Dear Community, we need your help URGENTLY! The picture above is of BETHA, a Parvo puppy killed recently at Chicago ACC.
Parvo is now treatable. She died sick and alone.
Please use the template below to write to the Mayor of Chicago and copy (Cc) the staff members and city legislators (aldermen). Do this even if you don’t live in Chicago. Say you will never visit Chicago as long as there is a Kill Municipal pound there
The email goes to: bjmoc@cityofchicago.org
Copy the following:
Jessica.higgins@cityofchicago.org
Cristinapacione-zayas@cityofchicago.org
ward04@cityofchicago.org
ward15@cityofchicago.org
ward25@cityofchicago.org
ward27@cityofchicago.org
ward35@cityofchicago.org
ward49@cityofchicago.org
Here is the template and MAKE IT YOUR OWN! Use your own words to express these ideas. Be polite. CUT, DO NOT ADD! If you live in Chicago proper and you don’t see your ward on the list, put that after Cristina Pacione-Zayas’s email address.
Dear Mr. Mayor,
No city can claim its greatness as long as it has a Kill shelter. Chicago has a High Kill shelter, and we, as tax paying citizens of Chicago and Cook County know that our tax dollars go to our City Agency, which has killed as many as over 2,000 healthy treatable animals without warning. We don’t approve this. We are a city of animal lovers. These animals have no voice to defend themselves and we want our tax dollars to go to SAVING animal lives, finding them homes and being a resource for the community so people don’t feel compelled to surrender their family members.
Since 2022, Leadership at CACC has consistently killed one out of every three dogs and only this year have they claimed to be “overcrowded” and “out of space.” According to FOIA reports, many are killed the same day, many of them without evaluation. Yet every FOIA report requested for the outcome of each dog has as their reason for killing that dog has been, “Untreatable Behavior,” or “Behavior Severe.” How can thousands of dogs be so aggressive? These same dogs are described, by volunteers as “sweet,” “playful” and “loving.”
Chicago ACC, their Leadership, staff, volunteers and even the Rescues selected by them to save animals and other cities have been laying the blame on "irresponsible owners" for years, as have other large, open access municipal pounds across the country. Deborah Flinn, a national Advocate for the “No Kill Equation“ has been paying attention. She has read scientific studies that pertain to this issue. She writes, “Most owners cite financial reasons and a lack of awareness of community resources as reasons for surrender. In one study I read, a whopping 80% of owners report an emotional attachment to the animal being surrendered. If a community doesn't offer proactive surrender prevention programs, free or low spay, pet food pantries, etc., they have absolutely no business pointing fingers at owners. And are we missing the point here? When did we start giving ‘shelters’ a free pass for killing?” She continues to write, “I am sick of the excuses. No number of irresponsible owners justifies the killing when an effective and cost effective no kill model exits. It’s called “The No Kill Equation.” Yet they adamantly refuse to implement them. Ask yourself why. Catch and kill on our tax dollars, and we keep blaming owners. Where are the true no kill advocates? The onus rests on the government.”
She’s right, Mr. Mayor. Hundreds of communities across the nation are implementing it in their shelters and saving lives. You and your City Council can put Chicago on the map as being a model for progressive legislation regarding Animal Welfare. Please watch the following video and see the life affirming, revenue self generating programs of “The No Kill Equation.”
I await your reply.
Thank you for your time on this urgent matter,
(your name)