Council adopts plan to speedily adopt lost animals

The Chicago City Council has approved a plan that Mayor Rahm Emanuel says will speed the adoption of stray animals and mean euthanizing fewer of them down.

Aldermen approved Emanuel's ordinance Wednesday. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that it gives the city power to declare any stray dog or cat belongs to the Commission on Animal Care and Control after three days.

That would allow the adoption of the animal after three days and "any other disposition" after five days.

The city currently has to pay to shelter 12,000 stray or lost animals each year.

Strays may not be adopted or removed from the city pound for five days under the current ordinance.

Any cat, or litter of puppies under four months, could be adopted "immediately."