Chicago animal shelter chief blames resource problem for criticism
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CACC volunteer Sunshine Kapp with Seven at the shelter's yard. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
Chicago's animal shelter leader faces growing opposition, but she and her allies emphasize there's a fundamental misunderstanding of what Chicago Animal Care and Control does.
Why it matters: CACC took in more than 17,000 dogs and cats last year — up sharply from 2019 — and nearly 3,800 were euthanized, almost double the pre-pandemic total. As intake climbs, so does pressure on the city-run shelter.
Driving the news: City Council could vote next week on confirming Susan Cappello as the permanent head of CACC. She has served as acting director since 2023.
State of play: Local shelters, such as One Tail at a Time, and nearly 20 alders oppose Cappello's appointment, urging the mayor to conduct a national search instead.
- Alders called the shelter's conditions "subpar," and several public commenters at last month's City Council meeting complained of unsanitary conditions at the shelter.
The other side: PAWS, the Anti-Cruelty Society, and the Tree House Humane Society sent a letter to alders urging them to approve Cappello.
- Cappello told Axios some of the complaints about unsanitary conditions were due to the shelter needing more staff, but also the reality of animals. "Dogs don't say, 'Excuse me, I have to go use the restroom.' So they go."
Context: PAWS founder Paula Fasseas said at a press conference last week that the problems at CACC "are structural and resource-driven, rather than a matter of leadership," pointing to the shelter's meager annual budget compared with the budgets of those in other major cities.
- CACC's 2025 budget was just under $8 million.
- Last year, Houston's budget was more than $15 million, New York's was about $34 million, and Los Angeles' was $30 million.
- CACC employs about 70 people and will hopefully hire more with a $600,000 boost in 2026's budget, Cappello told Axios.
By the numbers: Last year, the shelter took in more than 17,000 dogs and cats, up from about 14,500 in 2019.
- Nearly 3,800 dogs and cats were euthanized at CACC last year, nearly double the number in 2019.
- More than 13,000 animals left the shelter through adoption, transfer to other rescues or reunification with owners.
Zoom in: Shelter manager Arthur Hamilton told Axios this week that surrenders went up last year as pet owners struggled with their own housing, making it difficult to also afford a pet. Some were moving into their cars or with family who wouldn't allow a pet.
- A small white dog was abandoned in CACC's parking lot on the day Axios visited. An employee said when the couple surrendering the dog learned they couldn't drop it off until 3pm, they just left the dog.
What they're saying: Cappello blames some of the criticism on a basic misunderstanding of what CACC does.
- "You would be surprised how many people out there don't even know that Chicago Animal Care and Control exists … [or] they still think 'the dog pound,'" Cappello told Axios. "We are a shelter. We are the next place to look for your next pet."
- Fasseas said some alders don't think the city even needs a shelter.
What's next: PAWS has stationed a veterinary social worker at CACC to get to the root causes of why owners are surrendering their pets and to provide them with the support they may need to keep their pet.