CHICAGO
— Nearly a dozen dogs got a break from shelter life
and were checked into a pet hotel recently to free up
kennels at Chicago’s animal shelter, which was on the
verge of considering euthanizing dogs for space.
Friends
of Chicago Animal Care and Control, a nonprofit group,
answered the urgent call for help and committed to
paying about $1,500 for 11 dogs to be boarded at the
PetSmart PetsHotel in the South Loop, said founder
Charlie Propsom.
"We
can’t do this indefinitely. It was just a stopgap
measure to get the shelter a little more space,"
she said. "We’d board them all if we could,
forever, but that’s not possible. We’re trying to
alleviate the pressure immediately. We succeeded in
that, and the hard work continues in getting to rescues
and convincing them to take dogs."
Dog
population at the Chicago Animal Care and Control
shelter recently reached 300, a critical level that
prompted the city shelter to consider euthanizing
animals for space if the population didn’t decline.
The shelter must take in any dog that is brought in, and
more are coming than are leaving, creating the crowded
living quarters.
A
statement from the shelter said it was "very
encouraged by the downward trend in its dog population
and wants to thank Chicagoans for their efforts and
concern for the dogs at the city shelter. The department
looks forward to its continued hard work with the
community to give our shelter animals the second chances
they deserve."
Transferring
dogs to the pet hotel and rescue groups helped drive
down the number at the shelter.
The
11 dogs — including Miley, the 6-year-old bully breed
that is the shelter’s longest resident, there since
July — were transferred late Thursday and will be
allowed to stay at the pet hotel for up to two weeks as
the group works to get the dogs to rescue groups to find
them foster homes or get them adopted.
After
Propsom got the call from Animal Care and Control about
the crucial need for space, she in turn picked up the
phone to find out where she could temporarily board some
dogs.
One
place she called was Found Chicago Boarding and Training
Center in the Horner Park neighborhood.
"I
didn’t realize it was to a point where within a day we
either need to move dogs or euthanize dogs," said
Brittney Frazier, co-owner of Found Chicago and founder
of Canines & Company rescue group. "That’s a
pretty serious situation."
She
said she wanted to help and was able to place one dog
— a 9-month-old black terrier mix with a lot of
energy, named Dandi — in a foster home for a week,
before she gets shuttled to another foster home to buy
more time to find someone to adopt her. People who
foster dogs typically work through rescue groups.
"She
was definitely people-friendly and people-oriented, and
we were like, ‘Wow this is a great dog,’"
Frazier said.
Propsom
returned to PetSmart to visit the shelter dogs and take
updated photos to post online and share with rescue
groups.
The
nonprofit group will reassess the shelter’s capacity
in two weeks. Dogs that don’t get rescued or adopted
may return to the shelter if there’s enough room or
have their hotel stay extended, Propsom said.
To
further alleviate the squeeze for space, the city has
offered two new financial incentives to help draw rescue
groups and adopters to pick up dogs.
Through
Feb. 18, a $100 rebate funded by Pets and Vets USA will
be made available for up to 50 dogs adopted directly
from the city’s shelter and enrolled in a basic
obedience course.
Rescue
groups can get up to $200 for each dog they take that
has been at the shelter for at least 30 days.
"The
shelter depends on residents and rescue partners to
volunteer, foster and adopt animals in need," the
shelter said in a statement.
People
looking to adopt dogs directly from the city shelter,
located at 2741 S. Western Ave., can stop by from noon
to 7 p.m. every day to view and meet the dogs, submit an
application for adoption and pay the $65 adoption fee.