Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant has announced changes to the county’s animal services in response to national animal welfare concerns. The county’s animal welfare department will now be known as the ‘Will County Animal Protection Services Department’. This change is part of an effort to improve animal services in Will County and provide more support for animals and pet owners.
In January, several ordinance changes were approved to update the county’s approach to animal protection and public service. A notable change is the establishment of an adoption program by the Animal Protection Services Department, previously known as Will County Animal Control. This is a response to the growing population in animal shelters nationwide.
In 2023, about 6.5 million dogs and cats were taken in by shelters or rescues across the country, according to Shelter Animals Count, a national animal sheltering database. The number of dogs entering shelters in 2023 rose by more than 3 percent from 2022, and by over 10 percent from 2021. Dog adoptions were 5 percent lower than in 2019. Since January 2021, 900,000 animals have entered shelters and are still waiting to be adopted.