BEST ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATION

Animal Protective League

1001 Taintor Road, 544-7387

This one wasn’t close, and for good reason. The APL has been saving dogs and cats in Sangamon County for more than five decades. It adds up to tens of thousands of creatures that would likely be dead but for the kindness of folks who can’t bear the thought of putting the needle to healthy would-be pets. And what great pets they turn out to be. “I got the best dog they ever had, so it might suck now,” wrote one obviously tongue-in-cheek voter, one of nearly 2,000 readers who decreed the APL to be Springfield’s best when it comes to rescuing animals. The only downside to APL is that it is not a bigger place. Some animals, unfortunately, must be turned away for lack of space. But along with the rest of us, there are plenty of Fidos and Spots and Puffs and Fluffies who are very glad they’re around.

Runner-up: Sangamon County Animal Shelter