City Animal Shelter to Get $1.5 Million Upgrade for Medical Unit

Chicago Animal Care and Control, 2741 S. Western Ave. (Alex Ruppenthal / Chicago Tonight)Chicago Animal Care and Control, 2741 S. Western Ave. (Alex Ruppenthal / Chicago Tonight)

Chicago’s city-run animal shelter is set to undergo a $1.5 million renovation to its medical facility next year, the city announced last week.

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The renovated medical and surgery areas will replace the shelter’s existing medical unit, which is more than 20 years old. In September, the pending renovation created space issues that prompted CACC to issue an urgent call for cat adoptions.

The project will involve upgrades to rooms used for preparation, triage, surgery, recovery and exams. It will also include an “essential isolation area” to help reduce the transmission of infectious diseases, according to the city.

Construction is scheduled to begin in January.

The shelter, located at  2741 S. Western Ave., is run by Chicago Animal Care and Control

A dog treated at CACC's medical facility. (Courtesy Chicago Animal Care and Control)A dog treated at CACC's medical facility. (Courtesy Chicago Animal Care and Control)

“The entire project will allow CACC’s medical staff to more readily assess critical patients and expand CACC’s means of care for animals,” said CACC Executive Director Kelley Gandurski in a statement. “This will ultimately lead to more animals being rescued or adopted. We’re grateful for the enormous community support to enhance these efforts that will surely help us continue to reduce the population of animals in the shelter as they move even more quickly to our rescue partners or to adoptive homes.”

During the renovation, CACC will host veterinary medical students from the University of Illinois to help provide additional care to shelter animals. A veterinarian from PAWS Chicago will also assist with surgery to help prepare more animals for adoption and rescue.

Once the renovation is complete, the nonprofit Friends of Chicago Animal Care and Control will provide funding to purchase new medical equipment for the renovated medical unit, according to the city.

Contact Alex Ruppenthal: @arupp [email protected] | (773) 509-5623


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