Activists gathered to demand change outside Chicago Animal Care and Control, citing overcrowding and a dramatic rise in the number of animals euthanized.
The shelter, the only one operated by the city, has euthanized double the animals did it in 2020 according to the activists, and some Chicago officials say that a leadership vacuum is partly to blame.
According to Chicago Ald. Raymond Lopez, it's been nearly two years since there was a permanent leader at the facility.
"The law says the mayor, any mayor, has to fill that role within 30 days. Here we are nearly two years without any permanent leadership," he said.
According to the city's website, CACC euthanized more than 3,600 animals last year, more than double the number euthanized in 2020.
"Your tax dollars are paying for inhumane treatment. Dogs are sitting in, you know, their excrement," said former CACC volunteer Jenny Jurcak.
Jurcak said she talks to current volunteers when she drops off stray and abandoned animals.
Local
"It's very sad. It's the deplorable conditions, broken cages, the euthanasia rate," Jurcak said.
The city's animal shelter has cut back its intake hours for stray animals. It also stopped taking in healthy outdoor cats as of Nov. 1 due to "rising costs".
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
CACC has an annual budget of $7.5 million, according to officials. Houston, with a similar sized population, spends almost double that amount.
"We can have four libraries within a one-mile radius that costs how much to the city of Chicago? But then you have one Chicago Animal Care Control for the size of the city of Chicago? No, that's not acceptable," activist Rose Gomez said. "The people that work here are stressed because they don't have enough resources."
In a statement, the city's shelter told NBC Chicago, "Unfortunately, everything is increasing overall. Even with the increases in adoptions and transfers, intakes are not slowing down."
Animal advocates plan to speak up for change at future City Council meetings.
"There is no reason that we as citizens should have to be running around rescuing dogs, rehoming, finding, helping and supplying the necessary basics," said animal advocate Julie Darling.
NBC Chicago reached out to the mayor's office, but has not received a response.
