Mayor Brandon Johnson’s pick to lead Chicago Animal Care and Control highlighted the work of the city shelter during a committee hearing Tuesday, as some animal advocates demand a nationwide search.

Graceland Cemetery's newest residents — a litter of coyote pups — are causing a stir.

The event will be held at the PAWS Chicago Pippen Fasseas Adoption Center, 1997 N. Clybourn Avenue, in Lincoln Park. The shelter is extending its adoption hours and adding additional appointments for the upcoming event.

Last year, euthanasia at the city shelter increased for the third consecutive year, amounting to 2,455 animals, of whom 60% were dogs, according to city data. “We’re at capacity almost every day,” Chicago Animal Care and Control spokesperson Armando Tejeda said.

On Monday morning, Chicago Animal Care and Control responded to a report of a coyote at the Humboldt Park Aldi store.

The city shelter has seen a 24% increase in the first five months of 2024. Advocates said a rise of intakes and a lack of adoption are contributing to the issue.

Chicago’s city shelter is waiving adoption fees on weekends through the end of the year, in addition to waiving adoption fees for animals who have been in the shelter for more than 60 days.

Gov. J.B Pritzker proclaimed this week as Dog and Cat Adoption Week in Illinois as animal shelters face increased pressures with overcrowding in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Any animal that walks through our door can be a candidate for euthanasia due to the population and everything that we go through here,” said acting executive director of the city of Chicago Department of Animal Care and Control Susan Cappello.

Animal shelters across the city are seeing an increase this year in the number of pets coming through their doors. What’s behind that trend — and how shelters are trying to keep pets in homes.

The finding by the inspector general is the second time in recent months that Ferguson has detailed misconduct within Chicago Animal Care and Control.

City officials fired an animal care officer assigned to work at the city’s shelter after an investigation determined they sexually assaulted two co-workers while off-duty and outside of the office, according to a report from the city’s watchdog.

Chicago Animal Care and Control and PAWS Chicago pivoted to online pet adoptions when Illinois’ stay-at-home order was issued. We check in on how that’s been going — and how else the pandemic has impacted animal shelters.

Join Chicagoans and their pooches across the city each night at 8 p.m. to show your support for health care workers, first responders and essential employees by howling.

Animal shelters are offering innovative ways to adopt pets during the statewide stay-at-home order. We reach out to two Chicago shelters to find out how the pandemic is changing their operations – but not their missions.

The coyote, confirmed to have bitten a young boy, won’t be released back into the wild but will be placed in an educational setting to raise awareness of the need for peaceful coexistence.