Board Confronts Animal Services Crowding, Explores Future Facility Options

ARTICLE SUMMARY: Will County officials are grappling with an ongoing animal housing crisis that has overwhelmed the county’s Animal Protective Services facility, prompting discussions about expansion, new construction, or even repurposing other county-owned buildings.

Capital Improvements Committee Meeting Key Points:

• The Animal Protective Services (APS) department has faced a significant housing crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic led to high rates of animal abandonment.

• Board members requested a full history of past board decisions regarding expansion of the current facility, located on the county campus in Joliet.

• Challenges with the current location include that it was not designed for long-term housing and its proximity to the sheriff’s shooting range, which causes stress to the animals.

• A comprehensive facility master plan, which is expected to address the future of APS, is scheduled to be presented to the board in September.

JOLIET, IL – A crisis of overcrowding at the Will County Animal Protective Services (APS) facility became a focal point of Tuesday’s Capital Improvements & IT Committee meeting, as board members debated the path forward for the strained department.

The issue was raised by Committee Member Steve Balich, who said he received calls from residents concerned that there is no room at the county’s facility.

“I got a call from somebody and they’re complaining about animal welfare,” Balich said. “I guess there’s no room in our animal welfare facility that we have in the county.”

County staff confirmed the department has faced significant challenges since the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a surge in pet adoptions followed by high rates of abandonment that overwhelmed a system designed to work with partner rescue agencies, not for long-term housing.

“We have run into a significant crisis since the COVID pandemic,” a county staff representative stated, noting the facility was at one point trying to house about 40 dogs in a space built for only two or three.

The discussion revealed several complicating factors. Committee Member Judy Ogalla, a long-serving board member, noted that the current APS building, constructed over a decade ago, was specifically designed to be easily expanded. However, staff pointed out a major environmental issue with the site.

“The sheriff’s shooting range is out there,” the staffer explained. “Percussions of that nature can really trigger animals. And so that had become a problem that we did not anticipate.”

The conversation turned to past board actions, with Committee Member Julie Berkowicz stating she recalled the board had already approved an expansion. “They came before us. They told us they didn’t have enough room… and we gave them that approval,” Berkowicz said, asking why it wasn’t acted upon.

Staff was directed to research the minutes and provide the committee with a complete history of past board discussions and votes on the matter.

As a potential solution, Berkowicz suggested repurposing the county-owned PACE building in downtown Joliet. “It’s an excellent location,” she argued. “We wouldn’t need to construct a new building. We wouldn’t have the issues with the range being nearby.”

Officials noted that the situation at APS has been improving, with animal numbers coming down and new leadership in place. A long-term solution is expected to be part of a county-wide facility master plan, with initial findings scheduled for presentation to the committee in September.