Kane takes another look at animal sterilization

Kane County Board members want animal control to take a more proactive role in seeing its shelter animals spayed and neutered before letting them be adopted despite a recent judge’s ruling that officials don’t need to.

Members of the Public Health Committee said Monday they want detailed numbers showing when and where sterilization of animals occurs. They also want local animal rescues to not feel more of a burden to shoulder those costs than they do to save pets in other counties.

“I’m glad that we weren’t doing anything wrong,” committee member Bonnie Kunkel said. “We have a situation where maybe we don’t have to sterilize animals that are being taken by rescue groups. But in light of the fact that we have a vet who is willing to do that for us for free, I think it’s ridiculous for us to waste those resources.”

The county recently contracted with VCA Animal Hospital to receive four free animal sterilizations per week. Kunkel said animal rescues should be aware the county receives those services and be allowed to take advantage of that resource when saving an animal.

Public Health Executive Director Paul Kuehnert said he didn’t know how many animals had been sterilized through VCA since the contract’s inception. He agreed animal control can make what services they can provide in-house and for free through VCA more readily known.

The lawsuit arose after a local dog rescue operator thought sterilization was already the county’s role. The lawsuit cited a county policy that states, “Should alternate placement options be available, the animal undergoes a medical evaluation by the shelter veterinarian, receives additional vaccinations, is microchipped, neutered/spayed as appropriate and placed.”

Michelle Alexander of the Sita Dog Sanctuary first complained, then sued, when she was stuck with the bill for those costs when she adopted an animal from the county’s shelter. Alexander sent out a statement Monday saying she’s disappointed both in the court ruling and the county board’s actions so far.

“How many strays were unnecessarily euthanized since March that instead could have been fixed free of charge and sent to a rescue for a chance at finding a home?” Alexander wrote. “Rescues have very limited resources. You have access to free spay and neutering. This isn’t complicated. Help us help you be successful.”