After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on Aug. 29, 2005, animals lovers from around the country flocked to New Orleans and the surrounding areas to rescue animals that were separated from their owners. DePaul sophomore Alexis Pentecost was one of the people who continued the rescue mission and adopted one of the 10,000 dogs the Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue saved.
“It’s seriously the most rewarding feeling I could ever imagine,” she said of adopting her Australian Cattle Dog named Pepper.
Pentecost used to foster dogs and then adopt the ones that never found a home. But because she’s had such a positive experience with Pepper, she joined an Australian Cattle Dog rescue group and adopted her next three dogs – Farrah, Molly and Sheila, all Australian Cattle Dogs – from various shelters.
“I wanted to help unloved dogs instead of encouraging breeders to overproduce,” Pentecost said.
Pentecost ultimately saved the dogs from the less than pleasant fate they may have suffered in the shelter: euthanasia. According to the American Humane Society, shelters take in approximately 8 million stray and unwanted animals across the country. Of those 8 million, 3.7 million are euthanized due to overpopulation in the shelters. In fact, shelter euthanasia is the leading cause of death for both dogs and cats in the United States, according to the American Humane Society.
Some shelters, such as the Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago, have adopted a “no kill” policy. Other smaller shelters, however, cannot keep their doors open and implement a “no kill” policy simply because they don’t have enough money to support an unlimited number of animals.
“If you’re wondering about whether or not overpopulation still exists in Chicago, it absolutely does,” Tatiana Garrett, the director of communications for the Anti-Cruelty Society, said.
“When you adopt an animal, you save their life,” Linda Estrada, the president and director of the Animal Welfare League, said. “This is their last place to go; it’s like the last seat on the bus and if you don’t adopt an animal from a shelter and you adopt from a pet shop, you’re supporting puppy mills, which are horrendous.”
The Animal Welfare League, located at 6224 S. Wabash Ave., currently houses 1,483 pets and takes in almost every kind of animal. But like many shelters, it’s struggling with overpopulation.
Many people are apprehensive about obtaining their pets from an adoption shelter because they think they are adopting someone else’s problem. They think they may be purchasing an animal that does not get along with families, barks too much or isn’t trained. But Estrada, like many employees of adoption centers, encourages the adoption as opposed to buying animals from pet stores.
“Anybody who wants to go to a pet store has to understand where the animals are coming from,” Trisha Teckenbrock, a public relations associate at the Anti-Cruelty Society, said.
At pet stores, it’s possible that the animals came from controversial places like puppy mills, which have been criticized for placing profit over the well-being of the animals.
Fortunately, Chicago pet stores may no longer be able to support unethical puppy mills barring the passage of a bill proposed by Chicago city clerk Susana Mendoza. In a council meeting on Feb. 5, Mendoza introduced a bill that would prohibit pet stores from selling dogs and cats that were not obtained by government-run facilities, humane societies or animal rescue organizations. Violators would be charged $1,000 a day if the offense were repeated.
“(Puppy mills are) overcrowded,” Mendoza said. “The moms are forced to breed continuously … They’re caged in their own excrement. They don’t get any exercise. They’re literally in a tiny jail cell, and they’re never cleaned. They’re prone to all kinds of diseases, and they basically breed them until they’re dead.”
Chicago would not be the first city in the United States to take such steps. Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix have all passed similar bills in response to groups who do not support the actions of puppy mills.
While the bill is pending passage, DePaul students who want to have pets of their own have the option to adopt. Olivia Hutsler, a junior at DePaul, has adopted two pets, one of which lives with her at school, her cat Leona. Hutsler is a proponent of pet adoption because she does not want puppy mills with unethical practices to continue.
“You are literally saving a life if you adopt an animal,” Hutsler said.
In addition to saving lives, thrifty college students can also save money by adopting a pet rather than purchasing one from a pet store. According to the Best Friends Animal Society, the cost of buying a pet ranges from $500 to $1,000. When you adopt a pet, costs typically range from $20 to $500, depending on whether the pet comes from a city shelter or a rescue group.
At the shelters there are staff members who take the animals out for walks and play with them, but nothing compares to a warm permanent home.
“It’s their second chance at life,” Anthony Estrada, a humane investigator at the Animal Welfare League, said. “They just need someone to come spend a little time with them. Some TLC, a little tender love and care.”
Meghan Jones, a recent graduate from DePaul, adopted her dog Webster from a rescue center and is giving her dog just that.
“I adopted my dog Webster from a rescue group in Michigan in October of 2012,” Jones said. “He was a year and a half old at the time and very sick. I think he is the most wonderful thing, so loving and grateful, very well behaved. It’s a lot of work, but I cannot imagine not adopting.”
Linda Estrada is hopeful the problem of overpopulation can be fixed if people spread the word about adopting pets.
“People don’t realize,” she said. “They think what can I do, I’m one person. Well if one person told 10 people what they see and those 10 people tell, that’s how countries are changed.”
Homeward bound
If you’re looking for a furry companion to come home to every day, look no further than the local “no kill” animal shelters. There are countless dogs and cats of all breeds, sizes and ages available for adoption.
PAWS Chicago
PAWS Chicago is the largest “no kill” humane organization in the Midwest. Since its formation in 1997, the killing rate of homeless animals has dropped almost 70 percent. In 2013, nearly 6,000 animals were adopted from PAWS Chicago. PAWS is located at 1997 N. Clybourn Ave and offers both dogs and cats for adoption
Tree House Humane Society
A shelter for cats only, the Tree House Humane Society has rescued and adopted more than 16,000 cats since its founding in 1971. The Tree House Humane Society is the largest cageless “no kill” shelter for injured, sick and abandoned cats in the Chicagoland area. The shelter is located at 1629 N. Ashland Ave.
The Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago
The Anti-Cruelty Society is one of the oldest no-kill animal shelters in the country. Founded in 1899, the organization focuses on finding homes for pets, preventing cruelty, educating the public and spaying and neutering to prevent overpopulation. The Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago is located at 157 W. Grand Ave.