421 N. COUNTY FARM ROAD  
WHEATON, IL 60187  
DU PAGE COUNTY  
Animal Services Committee  
Final Summary  
www.dupagecounty.gov  
Tuesday, May 16, 2023  
7:30 AM  
Room 3500A  
1.  
CALL TO ORDER  
7:30 AM meeting was called to order by Vice Chair Dawn DeSart at 7:32 AM.  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
ROLL CALL  
2.  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill, District 5 Dawn DeSart, Grant Eckhoff, Paula  
Garcia and Sheila Rutledge  
PRESENT:  
Krajewski  
ABSENT:  
3.  
4.  
PUBLIC COMMENT  
No public comments were offered.  
CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS - VICE CHAIR DESART  
Vice Chair DeSart stated that in the absence of Chair Krajewski she will be filling in.  
Vice Chair DeSart shared that not enough appropriate bids for shelter renovation services were  
received to award contracts. Thus, contracts are going back out for bid with a new bid opening  
date of July 1st. RWE will work closely with DuPage County Procurement to ensure the bids get  
as much interest as possible. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new shelter is now scheduled  
to take place sometime in July. In the meantime, Facilities is working with the City of Wheaton  
to secure permits, moving fiber optic lines, and moving forward with retention plans for the  
project.  
5.  
MINUTES APPROVAL  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill, District 5 Dawn DeSart, Grant Eckhoff, Paula  
Garcia and Sheila Rutledge  
PRESENT:  
Krajewski  
ABSENT:  
23-1510  
5.A.  
Animal Services Committee - Regular Meeting - Tuesday, March 21, 2023  
Minutes_Animal_Services_Committee_23-03-21_Summary  
Attachments:  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
Sheila Rutledge  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
6.  
PROCUREMENT REQUISITIONS  
6.A.  
23-1743  
Recommendation for the approval of a contract with Hill's Pet Nutrition Sales, Inc., to  
provide canine and feline pet food for Animal Services, for the period June 22, 2023  
through June 21, 2024, for a contract total amount not to exceed $23,000; per lowest  
responsible quote.  
Hills Pet Nutrition - Procurement Review Comprehensive Checklist  
Attachments:  
(PRCC)  
Hills Pet Nutrition - Price List  
Shelter Pet Food Bid Tabulation  
Vendor Ethics Placeholder  
APPROVED  
RESULT:  
Dawn DeSart  
MOVER:  
Cynthia Cronin Cahill  
SECONDER:  
7.  
BUDGET TRANSFERS  
7.A.  
23-1799  
Transfer of funds from account nos. 5000-1310-52200 (Operating Supplies & Materials),  
5000-1310-53610 (Instruction & Schooling), and 5000-1310-52320 (Medical/Dental/Lab  
Supplies) to account nos. 5000-1310-53500 (Mileage Expense), 5000-1310-53510  
(Travel Expense) and 5000-1310-53090 (Other Professional Services) in the amount of  
$3,835.00 needed to cover the cost of Humane Education Coordinator travel to APHE  
Conference and increased cost of high-volume spay/neuter veterinary services funded by  
DuPage Animal Friends grant. (Animal Services)  
BT - Animal Services FY23 DAF Grant  
Attachments:  
APPROVED  
Dawn DeSart  
Paula Garcia  
RESULT:  
MOVER:  
SECONDER:  
8.  
SHELTER RENOVATION UPDATE  
Laura shared exterior and interior renderings of the current new shelter design. Feedback on the  
design, including from the City of Wheaton, has been very positive. Laura thanked the Facilities  
team, especially Tim and Geoff, for working closely with Animal Services staff to ensure we  
have what we need to continue serving the community for years to come.  
The exterior is designed to be warm and inviting with a berm that will continue to provide a  
tasteful barrier between the shelter and its resident neighbors. The main lobby is designed to be  
spacious and open. The lobby will also feature photos of DCAS animals selected by staff and  
volunteers. A separate entrance has been designated for intakes. The building design features  
ample natural lighting for people and animals. Care is currently being taken to select finishes  
that will hold up to the wear and tear of housing animals and daily cleaning/sanitizing.  
Cats represent the largest animal population served at DCAS. The new shelter will feature larger  
cat spaces with large enclosures, walls of windows with a butterfly garden outside, a dedicated  
cat adoption counseling room, and a cat gym.  
DCAS is currently caring for 14 rabbits and 13 guinea pigs housed in every nook and cranny.  
Small animals will finally have their own dedicated space in the new shelter. Dr. Brown was  
consulted to ensure appropriate design/layout for small animals and rabbits.  
DCAS is experiencing a growing number of large intake cases involving dogs, cats, farm animals  
and small animals. So far this year DCAS has seen single intakes of 28 roosters, 15 large breed  
dogs and a sheep, 45 cats, and staff are currently working on more cases involving owners with  
large numbers of animals. The key to the new shelter design is adaptable spaces. As animal  
populations rapidly change and public programs and services evolve, our shelter must also have  
the ability to adapt quickly.  
Member Cahill inquired about the use of solar panels in the new design. Tim explained that  
Facilities does have pricing, but whether solar panels are installed will depend on when the  
existing building’s roof, which is close to but not past its life expectancy, is replaced.  
Facilities will email design renderings to committee members and share samples of exterior  
finishes when they become available.  
Laura explained that while the number of cages in the new shelter will not differ greatly from the  
current shelter, what will be different is the size and the quality of the space. Capacity for care is  
always balanced with quality of care. For example, while there are currently 80 dog runs at  
DCAS, capacity for housing dogs is much less than that because your average dog requires both  
a living/sleeping space and a potty space. This makes it necessary to dedicate 2 runs per dog  
when housing for any length of time. The new shelter has been designed to meet the physical  
and emotional needs of the animals housed there. Hence there is less focus on quantity of cages  
and more focus on features that enhance quality of care such as: species separation, access to  
natural light, exercise/enrichment areas, size of spaces, foot traffic control, etc.  
Animals that demonstrate kennel stress often decline rapidly. They often self-harm, become  
increasingly difficult for staff & volunteers to exercise and socialize, and are sometimes too  
anxious to “interview” well with potential adopters. All are factors that further delay adoption,  
extend their time in the shelter, and increase shelter stress. By maintaining a focus on quality of  
care, the new shelter design aims to provide an environment that hopefully prevents, and at  
minimum delays, the onset of kennel stress. Additionally, the design provides spaces that allow  
staff to work more closely with members of the community to provide education and identify  
services that will help keep pets in their homes and out of the shelter.  
Member Garcia applauded the inclusion of separate spaces for medical treatment and recovery in  
the new shelter design, something that the existing building does not allow for. She also  
inquired after the slow-down in adoption rates. Laura shared that she has taken part in  
conversations on this topic as part of the Chicagoland Humane Coalition. Theories include the  
poor economy, the increased cost of owning a pet and the number of pets adopted during the  
pandemic tying up homes. DCAS has taken in more than 500 owner surrendered pets since  
January 1st, more than the number of strays during the same time.  
Member DeSart asked how construction will impact operations. Construction is expected to last  
18-20 months. The first phase of construction will have a limited impact on operations. The  
second phase will affect medical and dog holding spaces which will have a significant impact on  
animal intake and veterinary care. Tim reminded the committee that Animal Services  
successfully navigated a relocation during construction in 2015 while improvements were made  
to the kennel areas.  
9.  
ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE  
Laura wanted to discuss humane euthanasia as it is a subject that has recently been mentioned  
publicly as Animal Services asks for the community’s help in preventing euthanasia in the face  
of critical animal populations. Most euthanasia is limited to health and/or behavior. However,  
very recently staff have been faced with the risk of having to make euthanasia decisions based on  
a lack of space. Staff have and continue to follow our policy of maintaining transparency when  
faced with these challenges, even though it does often result in our agency and staff facing  
backlash.  
The live release rate for DCAS has been 89% for the last two years. To be considered “no-kill”  
an organization must have a live release rate of 90% or better. We have had many conversations  
about what it means for DCAS if/when we reach the 90% goal. Our goal is not to be labeled as  
no-kill. Rather, because the language around no-kill can be misleading, it is our priority to do  
right by every individual animal that walks through our door - whether it negatively impacts our  
live release rate or not.  
The conversation should instead center around open admission versus limited admission shelters.  
DCAS is an open admission shelter which means we intake animals regardless of health,  
behavior, species, age, or where they come from. Limited admission or limited intake facilities  
have the ability to turn away animals that are not easily adoptable, have medical or behavioral  
issues, or when their cages and foster homes are full. Maintaining a no-kill label is much easier  
when you can pick and choose the animals you allow into your facility, and when you can say  
“no” when your shelter is full. DCAS does not have that luxury. Even if our shelter experiences  
a space crisis, we still have a commitment to our municipal partners to take their strays.  
However, we also will not euthanize adoptable animals without first giving the community the  
opportunity to step up and do their part in saving animals’ lives.  
And we keep this commitment to our community and its animals with limited resources. Fees  
should be a barrier to a pet owner doing the right thing for their animal, thus intake fees are kept  
low.  
10.  
11.  
OLD BUSINESS  
No old business was discussed.  
NEW BUSINESS  
No new business was discussed.  
12.  
ADJOURNMENT  
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.