By Catrina Petersen | The Center Square
A state lawmaker is concerned about people taking their pets to the shelter post-pandemic, where workers may have to resort to euthanasia.
Senate Bill 3791 from state Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago (of course), would make it illegal to euthanize dogs and cats in Illinois, which animal shelter groups say could further harm animals and taxpayers.
Lauren Malmberg with the Illinois Animal Control Association said there would be higher costs for everyone. Animal control services provide programs that are funded by taxpayers, but the legislation directly impacts shelters, which means donors might pay more too.
“If you are focused on keeping animals alive, rather than what’s best for as many animals as possible, you could spend a lot of money on one animal that could be used to save others, regardless of how you are funded,” said Malmberg.
Simmons’ bill as drafted specifically says shelters can’t euthanize cats and dogs, but animal control services transfer pets to shelters so the law indirectly impacts animal control facilities across the state.
“If those facilities cannot [euthanized] after July 1, that means they would be full and unable to take more transfers,” said Malmberg.
Malmberg said she’s had a 40-year career in helping animals. When she began, the estimation was 18-20 million dogs and cats being euthanized. But now it’s less than a million. In Illinois, intake data shows a 94% to 96% live-release rate. So less than 10% of dogs and cats entering Illinois shelters are being euthanized.
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