Orphans of the Storm Opens Second Location
Orphans of the Storm animal shelter will open its second location in downtown Highland Park this fall. Two display windows, one featuring adoptable dogs and the other cats ready for new families, will overlook the at 464 Central Avenue beginning in October, according to the Daily North Shore.
Orphans of the Storm has operated a shelter in Riverwoods for 87 years.
Since the animals are fully vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and microchipped, adopters will be able to take their new pets home with them the same day. Another advantage to adopting a pet from Orphans of the Storm is that it owns its own animal hospital, the Ruth Helen Wolf Animal Clinic & Hospital in Libertyville, which gives a discount on vet services.
Orphans of the Storm founder Irene Castle and her husband Vernon were vaudevillian dance stars. He was killed in an airplane accident in 1918. The 1939 Fred and Ginger Rogers movie The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle was based on them.
In 1928, Irene Castle remarried Major Frederick McLaughlin (founder of the Chicago Blackhawks) and with his help, she built the original Orphans of the Storm animal shelter in Riverwoods/Deerfield. The mission remains the same 87 years later: “Needy animals deserve a place to find loving homes.”
Before you come to visit there are a few things you should make sure to bring along.
- Bring a current driver’s license with your correct address or a state ID with a photo.
- To cover the $90 adoption fee, you may use either a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover Card) or cash. The adoption fee of $90 includes the first inoculations, a general de-worming, a kennel cough preventative, a flea and tick treatment, a collar, leash, and a tag.
- Bringas many members of your family as possible (including dogs) to help make sure your new pet is a good fit.
Tom Brackney, operations manager, describes the adoption process: “We go through a series of questions. It’s good to bring in your family to make sure the animals are comfortable around small children. Sometimes we’ll mix up cats and dogs to make sure everyone gets along. We also check with renters to make sure that pets are allowed. The whole process with application takes about a half hour.”
Stop by Orphans of the Storm’s new location at 464 Central Avenue or visit them online at orphansofthestorm.org. You may just pick out a new cat or dog – but more likely, your pet will pick you!
