Questions?

  To rescue animals locally, responsibly, and realistically.

New name, old rescue. We aren’t new here, just got a makeover.  Dark Horse Dogs, NFP was originally named Animal Heartline Humane Association (AHL).  AHL was chartered in 1979 and remained a licensed rescue and registered 501(c)(3) for far longer than people realize.  Small rescue, big name.  

Yep! Our Employee Identification Number (EIN) is 36-3019798 and we are in good standing with the state of Illinois. The EIN is listed under Animal Heartline Humane Association as the entity name and the 'Doing Business As' (DBA) Dark Horse Dogs, NFP.  

You can also find us on GuideStar:

GuideStar Search 

The Illinois Secretary of State:

Corporation/LLC Search/Certificate of Good Standing (ilsos.gov) 

File # 51719344 

Incorporation Date: Thursday, 12 April 1979 

Entity Type:  CORPORATION 

Entity Name:  ANIMAL HEARTLINE HUMANE ASSOCIATION 

Assumed Name:  DARK HORSE DOGS, NFP 

In the state of Illinois (where we are) you must have an Illinois Department of Agriculture license to operate and run a rescue.  You also must be a 501(c)(3). 

Our ILDOA License # is: 087-5545

This rescue license allows us to work with our local animal controls and take animals directly from them, that would otherwise be unadoptable to the general public, due to a multitude of reasons which could range from health to behavior.  

Want to learn more about the laws and requirements in Illinois?  Visit the links below.

Animal Health & Welfare - Animal Health and Welfare (illinois.gov) 

510 ILCS 5/  Animal Control Act. (ilga.gov)  

510 ILCS 70/  Humane Care for Animals Act. (ilga.gov) 

Need to file an animal welfare complaint?  Fill out the form at the link below:

Animal Health and Welfare Complaint Form.pdf (illinois.gov) 

Then email it to: agr.bahw.dockets@illinois.gov

Animal Control! Our dogs come from the dreaded “high kill” shelters. In reality, these “high kill" shelters are actually called “open access” shelters. These shelters don't have the “luxury” of turning animals away. When kennel space is full, and a new dog comes in as a stray, the new dog has to go somewhere. That’s when shelters are forced to euthanize for space.  And the public is often outraged.  Animals are euthanized every day, all over the world. We can scream that every shelter should be “no kill” but screaming does nothing. Foster, adopt, volunteer & donate. These are actionable ways we can truly make a difference.  A shelter certainly can’t hit “no kill” status, if people aren’t helping to save the animals.

WE SUPPORT OUR HIGH KILL SHELTERS!!! YOU SHOULD TOO!

No! Absolutely not. We will not now, nor ever, refer to ourselves as "no kill". 

Those two words strung together have caused far more damage and deaths than people realize. 

"NO KILL" does NOT mean, what people believe it to mean. 

Most will have read that far and moved on, because we just openly admitted our level of hatred for those words.  And we're supposed to rescue animals. How dare we call ourselves rescuers and never strive to call Dark Horse Dogs, no kill! 

Write our rescue off now. Easy enough. Or...ask yourself why rescuers would publicly write these words... knowing damn well the audience won't take kindly to reading it.

Transparency is key in rescue, and we will be transparent.  Painfully so.  Stay tuned for a full accounting of 2022 facts and figures, and why, even if we met the "threshold" required to call ourselves no kill...we still wouldn't.  

No kill is a dangerous and irresponsible mindset.  We strive to rescue responsibly. 

No.  At this point in rescue, the Chicagoland area doesn't need more dogs.  Our shelters are filled with them.  We understand that some rescues like to bring in different breeds, but that's not where our rescue interests lie.  Although we are an all breed rescue, the bully breeds will always be our main focus.  They're our first loves.  And because the Chicagoland area is inundated with what we love, we have no need to go elsewhere.