What If The Society Didn't Exist?

A healthy cat named Derrick needs to find a new home. His parents can no longer care for him and are searching for a shelter where they can safely give him a fair chance at adoption. Two miles southwest of downtown Chicago, a Shar Pei mix by the name of Bogart is tied up outside, starving to death. His owners haven’t fed him in days and are not providing him with clean drinking water. 

The winter snow has taken a toll on a small, underweight homeless kitten whose ears are badly frostbitten and whose tail has completely frozen from exposure to the cold.

As The Anti-Cruelty Society begins its 112th year of helping animals and educating people, we take a moment to reflect on the importance of serving our community and the impact of the work we do. Pause for a moment and think—what if The Anti-Cruelty Society didn’t exist?  Where would animals like Derrick, Bogart, and the freezing kitten go?

What if The Anti-Cruelty Society did not have an open-door policy?
No longer able to provide financial care for their poodle, Cupcake’s owners took him to a limited-admission shelter in Chicago and were turned away due to that shelter’s long waiting list for admittance. Cupcake was then brought to The Anti-Cruelty Society, and his owners were able to surrender ownership of their pet. Because of his adorable looks and fun-loving temperament, Cupcake was adopted into his forever home in less than a week.

Last year alone, The Anti-Cruelty Society received 6,722 animals. Because the Society’s receiving department is open 365 days a year, there is never a day that an animal will find itself abandoned on the streets due to a lack of options for its owner. The Anti-Cruelty Society is an open-admission facility, meaning that every animal is accepted regardless of age, health, or temperament. Many animals, such as Cupcake, would otherwise have no place of safety and have found just that at the Society.

What if The Anti-Cruelty Society did not partner with other organizations?
According to Diane Spyrka, the shelter manager of Animal Welfare League Wabash, “The Animal Welfare League and The Anti-Cruelty Society have a long history of working together. I am proud and  grateful to the Society for their cooperation and partnership. Through joint efforts, thousands of Chicago-area animals have been given a second chance through the Society’s transfer program for adoption. This type of cooperation is vital to both of our missions for the animals we serve.”

It takes a community effort to help cats and dogs in the area. Last fiscal year, The Anti-Cruelty Society transferred more than 1,000 animals from other shelters and provided sterilizations for 2,109 animals from more than a dozen other shelters and rescue groups.

We also rely on others to help us. Last year, other shelters and rescue groups helped find homes for over 500 cats and dogs. These are usually “special-needs” pets, and our partners have provided a much-needed service by finding homes for these cats and dogs. Some pet stores, such as PetSmart and PETCO, have stopped selling cats and dogs and work with shelters to adopt pets instead. We place about 250 cats like Derrick (see below) every year at area PetSmart stores, giving them a second chance.  We applaud PetSmart and PETCO for providing adoptions rather than selling pets from puppy mills or unreputable breeders.

Meet Derrick...
Derrick was surrendered to the Society because his owners were moving and could not take him along. After being vaccinated and given a veterinary examination, Derrick was transferred to the Evanston PetSmart Store for adoption. An Evanston resident, Lizette, was looking for a second cat and stopped in the PetSmart to see if any of the adoptable cats caught her eye. She says, “When the staffer opened the door, Derrick promptly flopped onto his back, asking for rubs on his silky-soft belly. I was smitten! The next morning, I returned with a cat carrier and took him home. Because of his silvery-gray color, I changed his name to “Nickel”—he is my shiny new Nickel now. I honestly could not have asked for a sweeter, better-behaved cat.” 

What if The Anti-Cruelty Society did not have an affordable, high-volume spay/neuter clinic?
The solution to pet overpopulation is sterilization. Providing affordable spay/neuter surgeries prevents unwanted litters and reduces the numbers of animals in shelters. In 1989, due to a generous bequest, the Ruth and Henry Dawson Spay/Neuter Fund was established. At that time, it was a coupon redemption program redeemable at most Chicago veterinary clinics. In 1994, our affordable, high-volume spay/neuter clinic was opened—the first in the area. 

Each year, our expert veterinary staff performs around 12,000 spay/neuter surgeries. From our surveys, we know that about 30% of our clients say they probably would not have their pet neutered if we did not provide the service at such a low cost. Although veterinarians at The Anti-Cruelty Society perform thousands of spay/neuter surgeries each year, our staff does not forget to serve each pet as an individual, with love and care. The following is a comment one client had about her experience:

“My puppy was neutered yesterday at your facility. I just wanted to thank everyone there for the wonderful care he received. Not only did I save hundreds of dollars, but my puppy was given genuine attention and a thorough exam. Last evening after getting home I noticed that his nails had been clipped as well. That small gesture just shows a genuine concern for my puppy. Thank you for all you do.”

We continue to provide free sterilizations for pit bulls/pit mixes and feral cats. Last year, we spayed/neutered 807 feral cats.  Assuming that half of these cats were female and based on a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, each female cat produces on average 4.2 kittens per year—we prevented 1,680 unwanted feral kittens in 2010. We are often asked, “How can you provide these surgeries at this price?” Preventing unwanted animals is core to our mission, and we have made the decision to use our resources to subsidize these critical surgeries.

What if The Anti-Cruelty Society was not here to help protect abused and neglected animals?
Long before most people even knew what a Humane Investigator was, The Anti-Cruelty Society had one on staff. 

In 1922, the Society hired Mr. Louis Krueger as its first full-time Humane Investigator. He was called “The Outside Man” and worked for the Society for almost 35 years until his retirement in October of 1956. In addition to more traditional companion animal issues, he also was tasked with investigating union stock yards, pet shops, and rodeos. 

In the 1950s and 1960s, The Anti-Cruelty Society received national media attention for several daring animal rescues. The heroics of the Society’s ambulance drivers became so well known that in 1963 they were depicted in the Dick Tracy comic strip. 

We are fortunate that our local police and sheriffs departments have active animal crimes units that respond to emergency calls. In addition to this, we receive more than 1,000 animal abuse and neglect complaints that we investigate each year. If the Society was not in a position to help these animals, who would?

Often, owners simply need education on how to properly care for the pets and what they are legally required to provide for their companion animals. At times, an animal’s situation may be so serious that our investigators must persuade an owner to relinquish the pet, (like Bogart, below) or face confiscation and legal action. In the course of an investigation, if we believe that an animal is in imminent danger, we will remove it either by contacting the police department for charges to be filed on scene or by contacting the Illinois Department of Agriculture for a seizure authorization number. If an animal is willingly signed over to us, we file charges and apply for a summons for the owner to appear in court. If the owner does not respond and fails to appear in court, the judge will issue a warrant for his/her arrest. Charges are determined by the State’s Attorney, who considers recommendations from The Anti-Cruelty Society. The judge then determines what consequences the owner will face, which can include a fine, jail time, and being forbidden to ever own another animal. 

Meet Bogart
Extremely emaciated and very near death, Bogart was rescued from a neglectful home by The Anti-Cruelty Society’s Humane Investigators. Bogart, a Shar Pei mix, was in such poor health that when our team rescued him, they felt death would have been imminent without their intervention. When Bogart arrived at the Society, he began the recovery process, slowly gaining weight and learning to accept love and care. In this new, healthy environment, Bogart grew into the affectionate and healthy dog he was meant to be. Bogart, now  Luther, was eventually adopted by a loving family and is now sure to receive all the care his first family was unwilling to provide. 

What if the The Anti-Cruelty Society was unable to provide medical and behavioral care?
On an average day, The Anti-Cruelty Society provides care for at least 400 animals in the shelter, and that care takes a community. We have six veterinarians and more than 50 support staff, including veterinary assistants and animal care technicians who provide quality care to all the animals. Our three on-site rehabilitation centers allow animals with contagious diseases to be isolated from healthy animals so our staff can provide the needed medical care. Approximately 2,500 animals are treated in our centers annually—if we were unable to provide care, these animals would probably be euthanized to prevent others from becoming ill.

Many of the animals, like Frost (see below), that are surrendered to us or transferred to us from other shelters are in need of medical treatment. Our Animal Behavior & Training Department provides behavioral help to many of the animals that come through our doors. Some animals, such as those coming from a hoarding situation or a puppy mill, require additional time and help.

Our Real Life Room (RLR) gives these frightened and shy animals a secure, quiet place to adjust to their new life. A recent resident of the RLR, Panda, was a cat who was urinating behind, not in, her litter box.  She was admitted to see if we could help her. After observing her, our behaviorists noticed that she had a unique style of urinating.  She stood up rather than squatting to “do her business.” We offered her a hooded litter box and voila: no more out-of-box issues.

As simple as this problem may sound, an animal who may be unable to properly eliminate would have a very difficult time finding a home. Through simple observation, our behaviorists were able to find a solution to Panda’s problem. Within a few short days of being in the RLR, this adorable cat was ready for adoption. Many shelters do not have the resources necessary to give extra medical or behavioral care to animals in need—and problems as simple as this example, can result in an animal being turned away from a limited admission shelter or euthanized.

Meet Frost
Frost came into our shelter as a severely frostbitten and underweight cat with a respiratory infection. As a result of the frostbite, the tips of her ears fell off and veterinarians had to amputate part of her tail. Despite the medical conditions she has had to overcome, Frost’s sweet demeanor and desire for human affection have always stayed intact. In addition to the extensive medical attention she received at our clinic, Director of Shelter  Services, Tamra Wagenknecht, is partially responsible for Frost’s recovery, having fostered Frost and provided her with copious amounts of care and affection until she was ready for adoption. Two days after going to the adoption center, Frost found her new family.

What if The Anti-Cruelty Society did not provide euthanasia services?
Undoubtedly the most difficult situation any pet owner ever has to face is that of euthanasia. Last year, about 2,000 owners had to face that challenging decision and turned to The Anti-Cruelty Society for help. We believe that all animals deserve a good quality of life, and if that quality is severely compromised due to illness, injury, or old age, euthanasia is the humane alternative. Unfortunately, there are some animals that are not adoptable due to health status, age, or dangerous behavior. Limited-admission shelters often turn away those animals, but what would happen to them if we did not exist? If no one can take in the animals, their owners may chose to abandon them, or, even worse, try to end their lives.

What if The Anti-Cruelty Society did not provide humane education?
The Anti-Cruelty Society has a long history of providing humane education. Virginia Sedgwick was hired in 1937 as our first full-time educator. Today there is an entire department with five staff members dedicated to providing quality programs to all age groups. Last year, through a combination of on-site programs and community outreach, more than 16,000 individuals were reached. In addition to benefiting these specific individuals, their communities as a whole were touched because of the stronger sense of compassion and empathy these people take with them. Our newest program reaches out to toddlers (2–4 year olds), with a goal  to foster empathy and caring attitudes while enhancing the human/animal bond. According to Clara Lopez, Vice President for Children Services, Roy B. Gonzalez Children and Family Center, El Valor, “More attention needs to be focused on programs that specialize on the relationships between children and animals. When children at a young age have a small pet, they learn about different behaviors such as empathy, trust, and responsibility. Not only do they pick up these traits, but they also learn about kindness and compassion towards others.” The same traits that make someone a responsible pet owner (empathy and compassion) also make people better neighbors and strengthen communities. Humane education works to build a community of caring in the Chicago area. 

What about Derrick, Bogart, and Frost?
Derrick, Bogart, and Frost may have different histories, but they share one thing in common—their stories would have ended very differently if there had not been a safe place for them. They are the lucky ones who received a second chance because of The Anti-Cruelty Society. Through the variety of programs and services offered at the Society, we are able to save the lives of thousands of animals each year and help find them forever homes. Pets give us so much and ask for so little. What would our lives be without them, and where would they be without us? 

What if we didn't have you?
While most of this story describes the impact that The Anti-Cruelty Society has in our community, the real impact comes from devoted donors like you. Without you, The Anti-Cruelty Society would not exist at all! With your help, we have been able to remain committed to an open door philosophy where animals are accepted and helped regardless of health, age, or temperament.

By supporting our work, you are sharing your love of animals and the joy of giving. You have given thousands of animals a second chance in finding a new forever home. You have provided spay/neuter surgeries to help address the issue of pet overpopulation. Your support has rescued many pets from cruel or neglectful situations and has helped teach compassion and respect for animals to thousands of students. You have provided extra medical and behavioral care to many dogs and cats in need. 

As a private non-profit organization, we receive no federal, state, or local government funding. Nor are we part of any national humane society or SPCA. We are the Chicago-area’s animal welfare organization, providing care for the animals in our community. Approximately 75% of our budget comes from loyal supporters like you. Whether you give $5 or $5,000, every dollar makes a difference in an animal’s life.

Thank you for joining our community of caring. You have demonstrated your love of animals and have invested in something you believe in. Thanks to you, the animals won’t ever have to experience, “What if...”