Did you know that the Humane Society of the United States pays its CEO over half a million dollars and doesn’t run any pet shelters? Read more here.
Did you know many rescues rely on importing animals from other states to generate revenue?
Thousands of dogs are imported every year by shelters and rescues. There can be several potential animal welfare issues with importing dogs including:
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Importation can be stressful on the animals, especially if they are mixed with other animals they don’t know
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Importation can spread diseases – 1,000 Chicago-area dogs were sickened by deadly dog flu after rescuers brought in the disease
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The true origin of the animals may be unknown –they could potentially come from puppy mills. Read more from the CDC.
Data provided by shelters to the Illinois Department of Agriculture show that some shelters rely on importation to “supply” themselves with dogs. Here are recent import figures from three major Illinois shelters:
Combined, these three groups bring in over $20 million a year. Trafficking animals is a big business.
Information on this page was obtained from public records.
All animals should be properly cared for. Please take action to learn how you can help strengthen protections for pets in Illinois!