WHEREAS, the 15 Ward hosted four free pet fair clinics in the summer and early fall of 2016 for the communities of Gage Park, Back of the Yards, Brighton Park and West Englewood, as well as to all interested residents of the City of Chicago; and,
WHEREAS, over 1600 cats, dogs, and one guinea pig were vaccinated at no cost to families throughout Chicago, with families coming from areas that do not have access to quality veterinary services; and,
WHEREAS, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, vaccinations help prepare a pet's immune system against disease-causing organisms, with routine vaccinations an important part of managing a pet's health; and,
WHEREAS, puppies & kittens should receive their first round of vaccinations at six to eight weeks of age with a final round of vaccinations being administered at sixteen weeks of age, and then as adult cats and dogs, pets should be vaccinated annually or every three years depending on the vaccination; and,
WHEREAS, according to the American Humane Association, over ten million dogs or cats are lost or stolen every year, with one in three household pets becoming lost at some point in their life, highlighting the need for family pets to have properly registered microchips; and,
WHEREAS, according to the American Humane Association, there is a huge disparity between return to owner rates for dogs & cats with microchips and those without - lost dogs without are returned to their families 22% of the time compared to 52% for those that have microchips, lost cats are reunited less than 2% if no microchip is detected compared with 38% that have a registered microchip; and,
WHEREAS, these clinics were made possible in coordination with government, business leaders, animal advocates and community partners such as the Chicago Wolves, Chicago Park District - Davis Square Park, Chicago Animal Care and Control Commission, Five Holy Martyrs Catholic Church, Anti-Cruelty Society, Lost Dogs Illinois, Realtors to the Rescue, Barriers Against Repeated Cruelty, One Tail at a Time, Jose Pallets, Pals with Pawz, Alive Rescue, Chicago Community Pet Coalition; and,
WHEREAS, competent and compassionate veterinarians and staff were on hand to facilitate the vaccinations and microchips for the pets, including Dr. Claude Gendreau, Dr. Karen Stuedeman, Dr. Wayne Ros, and Dr. Eve Levin; and,
WHEREAS, these events would not have been possible without the help and assistance of dedicated volunteers and off-duty police, including Hugo Orejel, Tina Wallace, Evelyn Razo, Jennifer Jurcak, Karen Mercado, Alan Mercado, Joee Mercado, Rick Mercado, Glynnis Johnson, Suzy Thomas, Robert Martinez, Monique Hoffman, Donna Strand, Francisco Arroyo, Michelle Rabiak, Alonzo Romo, Larry Green, David Dinger, Kaitlyn Lynch, Aidan Gentil, Michelle Pietzke, Joel Ivy, Janice Grimes, Anne Kenny Straus, Rebecca Sievert, Tess Bacchus, Jacqueline Untiedt, Bev Cohen Saiz, Owen Roman, Maria G. Oregel, Rosanne Terry, Cindy Purtell, Carla Rogers, Lydia Rypcinski, Maricela Rodriguez, Alexis Jasinsky, Katie Campbell, Susan Taney; and,
WHEREAS, families participating in these clinics also received donated dog or cat food, leashes, harnesses, collars, toys, engraved identification tags, and minor grooming assistance & tips thanks to the generosity, compassion and expertise of said volunteers; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here this fourteenth day of December, 2016, do hereby commemorate the efforts of all the volunteers and organizations that worked tirelessly to help Chicago pet owners this summer; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to those organizations and volunteers as a token of our honor, gratitude and respect.