Q: How do I know that the information on this site is accurate?  James, Dekalb.
 
A:  All the information came directly from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.  You may certainly verify it by contacting them and requesting the information regarding a particular licensee.

 
Q: My local animal control isn't doing adoptions.  Wouldn't that help to reduce the number of animals euthanized?  Jamie, Madison County.
 
A: Certainly the more animals that are adopted, the fewer that are euthanized.  If you want to make changes in the way your community handles animals, you should start by contacting the animal control manager and see what he/she needs help with.  Perhaps they lack volunteers to show the animals for adoption.  Generally, they will be receptive to offers of help. 
 
If not (which you may find because people in animal control are sometimes too burned out to feel energetic about new ideas), you should contact your city or village council or county board.  Talk to your representative one-on-one and share with him/her your interest in reducing euthanasia in your community.  Killing animals costs money for staff time, drugs and disposal fees.  Typically, it costs a community about $100 per stray animal that is held and then killed.  Reducing euthanasia is good fiscal policy.

Q: Why is the data from 2006?  Cindy, Chicago.
 
A: That is the most recent data available from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

Q: How do we obtain the stats for 2004, 2005, 2007.  Are they available?  Gary, Sycamore.

Pre-2006 stats are available from the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) via written FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) Request.   Every June, the IDOA collects statistics for the prior 12-month period, so in June 2008, IDOA will collect statistics from June 2006-June 2007.


Q:  I thought my local humane society was no-kill.  How do I make sense of the number of animals euthanized?  Donna, Naperville.
 
A:  Ask your shelter to tell you what their policy is.  No-kill doesn't mean never-kill.  No-kill means that a shelter doesn't euthanize to make room for new animals.