RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Members of City Council of Chicago approved a 2016 budget request for $5,703,307 for the operation, implementation and execution of the mission and policy of the Commission on Animal Care and Control (CACC), with five Employees dedicated to the administrative duties, twenty-nine Employees dedicated to animal control & requests, thirty-four Employees dedicated to animal care and treatment, and five Employees dedicated to anti-cruelty inspection & compliance; and,
WHEREAS, the testified mission ofthe CACC, as stated by its former Executive Director is "to ensure humane care of animals through, sheltering, pet placement, education, and animal law enforcement;" and,
WHEREAS, the continued testimony states that the mission is achieved by "responsibly and humanely enforcing animal-related laws; providing a safe environment and medical treatment for unwanted, stray, abused and neglected animals" as well as "returning lost pets to their owners; and finding new owners for the adoptable animals at our shelter;" and,
WHEREAS, based on the first six months of departmental data comparing 2014 to 2015, for the second year in a row, the CACC has experienced a decrease in canine/feline impoundment, with 7333 animals impounded in 2015; and,
WHEREAS, the CACC is defined as an euthanasia agency as defined by the Illinois Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act (510 ILCS 72/1, et seq.), thereby not regulated by a home rule unit of government; and,
WHEREAS, based on the first six months of 2015, 8.98% of cats were euthanized, 49.31% of "pitbull" breeds were euthanized, 17.36% of other dog breeds were euthanized; and,
WHEREAS, recent new reports and published investigations have shown that the CACC is struggling to achieve its taxpayer-funded mission and directives,
including animals being dragged by their neck across the facility as well as animals being left for days in a CACC van; therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council of Chicago, assembled this tenth day of February, 2016, do hereby assert the need for examination of CACC policy and practices based on the notion that the culture of acceptable, state-sanctioned euthanasia has fostered an environment that promotes the inhumane care, treatment and disregard for the animal charges the CACC is mandated to care for; and therefore,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Committee on Health & Environmental Protection immediately convene hearings with representatives from the Commission on Animal Care and Control and other animal welfare organizations for the purpose of identifying and recommending policy changes including but not limited to ending euthanasia in Chicago, increasing animal transfers to no-kill shelters or partner organizations, potentially eliminating the CACC and partnering with current not-for-profits or humane organizations to fulfill the CACC mission.
