Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.
Chicago Animal Care and Control is experiencing a “crisis” due to an influx in the number of animals surrendered, an agency spokesperson said Thursday.
CACC public information officer Armando Tejeda said a total of 1,842 dogs and cats were surrendered in July for an average of 59 animals per day.
“July brought overwhelming numbers to our shelter…” the agency said in a Facebook post, in part. “That kind of intake puts serious pressure on any shelter, but thanks to our adopters, fosters, volunteers, rescue partners, and donors, we kept moving forward.”
CACC said more animals have found homes or transfer placement than this time last year, which they insisted is a testament to collaboration and community support. Specifically, dog adoptions rose 26.6% compared to July 2024, and cat adoptions increased 13.1%.
In July of this year, an average of seven animals were euthanized daily, with pets being put down due to age, medical conditions and behavioral issues, CACC stated. Compared to 2024, dog owner surrenders were up a massive 322.7%, while cat surrenders rose dramatically as well – at 266.7%.
NBC Chicago first reported on a surge in animal surrenders in late May, when CACC was averaging a slightly lower intake of 56 animals per day.
Tejeda, in an interview in May, cited a number of reasons for owner surrenders, including the economy and the rising cost of pet food, veterinary care and even housing fees and restrictions.
“A lot of landlords started trying to charge higher prices and tagging on fees to have pets that could be anything from an annual fee to a monthly fee, and that does add up for people,” he said.
To help pets find their forever homes, adoption fees are being waived throughout August as part of NBC Chicago and Telemundo Chicago’s annual Clear The Shelters pet adoption and donation campaign.
CACC, located at 2741 S. Western Ave., is open from 12 to 7 p.m. daily. Those ready to adopt are asked to arrive by 5:30 p.m.