Daily Herald opinion: Expansion project a positive step forward for DuPage County animal shelter

As an open-admission shelter, DuPage County Animal Services provides a safety net for abandoned and homeless animals in the community.

Through positive changes in policy and management, the facility in Wheaton has found ways to give many of them a second chance.

It is an impressive turnaround for an agency that came under heavy criticism in 2005 for its treatment of animals and high euthanasia numbers.

At one point, the facility had a live-release rate of around 50%. But that statistic steadily improved through the years. In 2022, 89% of the animals brought to the shelter left with a new chance at life.

Despite the progress, the 1970s-era building that houses the shelter has had chronic overcrowding and has not kept up with a growing demand for animal care.

That will soon change thanks to a significant expansion.

In a story published Monday, our Alicia Fabbre reported that construction is underway on a $14 million project that will bring a nearly 10,000-square-foot addition — and extensive renovations — to the facility along County Farm Road.

“It’s going to be a luxury to have twice the space that we have now once it’s all done,” DuPage County Animal Services Operations Manager Laura Flamion said.

Animal Services shelters stray and surrendered animals, provides medical care to animals, offers pet adoption and encourages responsible pet ownership. The shelter takes in more than 2,200 animals a year.

And as Fabbre points out, the list is not limited to cats and dogs. The facility also has cared for rabbits, guinea pigs, and the occasional hen, goat or peacock.

But space is limited, and shelter employees and volunteers have made do with cramped quarters. There are animal cages lining the hallways.

As part of the expansion, the shelter is getting “flexible spaces” to make it easier for staff and volunteers to care for the animals. In addition, the expanded facility will include a large multipurpose room and a “real-life room” that will mimic a living room environment to help calm anxious pets.

Meanwhile, renovations in the existing facility will include upgrades to the medical area and the addition of dedicated space for volunteers to work with animals.

Property taxes do not fund the operation of the shelter. Instead, the facility relies on the sale of rabies tags, private donations and volunteers to care for animals.

Fabbre reported that money for the expansion project will come from a combination of public and private funding sources. DuPage Animal Friends, a nonprofit benefiting the shelter, has helped secure roughly $5.6 million for the project and is working to raise millions of dollars more.

It’s inspiring to see the amount of private donations for the expansion. We hope that support from the public continues because Animal Services plays a vital role in the county. The agency deserves to operate in a state-of-the-art facility with adequate space to care for animals and continue its other important work.