Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) urgently needs increased funding and support to fix the crisis at CACC.  CACC is completely overwhelmed and the conditions at CACC do not support the welfare of animals, volunteers and staff. The situation at CACC is dire. The shelter is beyond capacity, there has been a reduction in open hours, reduction in intake, and reduction of street level service provided by this Chicago taxpayer funded department. We must do better to support the welfare of the tens of thousands of animals that enter our shelter each year and the dedicated staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to care for them. It is critical that Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago City Council and its Alderman increase resources to CACC and ensure that it has the resources, leadership, and infrastructure it needs to succeed and better protect and care for all the voiceless animals in its stewardship.  Stand with us in advocating for the welfare of Chicago's animals. Please sign this petition and demand increased funding and support for CACC so that CACC can identify the right leadership to comprehensively address these problems. Please also e-mail this petition to your Alderman using the buttons below (we are working on adding e-mails for the Alderman missing e-mails - please check back if the e-mail option is not available right now).

We implore Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago City Council and its Alderman to provide sufficient financial and other resources to CACC in order to:

1. Restore E-mail Communication System. CACC’s e-mail communication system with the public needs to be restored immediately. The recent elimination of CACC’s email system has severely hampered communication between the shelter and the public. This essential communication channel allowed pet owners to report lost animals, inquire about the adoption process, and receive guidance on general pet concerns. Its removal is detrimental to the welfare of the animals and the people who care about them. I urge you to restore this vital service immediately.
2. Improve Staffing and Behavioral Support.
   CACC is critically understaffed, with numerous open positions left unfilled, leading to overwhelming workloads for current staff members and increasing the burden on already stretched and stressed volunteers. This situation results in delayed response times for animal surrenders and adoptions, putting animals at risk. CACC also lacks a dedicated Behavioral Department to assist with in-shelter care and behavioral training, which is vital for ensuring positive outcomes for animals. Immediate efforts to hire additional staff and establish a Behavioral Department should be a top priority.
3. Increase Funding!
   Chicago’s Animal Care and Control is one of the lowest-funded municipal shelters in the country, despite being the third-largest city in the U.S. Other cities like Los Angeles and Austin allocate far more funding to their animal services.  For a quick comparison, the current budget of LA Animal Control and Care is currently $31.7 million out of their $13 billion budget City budget for FY2023-24. In Austin, the adopted budget for animal services is $23,466,278 for 2023-2024 ($6 billion City budget). In Chicago, CACC’s budget is $7,698,109 (whereas City of Chicago’s budget is $16.6 BILLION), a far cry from what is needed to support the shelter’s operations. Increasing funding is essential for expanding services, improving animal care, and reducing the reliance on volunteer-run rescues.  CACC is the second lowest funded metropolitan animal control, yet the 3rd largest city in the U.S. This is completely unacceptable.  It is our responsibility to ensure that CACC is able to fulfill its obligation as an open-intake shelter to take in stray animals and house and care for them humanely without turning them away or subjecting them to inhumane conditions.
4. Fill the Executive Director Position.
   The Executive Director position at CACC has been vacant for two years. This leadership void has left the shelter without direction and vision in tackling its many challenges. It is critical that CACC hire an Executive Director with the experience and expertise to navigate the complex issues CACC faces, especially in terms of staffing, funding, and outreach. We need a leader who understands the needs of both the animals and the people who care for them.
5. Increase Community Outreach and Spay/Neuter Programs.
   CACC should implement large-scale community outreach programs that provide education and resources to pet owners at risk of surrendering their animals. Additionally, the city should invest in free spay and neuter services especially for pitbulls in high-risk areas to help address the overpopulation crisis and reduce the long-term burden on the shelter. This proactive approach would reduce the number of animals in need of shelter and ultimately save the City money in the long-term.
6. Provide Post-Adoption Support and Staff.  CACC needs dedicated staff who can focus on providing post-adoption support to adopters.  This is an essential need to: a) address transition from shelter to home, b) ensure long-term success for the integration of animals into the family, c) reduce animal 'returns' due to misguided expectations of bringing a dog into the home, d) provide a higher level of training resources and support, and e) apply diversion tactics for those adopters that are in need of elevated assistance due to life circumstances such as financial hardship.
7. Improve Shelter Conditions and Improve Pipeline to Fostering.
   CACC’s physical shelter space is not designed to promote animal well-being. The current kennel setup is inadequate and encourages undesirable behaviors in dogs. CACC should adopt more humane and effective shelter designs, similar to those seen in shelters like PAWS Chicago, to create a better environment for animals and improve public perception.  CACC should evaluate how to get dogs likely to be returned into foster programs to improve their long-term adoption outcomes.
8. Streamline the Volunteer Process.
   Volunteers are a vital component of CACC’s operations, but the current volunteer process is excessively complicated and discouraging. The time and effort required to become a volunteer can be daunting, leading to a decrease in available help. CACC should simplify the process, reduce barriers to entry, and explore options such as allowing two volunteers to collectively meet the minimum commitment requirements imposed on each volunteer. Volunteers are essential for dog walks, intake and behavioral assessments, adoptions, liaising with rescue groups and many other critical tasks, and CACC needs more of them to keep up with demand.
9. Improve Marketing and Digital Presence.
   Despite the hard work of the current staff, CACC's marketing efforts are inadequate. Many Chicago residents are unaware that CACC adopts out animals, and as a result, adoption rates are not as high as they could be. CACC needs to invest in robust marketing campaigns that promote the importance of adopting over buying pets, especially targeting younger generations. Additionally, CACC should create a separate digital platform to better showcase available animals and foster positive messaging around adoption.
10. Ban Breeding and Reinstate Animal Crimes Unit.
    We strongly advocate for a citywide ban on pet breeding and the reinstatement of a dedicated Animal Crimes Unit within the Chicago Police Department. These steps would help reduce the number of unwanted animals and ensure that animal abuse cases are handled with the dedication and seriousness they deserve. CACC and CPD should work together to strengthen efforts to combat animal cruelty in our city.
11. Making CACC a Model Shelter.
    With the right funding, leadership, and support, CACC has the potential to become the premier municipal shelter in the country. Solving these problems at CACC would have a far-reaching impact, improving the lives of countless animals and addressing these critical concerns of Chicago’s residents.   
12. As a city, we have an obligation to protect and care for the animals that share our community. We must provide CACC with the resources, leadership, and support it needs to carry out this critical mission. We urge you to take immediate action to address these concerns and advocate for the necessary improvements that will make Chicago a leader in animal care and control. 
13. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. We look forward to your response and hope we can work together to improve the lives of animals in Chicago.