurate and updated and kept up to date, typically if a pet comes in and they are microchipped, which we check every single time a new pet does arrive, we can call that source and see get a little more information. Makes sense. Cool. Thank you for sharing that.
Yeah of course. Great question. Excellent. Christine, tell me,
3:53How to help beyond adoption: fostering, volunteering, donations, sharing stories
what is the biggest way our audience can help the shelter these days? So beyond adoptions, there are a lot of other ways to help us here at the Naperville Area Humane Society. So donations are obviously very helpful both financially and through in-kind. So that helps us provide care throughout the year to all the pets that arrive here.
Volunteering is huge. We’re always asking for new volunteers. Fostering is also huge because yes, so anytime we could get an animal out of the shelter and into a home environment is super helpful. So we ask, you know, if anyone’s interested in fostering to ask us.
And beyond that, honestly, attending events is very huge. That supports these guys every single day and just sharing our stories to we post every day on social media, on our website. We send out newsletters. So sharing those stories, liking those stories, and really just engaging with us, that goes a long way.
Any events coming up?
4:452026 events: Run Your Mutt Off 5K (June 13) and Fore The Paws Golf (August 3)
Yes. So thanks for asking. So we do have a golf outing coming up this year on August 3rd. So that’s one of our big ones.
We also have run your mud off, which is 5K where you could bring your dogs as well. So it’s a community event where people can bring their dogs. It’s a fun walk and run, so you don’t have to be a marathon runner or anything like that. And that is on June 13th.
So many people could bring their pets for that. Yes, yes, dog friendly, kid friendly. We have a lot of fun vendors there that day to celebrate in Naperville. It is.
Oh, so it’s actually in Warrenville. So right next door on a trail and it’s just a fun morning. We kind of kick off all in support of these guys. All right.
We’ll see you there, guys. Yeah.
5:26What happens to pets that don’t get adopted right away
So, Christine, I have a question that I don’t know if I’m going to like the answer for this, but what happens to the pets that don’t get adopted right away? Yeah. So not all of our pets do get adopted right away, and that’s okay. The important thing is that we always continue to invest in the quality of care for them while they’re here.
So we’re trying to make this place as comfortable as possible for them screaming around a little bit. But we’re constantly our trainers working with them every day to kind of work with their their training plan. We also we’ll look into sometimes we’ll have to do more medical checks. There’s a lot of things that go into it.
So we work very closely with our trainers on site who work with the pets every single day. So there’s a lot of behavioral things we we analyze. We also look at their health of course. So we’re also constantly doing different medical exams on them making sure they’re healthy.
So we really do take the time to really invest in their care again, do daily enrichment activities to make sure that they’re comfortable and happy while they’re here. So we partner with a lot of community members, and we sometimes are able to take pets off site and showcase them. You know, well, anywhere in Naperville or surrounding towns, we work with both national and local partners.
So those things are always very helpful to, because any chance we get to kind of take the animal off site into a different environment is really helpful for them as well. I was going to say take them to like a kids event or a school. Exactly. Rid of them real fast.
Yes, exactly.
6:54The Dog Day Out program: how volunteers take a shelter dog out for the day
And you know, we also do offer Dog Day Out programs. Okay. So our volunteers will take out a dog for the day, and they get out, they get out of the shelter environment, and they can explore outside, meet new people, see new things. So that’s always very beneficial for them.
Question for you. So you take the dog for the day. What are you allowed to do with that dog can take it to a dog park. That is so we we don’t typically.
Yes. Typically we do stay away from other dog parks. But a lot of times you’ll take them to trails and do little hikes with them, which is also great. A lot of times they’ll take them just around the neighborhood.
So lots of walks, lots of sniffs, lots of exploring. They get a lot of treats usually on those days as well. So it’s a fun day for them to just get out of the shelter and anywhere really, where there’s a lot of people where they can meet, you know, and get exposed to new people. And also potentially someone will fall in love with them that day.
Exactly. That’s the key. That is the key we want. Absolutely.
This one. This one’s amazing.
7:52What makes NAHS different: individual care and the right match for life
All right, Christine, one last question before we go take a little tour. What makes the Naperville Area Humane Society different from other shelters? Yeah. So we really do specialize in individual care here at the Naperville Humane Society.
So every animal that comes in, honestly, we take a lot of time to evaluate them, get to know them, and adjust what we need to do to give them the best care possible. We’re not here just to do quick adoptions. We truly are here to make sure that it’s the perfect fit for both the family or the person and the pet. We want to have long term success here with all of our adoptions, so that that’s really one of our big things, is that we just we have a lot of staff and volunteers, board members, community members that just care so much about these animals.
And it’s yeah, it’s an honor to care for them. What amazing job. I would love this job getting up every morning to go. It is very rewarding.
8:43Wrap-up and facility tour transition
All right. I’m hoping we can get a tour of the rest of the facility. I would love to show you around. Absolutely.
All right. Are you ready to go check out the rest of the facility? Can I see your room? All right.
We’ll decorate it really pretty for you. Okay, let’s go check it out. Let’s go. Cool.
All right.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I adopt a pet from the Naperville Area Humane Society?
The first step is filling out the online application on the NAHS website. From there, a member of the team will follow up to schedule an appointment for the whole household to meet the pet. Adopters must be at least 21 and provide a valid driver’s license or state ID and proof of current address.
How much does it cost to adopt from NAHS in 2026?
Adoption fees are set by age. Puppies (2 to 11 months) are $500 and adult dogs (1 to 6 years) are $350; senior dogs (7 and older) are free thanks to the Lucky 7 Fund. Kittens are $175 each or $250 for a pair; adult cats are $125; senior cats are also free. Every fee includes spay or neuter surgery, vaccinations, a microchip, and a veterinary exam.
What’s required to foster for NAHS?
Foster volunteers must be at least 18 years old, have reliable transportation, and live in pet-friendly housing. The application lives on the NAHS website. The foster coordinator will follow up by email with next steps and the supplies needed for the specific animal.
Can I volunteer at NAHS if I have no shelter experience?
Yes. NAHS offers a range of volunteer roles. In-shelter, foster, and court-ordered service roles require volunteers to be 18 or older. High school students 15 and up can join the NAHS Junior Board. For details on orientation, training, and current openings, contact the Volunteer Coordinator at volunteer@naperhumane.org.
Where is the Naperville Area Humane Society located?
1620 W Diehl Rd, Naperville, IL 60563. The parking lot is at the corner of Wall Street and Diehl Road, about two blocks east of Route 59 and a short drive from I-88.
Is NAHS a no-kill shelter?
NAHS is a limited-admission shelter, which means it accepts animals as space and resources allow and commits to each animal’s quality of life for as long as they are in the shelter. The team continues behavioral and medical care for animals who take longer to find homes, rather than imposing a time limit on placement.
What kinds of donations does NAHS need most?
Both financial donations and in-kind supplies make a difference. The current wish list is on the NAHS website. Supply drop-offs are welcome any day between noon and 5:00 p.m.
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