Elgin, Illinois · Kane & Cook County · Facts checked Oct 2026
An animal in your Elgin home? Here's who handles what.
Elgin has its own animal control, run by the police department. It answers sick or aggressive animals and bats indoors. A calm animal living in your attic, walls or chimney is a nuisance complaint, and the city says to hire a licensed wildlife operator for it.
Who handles an animal problem in Elgin?
| What's happening | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Someone was bitten or scratched by a wild animal | Wash the wound with soap and water and see a doctor right away. The health department or animal control should also be told.6 |
| A bat is loose inside your home | Don't try to catch it. Call (847) 289-2700 and ask for animal control dispatch.2 If you woke up with it in the room, or it was near a child, keep the bat and call your doctor or the health department.6 |
| A wild animal acting sick or aggressive | Elgin Animal Control, through police dispatch: (847) 289-2700.1 To leave the officers a message: (847) 289-2502. |
| A stray dog or cat | Elgin Animal Control, (847) 289-2700. Not a wildlife operator.1 |
| A calm animal living in your attic, walls, chimney or under the deck | The city treats this as a nuisance complaint, which means you hire a licensed wildlife operator.2 That can be this site's advertiser or anyone on the Illinois DNR list. |
The Wildlife Line isn't part of the City of Elgin or Kane County.
Kane or Cook County?
Elgin sits in both Kane and Cook County.7 For animal problems it doesn't matter much: Kane County Animal Control tells Elgin residents to start with the city's own animal control.3
What Elgin's own rules say
- Don't feed wildlife. The city warns that feeding wild animals draws in others, and says never to pick up a wild animal.1
- Garbage carts go out after 5 p.m. the night before pickup, not earlier.4 Fewer hours at the curb means fewer nights for raccoons.
- Bags and cans you supply yourself must be tied or closed so trash can't scatter.4
Why animals turn up in Elgin neighborhoods
Elgin is built around river and creek land. The Fox River runs through the city, with forest preserve land on both banks at Elgin Shores.5 Tyler Creek Forest Preserve is a wooded creek valley that the city now surrounds.5 When an animal moves from places like these into a house, it's usually one of a few: a raccoon in the chimney, squirrels in the attic, bats, or something under the deck.
What are you hearing?
Not sure what it is? Start with noises in the attic at night, or see after-hours help.
Sources for this page
- City of Elgin, Animal Control. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- City of Elgin, Animal Control FAQ. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Kane County Animal Control, FAQ. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Elgin Municipal Code, Chapter 9.24, Garbage and Refuse. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Forest Preserve District of Kane County, Elgin Shores and Tyler Creek. Checked Oct 21, 2026.
- Illinois Department of Public Health, Rabies (animal bites; bats in a sleeping area). Checked Oct 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 places by county, Illinois. Checked Oct 24, 2026.
Written and checked by The Wildlife Line. Spot an error? Tell us through the About page.
Also: Kane County · Northwest Cook County · Aurora · McHenry County