Animal Shelters Under Pressure with Intake Continuing to Rise

12/12/2023

The Digital Editor for WTTW contacted us and has asked for us to share this story about the devastating situation in Animal Welfare.

Meet Veronica, one of the lovely dogs at Chicago Animal Care and Control Photo Cred: Stephanie Grohovsky

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A WTTW News analysis of city shelter data from January 2017 through October 2023 found:

Compared to the same time last year, the city shelter has euthanized 359 more animals, a 25% increase, so far this year for reasons related to health, behavior and/or capacity for care. The number of euthanasia cases so far this year has already surpassed the total for all of last year.
Stray animals being taken into the city shelter are reaching new highs after a dip during the first year of the pandemic. The city shelter has seen 2,728 more strays, a 47% increase, so far this year compared to all of 2020.

Additionally, the acting executive director of the department had this to say:
"Any animal that walks through our door can be a candidate for euthanasia due to the population and everything that we go through here," said Susan Cappello, acting executive director of the city of Chicago Department of Animal Care and Control. "This should be the last resort that anybody wants to bring any animal to."

Full article can be found here:
Animal Shelters Under Pressure: Euthanasia Up 25% as Chicagoâ€™s City Shelter Experiences Surge in Strays, Difficulty Finding Enough Adopters

If you are looking to adopt, check out our local facilities:
www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cacc/provdrs/care/svcs/adoption.html

If you can't adopt but are looking for somewhere to volunteer:
www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cacc/supp_info/volunteering_at_chicagoanimalcareandcontrol.html

Or maybe just grab a sweet baby and enjoy a Doggie Day Out:
www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cacc/supp_info/FosterCare.html