Written by Susan Taney
At the request of Cook County Commissioner John Fritchey, the Cook County Independent Inspector General (OIIG) conducted an 8 month audit of Cook County Animal Control. On August 21, 2015, the OIIG released its audit summary. The OIIG found many failures in regards to providing services to Cook County residents and their pets. Cook County is funded by rabies tag monies, which are paid by Cook County residents (including Chicago).
Summary
- No centralized database for posting found dogs for Cook County.
- No facility (FY 2015 $4 million budget – 2014 intake 262 animals; compared to City of Chicago Animal Care and Control FY2015 $5.5 million – 2014 intake 21,037 animals)
- No listing of Cook County stray holding facilities on the Cook County Animal and Rabies Control website (approx. 37 different facilities in Cook County that hold strays).
- No central repository system (microchip numbers and rabies tags number) available to other shelters and law enforcement to reunite pets with their family quickly.
All these failures lead to an ineffective system of reuniting lost dogs with their families. Pets are family members. They should be treated as such.
Cook County Residents (including Chicago)
Please contact the President of Cook County Board and each County Commissioner Board Member and let them respectfully know that you support the recommended changes presented by the Cook County Inspector General as a FIRST step toward fixing the problems of Cook County Animal Control.
Here is the listing of the President and the County Commissioner Board.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle – Phone: 312.603.4600
Commissioner Richard R .Boykin – District #1
Phone: 312.603.4566 [email protected]
Commissioner Robert B. Steele – District #2
Phone:312.603.3019 [email protected]
Commissioner Jerry Butler – District #3
Phone: 312.603.6391 [email protected]
Commissioner Stanley Moore – District #4
Phone: 312.603.2065 [email protected]
Commissioner Deborah Sims – District #5
Phone: 312.603.6381 [email protected]
Commissioner Joan Patricia Murphy – District #6
Phone: 312.603.4216 [email protected]
Commissioner Jesús G. García – District #7
Phone: 312.603.5443 [email protected]
Commissioner Luis Arroyo Jr. – District #8
Phone: 312.603.6386 [email protected]
Commissioner Peter N. Silvestri – District #9
Phone: 312.603.4393 [email protected]
Commissioner Bridget Gainer District #10
Phone: 312.603.4210 [email protected]
Commissioner John P. Daley – District #11
Phone: 312.603.4400 [email protected]
Commissioner John A. Fritchey – District #12
If you would like to thank Commissioner Fritchey for initiating this investigation, please contact him.
Commissioner Larry Suffredin – District #13
Phone: 312.603.6383 [email protected]
Commissioner Gregg Goslin – District #14
Phone: 312.603.4932 [email protected]
Commissioner Timothy O. Schneider – District #15
Phone: 312.603.6388 [email protected]
Commissioner Jeffrey R. Tobolski – District #16
Phone: 312.603.6384 [email protected]
Commissioner Sean Morrison – District #17
Phone: 312.603.4215 [email protected]
We need to let the President and Cook County Commissioners know that the residents of Cook County overwhelmingly support changes to provide better services to the Cook County Residents and their pets.
