--- title: "Western wag — Chicago, IL" url: "https://dogsaway.co/chicago-il/western-wag/" updated: "2026-08-20" data_pulled: "2026-07-07" census_at: "2026-08-20" source: "Dogs Away — public Google Business profile (identity, rating) + Dogs Away disclosure census of the facility's own website" license: "All rights reserved. Read and cite freely. No bulk copying. (https://dogsaway.co/terms/)" attribution: "Source: Dogs Away (dogsaway.co)" --- # Western wag Dog day care center in Chicago, IL — part of the Dogs Away index of dog boarding and daycare in Chicago, IL (https://dogsaway.co/chicago-il/). **★4.7 from 98 Google reviews, Dogs Away score 9.4/10.** The Dogs Away score is a Bayesian-adjusted Google rating on a 0–10 scale (prior weight 25 reviews at the 4.669 network mean). ## Facts - **Services:** daycare, boarding - **Address:** 1458 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 - **Phone:** (773) 610-0506 - **Website:** http://westernwag.com/ - **Open 24 hours** - **Google Maps profile (verify):** https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Western%20wag&query_place_id=ChIJrRX66HjTD4gRxczdphTlFCE ## Hours | Day | Hours | | --- | --- | | Monday | Open 24 hours | | Tuesday | Open 24 hours | | Wednesday | Open 24 hours | | Thursday | Open 24 hours | | Friday | Open 24 hours | | Saturday | Open 24 hours | | Sunday | Open 24 hours | ## Booking terms, safety and care - **Checkout time:** Boarding pick-up by noon on the final day; later pick-ups add a half-day daycare charge — facility's words: "Pickup is by noon on the final day. Later pickups require a half-day daycare charge." (https://westernwag.com/dog-boarding-wicker-park-chicago) - **Late pick-up:** Half-day daycare charge for boarding pick-ups after noon — facility's words: "Later pickups require a half-day daycare charge." (https://westernwag.com/dog-boarding-wicker-park-chicago) - **Minimum age (months):** Daycare and boarding: dogs must be at least 24 weeks old — facility's words: "All dogs must be at least 24 weeks old and fully vaccinated before attending daycare or boarding." (https://westernwag.com/dog-boarding-wicker-park-chicago) - **Vet costs during a stay:** Staff may seek vet care if needed; all resulting expenses are the owner’s — facility's words: "If veterinary care is needed, our team may seek appropriate medical attention. All resulting expenses are the pet owner's responsibility." (https://westernwag.com/dog-boarding-wicker-park-chicago) ## For travelers - **MDW** (Chicago Midway): 9 miles, straight line - **ORD** (Chicago O'Hare): 12.2 miles, straight line - **Open Sunday:** yes Hours from the public business profile; drop-off and pick-up windows can be narrower. ## Published rates - **Overnight boarding:** $75 per night (first dog, standard rate) - **Daycare:** $50 per day - **Holiday surcharge:** $85/night on holidays (vs $75) > “$75 per night for one dog includes daycare Price increases to $85 on Holidays ... Daycare Full Day $50 for one dog” Source: https://westernwag.com/dog-boarding-wicker-park-chicago — checked October 27, 2026. ## Disclosure record Publishes 5 of 27 checked policies on its own website (census August 20, 2026). "Not published" is a fact about the website on that date, not a claim about the facility's practice. ### Admission requirements - **Vaccinations required:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Bordetella lead time:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Fecal / parasite test:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Spay / neuter:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Temperament evaluation:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Vaccination records:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 ### Operations - **Staff on site overnight:** Yes — a person is on site > “Our facility is staffed 24/7 whenever dogs are boarding, so your pup is never alone.” — https://westernwag.com/dog-boarding-wicker-park-chicago - **Staff-to-dog ratio:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Maximum playgroup size:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Staff certification:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Play model:** Open play with enforced rest > “Every pup enjoys a mix of structured play, enrichment activities, and rest.” — https://westernwag.com/dog-daycare-wicker-park-chicago - **Groups separated by:** Size, temperament and energy > “Dogs are grouped by size, energy level, and temperment for safe, social play.” — https://westernwag.com/dog-daycare-wicker-park-chicago - **Time out of their room:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Solo care for dogs who skip group play:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Housing:** Crate free > “Our crate-free boarding experience combines fun-filled days of play and socialization with plenty of downtime” — https://westernwag.com/dog-boarding-wicker-park-chicago - **Outdoor access:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Capacity:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Climate control:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Live cameras for owners:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Photo / report-card updates:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Tours:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Injury / fight policy:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Veterinary access:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Administers medication:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Feeding:** Owner's food encouraged > “If you forget, NO WORRIES, we provide in-house food.” — https://westernwag.com/dog-boarding-wicker-park-chicago - **Availability:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 - **Online booking:** Not published on their website as of August 20, 2026 ## Licensing Illinois licenses and inspects dog boarding and daycare facilities. The Animal Welfare Act (225 ILCS 605) makes it unlawful to operate as a kennel operator without a license from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and the Department's Bureau of Animal Health and Welfare licenses and inspects kennel operators, day care operators, breeders, dealers, pet shops, shelters and animal control facilities. The application fee is $350 per license type, licenses expire annually on 30 June, and a preliminary Department inspection is a prerequisite to issuance. Minimum standards for boarding are set in rules, not left to the operator. This is the first market in the index outside Colorado with a genuine state regime — Texas has none at all. Market licensing detail: https://dogsaway.co/chicago-il/ ## How to cite Western wag, Chicago, IL. Dogs Away, https://dogsaway.co/chicago-il/western-wag/ (census August 20, 2026; listing data July 7, 2026). Source: Dogs Away (dogsaway.co). Read or cite this one record with a link. Do not bulk copy, scrape or rebuild the directory. Terms: https://dogsaway.co/terms/ Structured data: https://dogsaway.co/api/v1/facilities/chicago-il/western-wag.json