(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Walk into the DuPage County animal shelter and you’ll see cats and dogs, but you’ll also see stacked cages, overflowing supplies and staff working in cramped quarters.
“This facility dates back to the 1960s, and the space is very tight,” said Brian Krajewski, chairman of the DuPage County Animal Services Committee. “In the hallways, you may be stepping over some rabbits.”
In an effort to address chronic overcrowding, DCAS has proposed a $10.9 million expansion of the Wheaton facility.
Krajewski tells WBBM Newsradio the nearly 10,000-square-foot addition would be built next to the current building.
“The old building will be more of an intake where animals are relinquished or dropped off or where strays are brought in,” he said. “The new building will house all of our animals that are ready for adoption and our medical facilities. A lot of animals that are brought in here need medical treatment.”
Since the shelter isn’t funded by taxpayer dollars, the project will be paid for through a public-private partnership.
The committee has about $4.5 million in reserves and another $1 million from the foundation DuPage Animal Friends, Krajewski said. The remaining $4.5 million could potentially come from a loan through the DuPage County General Fund, which would need board approval.
With the bulk of construction expected in 2023, the project would be completed in the spring of 2024.
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