CITY HALL — Licensed strays that have microchip identification would be spared a ride to the city pound if two aldermen have their way.
Aldermen Edward Burke (14th) and Raymond Lopez (15th) submitted a proposed ordinance Wednesday calling for pets to be returned to their owners at no charge if they're picked up by Animal Care and Control officers within three miles of home and they're licensed with an ID microchip embedded in their bodies.
"This measure aims to save the lives of many pets, lessen overcrowding and put in place a more compassionate policy that would benefit pets and their owners across the City of Chicago," Burke said.
Lopez added that it builds on a proposal they submitted last month to make the city pound at 2741 S. Western Ave. a no-kill shelter — a proposal yet to be acted on by the Council. "The best way to keep pets from being euthanized is to keep them out of the Animal Control system," Lopez said. "It also incentivizes the purchase of licenses. This would be a benefit if you have a valid pet license."
The aldermen report that the Department of Animal Care and Control killed more than 10,000 animals over the last two years at a cost of $1.1 million, almost 11 percent of its budget.
City Clerk Susana Mendoza has testified in Council hearings that estimates are there are more than 650,000 unlicensed dogs in Chicago. She said in 2015 budget hearings that she had succeeded in getting just 40,000 dogs a year licensed, despite her best efforts at promoting dog licenses.
Chicago registers dogs, but not cats. Dog licenses are $5 a year for fixed animals, $50 for those that haven't been sterilized.
Lopez, who owns eight dogs himself, also submitted an ordinance Wednesday that would fine owners for leaving a female dog in heat outside and unattended, or for leaving any dog staked outside for two hours or more. Fines for the violations would range from $300-$1,000.
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