Cook County appoints new animal control administrator

The appointment of Dr. Megan Carolan as administrator of Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control was approved Thursday by the county’s board of commissioners.

Carolan has served as interim administrator of ARC since February, following the death of predecessor Dr. Mamadou Diakhate. She’d held the deputy administrator role since 2023.

Under Carolan’s leadership, the department responded to the county’s first case of rabies in a domestic animal in 60 years and created a digital platform for rabies test reporting, allowing critical data sharing with local public health departments, officials said.

Prior to joining the county, Carolan practiced small animal medicine in the suburbs. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst University and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.