Elgin switching shelter for stray dogs

If you lose your dog in Elgin, you might have to drive a little farther to retrieve it under an agreement city officials will consider tonight.

The Elgin City Council is expected to sign off on a $60,000 deal for a Schaumburg-based animal control company to accept stray dogs picked up by city police and animal control officers.

Under the old agreement, in effect since 2003, strays were taken to and cared for at the Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin.

Charles Bulson of Golf Rose Animal Services in Schaumburg said the agency has veterinarians on staff 24 hours a day and a quarantine area to stop pets from spreading diseases.

If an animal is unclaimed after seven days, Golf Rose officials will put the animal up for adoption and contact adoptive agencies to find a taker.

"Our goal is to reunite lost dogs and cats with their owners," Bulson. "We enjoy returning the animals home."

Michelle Groeper, Anderson's director of operations, said the shelter took in about 275 dogs from Elgin each year, returning about 120 of them to their owners.

Anderson officials have no short-term plans to build a new quarantine area or convert existing space into one. A quarantine area would be included if they ever expand or build a new facility, Groeper said.

Ability to quarantine was one condition of this year's city contract.

Anderson also has contracts with South Elgin, Carpentersville and East and West Dundee.

Losing the Elgin contract gives Anderson the ability to take in animals from places were they could be euthanized, Groeper said.

"We're looking at the positive here," she said. "It's exciting for us on that level to go and do some mission work."