Category Archives: Events

Holiday Open House & Lighting Ceremony Highlights

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We are grateful to everyone who joined us for our first Holiday Open House since moving into our new shelter. We were glad to welcome nearly 250 Tree House friends and supporters to celebrate the season at our new home. The evening featured our Lights of Love Lighting Ceremony during which we lit thousands of lights as a symbol of the Tributes our supporters made to honor and remember the special people and pets in their lives.

A Night to Remember and Honor

Thank you to everyone who donated for a Tribute Light. What a wonderful way to celebrate someone special in your life while giving back to homeless cats. We cherish the beloved people and pets whom have been lost with white lights and celebrate those still in our lives with multi-colored lights.

Stop by at This Special Time of Year – The lights will remain lit throughout the month of December. You can still make a Tribute Light donation for a beloved person or pet and learn more – here. We welcome everyone to stop by during the holiday season to see the shelter “dressed” for the holidays.

Guests enjoyed refreshments, the cats (who were eager to greet visitors – the kittens enjoyed showing off a bit), our silent auction, and meeting new friends and fellow animal lovers.

A kitten named Dabble also made an appearance. Dabble was abandoned on our front ledge just a few weeks ago. He had been left in a shoe box, unable to move his back legs. Learn more about his heartwarming story of perseverance here.

Thank You & Happy Holidays

It really is all about the cats and together we are making a difference in their lives. Proceeds from this event as well as Tribute Light donations are an important part of helping us continue our work.

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season

~ Your friends at Tree House

Black Cat Bash a Blast!

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What a wonderful night! We were thrilled to welcome approximately 200 guests who had an opportunity to enjoy Tree House’s new shelter in a unique way.

Guests enjoyed many delectable tastings from a variety of some of Chicago’s best restaurants. A big thank you to all our incredible participants including Hub 51, Swirlz Cupcakes, Wow Bao, M Burger, The Bad Apple, and Food Life.

Visitors also enjoyed specialty cocktails, wine, and beer along with a live DJ on the patio. And had a chance to win some great prizes at our raffles!

Helping Cats in Need

All proceeds from this event support our work to save, rehabilitate, and adopt cats in need!

We are grateful to everyone who made this, our first fundraising event at our new facility, a success – the cats are the real winners!

Grand Opening @ Tree House’s New Facility

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You’re Invited – Help Us Celebrate the Future

On Friday, July 28th and Saturday, July 29th (see schedule below), we’ll celebrate a Grand Opening Weekend for our new, state-of-the-art, animal shelter. Our new facility is one of the most innovative animal shelters in the country and the largest cat-focused shelter in the state of Illinois. Forward-thinking from its inception, Tree House’s new shelter, located at 7225 N. Western Ave, Chicago, is a model for what animal sheltering can be and exemplifies how far animal welfare has progressed.

“This facility changes the way many people think about animal shelters,” stated Tree House Interim Executive Director, Kerri Burns. “This new shelter provides an enriched, cage-free environment designed to reduce stress on the cats, improving their quality of stay until they find a home. And our new resident clinic enables us to provide advanced, in-house care to seriously injured and ill cats.”

New Facility Benefits

  • Cat catios (enclosed outdoor cat patios) providing fresh air and outdoor access for cats
  • Diverse cat adoption rooms equipped with heated floors, calming spaces, expansive windows and healthy stimulation options
  • Modernized, in-house veterinary clinic providing advanced veterinary care to resident cats and expanded care for cats with serious injuries and illnesses

Saving More Cats

In 2016, Tree House placed more than 1,000 cats in loving homes. Over time, this new facility will enable us to more than double the number of cats rescued and placed each year.

Grand Opening Weekend Schedule of Events

  •  Ribbon Cutting Ceremony – Friday, July 28, 10:00 a.m.
  •  Public Grand Opening – Saturday, July 29, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
    • Guided tours will be available during this time
    • Introducing the cat cafe