An open letter to Chicago residents.
There are many things I hear when I tell people I volunteer at at a kill shelter:
“How do you do it? I never could, it’s so sad.”
“I’d take them all home if I could, but how do I choose?”
“If it’s so hard, why do you do it?”
All well-meaning, obviously, but each comment reveals our simultaneous compassion for these animals and yet the denial of what may happen to them. I, and many people I know, can’t abide that denial. We owe dogs a debt of gratitude for what they bring to our lives, an honest acknowledgment of how we let them down, and a loud and clear advocacy to limit the tide of unwanted lives and to save the lives we can.
Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) is the city-run “kill” facility that took in about 15,000 animals last year. About 3,000 of those animals never made it out.
It’s hard to get your head around those numbers and wonder what you can do to help. It’s even harder for me to know what to say to convince you that, whatever you do, it matters.
I’m calling on you, as fellow Chicagoans, to help. The news documents the violence on our streets; it’s terrifying and demoralizing. But there is another kind of killing going on in the shelter that you can DIRECTLY PREVENT. Take a small step to make our city a better place.
A few things you can do:
1. Adopt. Are you or someone you know in the market for a new dog or cat? Don’t shop; adopt. Adopting from CACC is cheaper than buying from a pet store, and we volunteers know a lot about these animals and can help you find your perfect match.
2. Foster. By fostering, you are not only helping an animal out of CACC but giving another animal room in the shelter. To foster for CACC, you have to work through an approved rescue organization. You can find a list here: http://tinyurl.com/caccrescuelist
3. Volunteer. Can you spare 2-3 hours a week of your time to walk dogs who otherwise spend their days in a 6 x 3 concrete cage? Drive down or take the bus to 2741 S. Western Avenue, where CACC is located, attend a CACC volunteer orientation and become a volunteer. Find out more here: http://tinyurl.com/caccvolunteer (or just ask me: [email protected])
We need you. Even though the number of animals at CACC can be overwhelming, every ONE of them needs you. Some of them don’t even leave their cages in a day, because we don’t have enough volunteers to walk them. A few minutes of TLC from you may be the highlight of their day.
4. Donate. Donate blankets, towels, treats, training toys, Kongs, newspapers. Reach out to friends and family for their donations, too. You can drop items off at the shelter or shop our Amazon wish list here: http://tinyurl.com/CACCdonations
5. Educate. Tell your family and friends about CACC and all of the amazing animals waiting there. A lot of people don’t even know we exist!
6. Advocate. Volunteer with Safe Humane Chicago, an organization that is working to build safe, humane communities to stem the tide of violence against animals AND people. Find out more here: http://tinyurl.com/safehumanevolunteer
Confront your compassion with open-eyed action. It may be the best, hardest work you ever do.
Sincerely, Keri
