Call for hearing(s) on operational challenges at Chicago Animal Care and Control and impact on public safety operations and implications for animal welfare in Chicago

Legislation tracker › Public Safety › 36th Ward: Gilbert Villegas

• Record number: R2025-0018690
• Type: Resolution; category: Committee/Public Hearings
• Status: In Committee (Referred)
• Sponsor: Gilbert Villegas (36th Ward)
• Co-sponsors (2): Timothy R. Knudsen (43rd Ward), Bennett R. Lawson (44th Ward)
• Committee: Committee on Public Safety
• Submitted Date: Jul 14, 2025
• Introduction Date: Jul 16, 2025
• Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Impact report

Written by AI from the official document. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

This resolution asks the City Council's Committee on Public Safety to hold a hearing on problems at Chicago Animal Care and Control and how they affect public safety and animal welfare.

Who it affects

• Residents who report dog bites or dangerous animals: The hearing would look at why many of their service requests to Chicago Animal Care and Control are going unanswered.
• Chicago Police Department officers: The hearing would examine how officers are being pulled into animal-related calls and away from other public safety work.
• Chicago Animal Care and Control staff and leadership: They would be invited to testify about understaffing, funding, and the lack of a permanent Executive Director since 2023.
• Animal rescue organizations and advocates: They would be invited to testify and offer ideas on how to improve Chicago Animal Care and Control.
• Volunteers and members of the public: Their concerns about mistreatment, disease prevention, restricted intake, and poor communication would be part of what the hearing examines.
• Stray, abandoned, and surrendered animals in the shelter: The hearing would look at rising euthanasia rates, including more than 3,600 animals euthanized in 2024, often due to overcrowding and limited resources.

What changes

• The Committee on Public Safety would hold a hearing on the state of Chicago Animal Care and Control.
• Leaders from Chicago Animal Care and Control would be invited to testify.
• Chicago Police Department representatives would be invited to testify about animal-related calls.
• Animal rescue advocates would be invited to share policy recommendations for improving the agency.

Where: 36th Ward

Timeline

• Jul 16, 2025: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.

Documents

• Public Safety Resolution Calling for Hearing on CACC.pdf (Legislation)

Related legislation

More from Gilbert Villegas

• Tribute to late Michael Keller Ditka (R2026-0029456, introduced Oct 14, 2026, Referred)
• Amendment of Municipal Code Section 2-44-055 establishing scoring criteria for 9% tax credits (O2026-0029453, introduced Oct 14, 2026, Referred)
• Exemption from physical barrier requirement for commercial driveway alley access for Best West Auto Repair, Inc. (O2026-0027919, introduced Sep 23, 2026, Passed)

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