Results tagged “pets”

State Senator Bill Brady, still a contender for the GOP nomination for Illinois Governor, is backing off a plan to authorize the mass killing of stray animals in shelters that he introduced earlier this month, just days after the primary election. Brady, from Bloomington, sponsored the legislation which would allow animal control facilities to kill more than one animal at once in a carbon monoxide chamber. more ›

If you're connected to the internet, you may have heard about the Dairyland greyhounds that are up for adoption. (Chicagoist got an email about it last week.) Rumors abound that, if not for the generous hearts of local greyhound aficionados, the dogs will be euthanized. And while it's no secret that we've got a few dogs and cats hanging around the Chicagoist offices, it turns out there's a little more to the story than "teh internetz" would have us believe. Sam Adams, over at the Reader's sports blog, dug a little deeper, getting the facts from Ellen Paulus of the Wisconsin chapter of Greyhound Pets of America. "Wisconsin law mandates that no dogs can be put to sleep in our state just because their racing careers are completed," she told Adams in an e-mail. "Dogs have 3 options: transfer to another track to continue racing, go into adoption programs, or be signed back [to] their owners." more ›

We don't know where Rich finds this stuff, but it IS almost magic. more ›

Why is Emmy so happy? Because she knows that Our Town is a damn good place for a pet to live. Rent.com sent out a press release (via) naming the top 10 most pet-friendly cities and Chicago came in second to New York. They cited "canine cruises across the famed Navy Pier, as well as pet-welcoming patio restaurants throughout the city. Chicago is also home to an assortment of pet resorts and boarding kennels." more ›

Police are investigating the deaths of two beloved pets in Naperville as poisonings. They are offering $1,000 reward for any information leading to the arrests of any culprits. Max, a 9-year-old black Labrador retriever, died late last month from what veterinarians said was an intestinal infection. Bosco, a 8-year-old chocolate Labrador who lived just around the corner from Max, also died after suffering from similar symptoms: vomiting and diarrhea. Veterinarians who looked at Bosco determined he had consumed rat poisoning. The close proximity between the two pets led the Naperville Police Department and animal control to determine whether or not the poisoning was deliberate. Though it was not determined if Max had also ingested rat poisoning, his owner, Gwyn Fahrner, believes it is possible. However Fahrner doesn’t assume it purposely done. [Trib] more ›

14th Ward Alderman Ed Burke is renewing his plans to enact an ordinance imposing sterilization of pets. Burke says that the new proposal, which includes some changes from the previous version, has the votes it needs to clear the city council. Unlike the previous version, which would have hit pet owners with a $500 fine, impoundment and forced sterilization, the new version has a $100 a month fine. The new bill also no longer requires veterinarians to report non-sterilized animals, and doesn't require breeders to immunize pets before sale, and then report the name, address and phone number of the buyer. more ›

The Humane Society Legislative Fund endorsed Barack Obama for president yesterday. The fund, which evaluates candidates solely based on where they stand on animal protection policies, said on their blog that "the Obama-Biden ticket is the better choice on animal protection," backing at least a dozen bills at the state and federal level that "strengthen the penalties for animal cruelty, to help animal shelters, to promote spaying and neutering, and to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption." more ›

Donald Kolakowski of Niles has been charged with theft after he took home a puppy from a Petland store that he said was his but wasn't. According to the police Kolakowski saw a sign on the puppy's cage that said "I'm going home soon" and convinced an employee he was there to pick the dog up. She didn't ask for a receipt, and he apparently left with the miniature pinscher, who actually cost $1,600. The dog has been returned to the store, and Kolakowski, currently on parole, was releaed on bond.[Trib, Pioneer Local.] more ›

Just us, or is time kinda standing still today? Maybe it's because I had a second this morning where I for some reason believed today was Friday, which it is not. more ›

The Red Cross announced its campaign yesterday, promoting pet safety in the event of disasters or extreme weather. Along with the Humane Society of the United States, the Red Cross is urging people with pets to be prepared for emergencies and disasters. more ›

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Casey is an adorable six month old black short-hair kitten. He was rescued from a home that had too many cats, so he may be undersocialized. Chicago Canine Rescue would like to place Casey in a home with at least one other companion feline, to keep him company and show him the ropes. more ›

Emanuel Lopez, 19, was sentenced to 60 days in jail today for stealing a 2-pound Pomeranian puppy and then blowing marijuana smoke in the dog's face until the animal "passed out." Judge John Kinsella said the behavior was "the bottom rung of humanity." more ›

Did you know that the City of Chicago's Animal Care and Control also has rabbits for adoption? Ashes is one of six eight-month-old male rabbits in the city's cat adoption room, and he's available for adoption right away. more ›

U.S. Marshals seized pet food stored in an apparently rat-infested PETCO warehouse in Joliet yesterday. more ›

More and more pet owners are having trouble putting gas in the tank and food on the table in this tough economy. And as families are having more trouble making ends meet, they're also having trouble feeding their pets. And animal welfare organizations that give out donated pet food are feeling the pinch as well. more ›

Mah! Cats and game shows! You got chocolate in my peanut butter. more ›

Earlier last month officials in Pleasant Prairie, WI seized more 60 dogs that they say were living in cramped, inhumane conditions. A neighbor called police after becoming concerned about just how many animals were living on the property. "Sitting there all winter and watching the cats outside freezing. That blew my mind," she told WDJT-TV, the local CBS affiliate. "Then, the more you hear the dogs barking, the more the people aren't home for days, the more you think, 'what about the animals?'" Safe Harbor Humane Society took over the care of the animals, and local police say they found the body of a dead dog in a garbage can on the property as well. "This would be our second puppy mill since January 31st. But this was different because they were in a house...There were dogs in the basement and just about every room and there were parts of the house where there were cages stacked up," Safe Harbor Director Tonya Howell said. more ›

Woodstock's Kirk M. Locher was released form jail this morning after posting $750 bail. Locher was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm after he fired shots in his home over the weekend, allegedly shooting and killing his yellow Labrador retriever. more ›

Although keeping pot-bellied pigs as housepets hasn't been fashionable for nearly a decade, doesn't mean that there aren't wonderfully little piggies looking for nice urban homes. Meet Curly. This young male was given up to a shelter because he could no longer fit through a pet door. In spite of the apparent selfishness of his original owners, Curly seems to have been well-cared for: he's house broken, knows how to sit, and has been neutered and de-tusked. more ›

Last week the Illinois State House of Representatives approved HB 4844, which bans the gassing of unwanted pets at animal shelters. While many shelters use lethal injection to put down unwanted pets, there are still some that use carbon monoxide to euthanize companion animals. The bill passed the House 110-0, with some members vocally supporting the legislation. "What's been happening with the animals is really a disgusting practice," said state Rep. Lou Lang. more ›

Jose is a Shepherd mix puppy, found at Chicago's Animal Care and Control, and put into foster care by New Leash on Life. Jose has been with his foster family for a while now, and doesn't have the behavior problems that sometimes come with abandoned or lost dogs. Jose has already learned to sit and lay down, and he is working on his skills with stay. Since he is still a puppy, he is learning more every day, and while he doesn't always know what is an appropriate chew toy and what isn't, he still has a lot of capacity for training and growth. He is for the most part housebroken, although being so young, he needs a family that has lots of time for attention and socialization, and he needs to do his business about every four hours. more ›

Judy is a three-year-old Doberman Pinscher available for adoption from Illinois Doberman Rescue Plus. Judy was originally placed with a family that had other, older dogs in the home. Unfortunately, Judy had some problems with aggression, and since she was the youngest of the dogs in the household, the decision to find her a new home seemed the most equitable. more ›

Not all dogs up for adoption come from heartbreaking backgrounds. Take Radar, for example. He's a well-adjusted Pit Bull Terrier with seemingly endless energy and a penchant for snuggling. more ›

The past couple of weeks, we've been taking a look at the different kinds of pets that are available for adoption. This includes dogs and cats, as well as rabbits, and all of them come from shelters that take in animals that have been abused or come from homes where the people can no longer care for them. But small and furry animals aren't the only pets that wind up in shelters. more ›

Easter morning, children wake up to colored eggs and chocolate bunnies. And in some households, they wake up to pet rabbits. What parents may not realize, however, is that rabbits can live up to 20 years. And after Easter has passed, and the novelty has worn off, local animal shelters often see an uptick in abandoned rabbits. more ›

If there was ever a rescue dog that could inspire you to run down to the shelter and give a pet a loving home, it's Carlton. more ›

Last week we put the spotlight on Snowball the poodle. But it's not just dogs that make great pets! more ›

When Lt. Governor Pat Quinn declared March 4 "Uno the Beagle Day," we realized that everyday is a good day to celebrate pets. And since there are plenty of good dogs out there without loving homes, what better way to celebrate a good dog like Uno the Beagle, than by adopting a dog that needs a good home? more ›

Aldermen Helen Schiller and Danny Solis introduced a measure yesterday that would make feeding pigeons illegal. And the punishment would be up to $1,000 fine and six months in jail. more ›