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DuPage County forms panel to oversee animal control

A new DuPage County Board committee has been formed to oversee the county's Animal Care and Control facility and consider ways to enhance its mission, including strategies to reduce the number of animals being euthanized.

The county board on Tuesday night approved the appointment of board members Don Puchalski, Sean Noonan, Brian Krajewski, Karyn Romano, Tony Michelassi and Kevin Wiley to the new Animal Care and Control Committee.

Krajewski, who will serve as the committee's chairman, said the panel will be devoted to issues related to the shelter at 120 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton. Previously, those topics were reviewed by the county's judicial and public safety panel.

"Animal care and control is important for the community," Krajewski said. "There's a lot of animal lovers out there. It (the shelter) needs to have its own separate committee to report to."

Animal control is a self-supported facility and is not funded by taxpayer money. Its operation is supervised by the county's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin said the new committee allows the county "to fulfill its mission" related to public safety and public health.

Krajewski said there are several ongoing issues the new committee will monitor.

One is a project started last month to repair and improve the building. That work - including noise abatement improvements, HVAC replacement, and installation of a dog kennel roof - is expected to be completed by the end of May.

Officials are mulling a possible building expansion that would allow additional or expanded functions at the shelter.

The shelter also is searching for a new administrator after the licensed veterinarian hired for that position in June left last month.

"We've had some staff changes there," Cronin said. "We've had a difficult time finding sustainable leadership. So we want to make sure that we have a solid commitment to a mission and that we have talented people."

The animal control committee is expected to review ways to enhance the facility with new services and programs.

For example, the panel will explore ways to lower the number of animals euthanized at the shelter.

Krajewski said the facility has made progress in reducing the number of animals euthanized each year. In 2013, the shelter euthanized 1,011 animals. That number dropped to 863 in 2014 and 688 last year.

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