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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CALLING FOR INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR GENERAL INVESTIGATION OF THE COOK COUNTY ANIMAL AND RABIES CONTROL DEPARTMENT
WHEREAS, during testimony at the public hearings for the FY2015 Cook County Annual Appropriation Bill and through email correspondence sent to the Board of Commissioners by residents, concerns arose about the handling of stray dogs and cats as well as the overall operation and the budget appropriation of the department; and
WHEREAS, the recent tragic discovery of several dead dogs and a cat that later died as well as many other dogs that showed signs of serious and life-threatening neglect at a Dolton animal hospital shed light on the need to look at the policies in place at the Cook County Animal and Rabies Control department; and
WHEREAS, Cook County does not have a holding facility for stray animals, unlike most Illinois counties, requiring municipalities to impound and hold strays or to contract with a private facility for said services; and
WHEREAS, because the county doesn't have a facility nor a micro-chip database for animals chipped through Animal Control, owners may not be able to find their stray pet and could possibly end up having their pet euthanized; and
WHEREAS, due to Cook County Animal Control's limited hours of operation, residents have encountered difficulty in contacting and getting assistance from County Animal Control, and municipal police and Cook County sheriff's police often must act as police as well as take on the additional burden of animal control warden for after hours and holiday animal related service calls; and
WHEREAS, it is the fiduciary duty of this government to ensure that each county agency is acquiring, managing, protecting, and using its resources, including public funds, personnel, property, equipment, and space, economically, efficiently, and effectively; and
WHEREAS, in order to assure the public that their taxpayer dollars are being budgeted and spent appropriately and to assuage citizens' concerns voiced during this year's budget hearings regarding the policies and operation of our Animal Control Department;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners, does hereby request an independent investigation of the Cook County Animal and Rabies Control Department be conducted by the Cook County Independent Inspector General pursuant to the Cook County Independent Inspector General Ordinance (Ch.2, Article IV, Div.5).
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