TO SURPASS LAST YEAR'S RECORD.

HIGH EUTHANASIA RATES.

THE CITY SHELTER HAS SEEN A 24% INCREASE IN THE FIRST 5 MONTHS OF 2024, THAT IS ACCORDING TO CITY DATA, WHICH ALSO SHOWS THE EUTHANASIA RATES HAVE INCREASED EVERY YEAR SINCE 2021.

ADVOCATES SAY A RISE OF INTAKE AND LACK OF ADOPTION IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ISSUE.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE IS HEATHER OWEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF ONE TAIL AT A TIME.

WE ALSO INVITED CHICAGO ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL AND PAUSE CHICAGO, BUT THEY DECLINED AND WE WELCOME YOU.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

SO REMIND US FIRST, PLEASE, WHAT KIND OF WORK YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES.

SO UNTIL THE TIME IS A NONPROFIT WE TAKE DOGS, CATS AND CRITTERS THAT ARE FROM SHELTERS OR OWNER SURRENDERS THAT NEED HELP GETTING REHOMED.

WE ALSO HELP PEOPLE KEEP THEIR PETS ARE A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS CENTER THEM OR HAVE A CENTER WHERE YOU KEEP THEM ARE MOSTLY WORKING WITH FOSTER VOLUNTEERS.

SO MOST OUR ANIMALS ARE IN FOSTER HOMES.

WE HAVE ALMOST 400 ANIMALS RIGHT BUT WE ALSO HAVE A DOG ADOPTIONS 100 BUCK.

TOM REED LOVE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND ADOPT A DOG, OK?

SO WHAT HAVE YOU ALL SEEN THEN AS THE CAUSE OF MORE PET OWNERS HAVING TO SURRENDER THEIR ANIMALS?

AND THEY I MEAN, IT'S A VARIETY OF THINGS.

SO THIS ISN'T A SIMPLE PROBLEM WITH A SIMPLE SOLUTIONS.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A LOT OF THINGS.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN LATELY IN THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, WE'VE SEEN A DECLINE IN ADOPTIONS WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL ACQUIRING PETS AND SOME DATA THAT WE SAW RECENTLY SHOWED US THAT PEOPLE ABOUT A 3RD OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO GET DOGS THIS YEAR, PROBABLY GOING TO GET THEM FROM BREEDERS PET STORE'S BACKYARD BREEDERS, PLACES LIKE THAT.

SO WE'RE HOPING THOSE PEOPLE WILL COME TO THE SHELTERS BECAUSE IF WE GOT A PORTION OF THEM TO COME TO THE SHELTERS, WE CAN WE CAN STOP THIS PROBLEM IS ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO SURRENDER THEIR PETS.

IT IS IT AND WE DON'T KNOW.

IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHY THEY'RE THEY'RE SURRENDERING ECONOMIC OR OR IT'S A SHIFT IN ATTITUDES ABOUT HAVING.

YEAH.

I THINK IT'S A VARIETY OF THINGS WE DO KEEP DATA AND I'M ONE OF THE TOP THINGS THAT WE SEE.

IT IS IT'S A HOUSING PROBLEMS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN INTERSECTIONAL ISSUE.

AND SO IF WE ADDRESS THINGS LIKE HAVING AFFORDABLE SAFE HOUSING THAT PEOPLE CAN GO, THAT DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PETS, THEN WE WOULD SEE A BIG DECLINE IN PEOPLE SURRENDERING THEIR PETS.

WE ALSO SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO ANIMAL CONTROL WHO NEED HELP CARING FOR THEM, WHETHER IT BE VETERINARY BILLS OR HELP WITH FOOD.

WE'RE REALLY LUCKY IN CHICAGO.

WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT ARE OUT THERE HELPING PEOPLE KEEP THEIR PETS.

SO THERE'S ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT IT AND PEOPLE SHOULD REACH OUT IF THEY WANT IT.

BUT OTHERWISE, I THINK WE'RE SEEING A VARIETY OF HARDSHIPS ON ECONOMIC ISSUES, HOUSING ISSUES AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE SURRENDERING.

HISTORICALLY THE SUMMER MONTHS HAVE SEEN A HIGHER RATE OF THOSE KINDS OF INTAKE AS WHAT ARE YOU ALL EXPECTING TO SEE THIS YEAR?

SO WE ARE VERY NERVOUS UP HOW THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY WE ALWAYS SEE AN UPTICK IN STRAY ANIMALS.

SO WE REALLY HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL MICROCHIP THEIR PETS, PUT A TAG ON THEM, KEEP THEM INSIDE BECAUSE FIREWORKS CAN BE VERY SCARY.

ALSO, THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU KEEP YOUR JULY AND GENERALS A REALLY HARD TIME FOR THEM TO BE AT THE SHELTER.

IT'S NOT A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM TO BE SO PEOPLE CAN FINDING ALTERNATIVE.

THAT'S WHAT WE RECOMMEND TO YOU.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO IS ANYTHING THAT YOU DO TO PREPARE FOR THAT RISE IN INTAKES, PARTICULAR LIKE YOU SAID AROUND THE 4TH OF JULY.

YEAH.

I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS MANY ADOPTIONS AS WE CAN RIGHT NOW TO MAKE ROOM SO THAT THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE HELPING CCC CAN TAKE AND MORE ANIMALS AND SAVE MORE.

SO IF YOU CAN FOSTER, IF YOU CAN VOLUNTEER, IF YOU CAN DONATE, YOU CAN ADOPT.

YOU'LL HELP US GET PREPARED FOR THAT FOR SURE.

HOW DOES ALL THIS IMPACT THE DECISION THAT IS MADE WHEN YOU KNOW, WHEN A SHELTER HAS TO THAT?

YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN A VERY LONG TIME.

AND I THINK CHICAGO ANIMAL CARE CONTROL SPECIFICALLY.

I'VE BEEN HELPING THEM FOR 16 YEARS.

AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHEN IT'S BEEN THIS BAD.

AND IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE INTAKE IS ACTUALLY UP A BIT LOWER THAN IT WAS PRE PANDEMIC.

AND WE'RE NOT AT THE 2019 PRE 9 2019 LEVELS YET.

BUT THE PERCENTAGE OF ANIMALS BEING EUTHANIZED IS HIGHER.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

SO WE'RE WONDERING WHY AREN'T THERE MORE OUTCOMES?

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY HAVE ASK IS WHY ARE THEIR OPEN POSITIONS AT CHICAGO ANIMAL CARE CONTROL?

WHY DON'T THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC?

AND SO WE LOVE FOR THE CITY AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE OPEN APPOINTED POSITIONS LIKE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR.

SEE IF WE CAN GET PEOPLE IN THERE TO HELP.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO DECIDE WHO EUTHANIZE.

YOU GET THE SENSE THAT THE CITY IS PRIORITIZING THIS ISSUE?

BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S INTERSECTIONAL.

SO ANYTHING THEY DO WITH THEIR HOUSING ARE HELPING THE ECONOMY IS GOING TO HELP THE ISSUE.

I THINK THAT ADVOCATES RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING MORE.

WE KNOW THAT MONEY IS TIGHT.

WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE BIGGER BUDGET, BUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE IS FOR THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE TO BE FULFILLED.

SO IF WE CAN GET THOSE PEOPLE IN THE JOB IN THE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT CAN HELP CHICAGO, ANIMAL CARE DO WHAT THEY DO.

NO ONE THERE WANTS EUTHANIZE ANIMALS.

I THINK THAT'S VERY CLEAR EVERYONE THAT WORKS THERE WANTS TO DO THE BEST THING FOR THE ANIMALS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO DO IT.

HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE ADOPTION?

WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR PART.

WE EVERYONE HAS TO DO THEIR PART.

SO RESCUES, SHELTERS SHOULD MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE.

SO IF YOU COME TO ONE, TELL TIME IT IS SO EASY.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE ANIMAL SAME DAY, YOU CAN GO HOME WITH AN ANIMAL THAT THEY WILL MATCH YOU UP WITH A DOG OR CAT OR CRITTER.

THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY.

YOU CAN FOSTER TO ADOPT.

THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND FIND THE RIGHT PATH FOR YOU.

ARE YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, SORT SOME FOLKS GOING TO A BREEDER, FOR EXAMPLE, VERSUS COMING TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU ARE AN ORGANIZATION LIKE YOURS ARE PROSPECTIVE PET OWNERS.

ARE THEY STILL CHOOSING TO MAYBE BUY A PUPPY RATHER THAN ADOPTING A DOG.

THAT'S AN ADULT.

YEAH.

I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT.

AND IT'S INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE THERE ARE ECONOMIC CONCERNS AND BREEDERS ARE SO MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE IF YOU COME TO US, IT'S CHEAPER.

THEY'RE SPAYED AND NEUTERED.

THEY'RE VACCINATED THEIR HEALTHY, KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING LIKE.

YOU'RE READY TO GO TO GO TO ANIMAL CONTROL.

IT'S $65 ADOPT A DOG LIKE THAT'S A GREAT DEAL IS SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SOMETIMES THINK THAT IF THEY GET A PUPPY OR IF THEY GO SOMEWHERE, THEY KNOW YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.

THE REALITY IS ADULT DOGS.

YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GETTING.

SO AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HOUSE BREAKING OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO I VERY MUCH ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LOOK AT ADULT DOG.

WE ALSO HAVE PUPPIES AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION AND THEY'RE STAYING LONGER THAN THEY EVER HAVE BEFORE.

THAT MAKES US NERVOUS FOR PEOPLE SORT OF CONCERNS THAT OKAY TO START AS AN ADULT.

BUT DOES IT COME WITH SOME TRAUMA BECAUSE IT WAS A STRAY OR ABUSED OR MIGHT HAVE HEART ISSUE OR SOME ILLNESS THAT HAS DEVELOPED.

I MEAN, I THINK IT WOULD BE NAIVE TO SAY THAT THERE'S NO ANIMALS THAT COME IN WITH THOSE THINGS.

BUT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF ANIMALS THAT WE SEE, WE'RE LOVED POTS AND YOU SOMEONE JUST NEEDED TO REHOME THEM FOR WHATEVER REASON.

SO MOST OF THEM ARE GOING TO MAKE GREAT FAMILY.

PETS ARE COMPANIONS FOR PRETTY MUCH ANYONE.

HOW DO YOU EDUCATE FIRST TIME PET BEFORE THEY ADOPT?

I THINK THE NICE THING ABOUT GOING TO RESCUE SHELTERS ARE GOING TO GET TONS OF SUPPORT.

UNTIL THAT TIME WE HAVE TRAINERS ON STAFF AND PEOPLE THAT CAN WALK YOU THROUGH PRETTY MUCH