Low cost spay/neuter in Illinois

Tree House is offering free spay/neuter surgeries for low-income pet owners and rescued strays in Chicagoland for a limited time. This service is in recognition of spay/neuter month. Tree House has always offered a low-cost spay/neuter program but we realized that in order to reach our goal of no more stray animals, we needed to do even more.

Tree House has been able to expand its subsidized spay/neuter surgeries for rescued strays and for low-income pet owners in Chicagoland, thanks to a generous grant from the Brach Foundation. The Brach Foundation Grant has given us the opportunity to increase our veterinary staff time and dedicate more hours to performing these life-saving procedures.

If you are interested in registering for our Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program, please call 773-784-5488 ext. 229 and leave a detailed message with your name and phone number. Appointments must be made in advance. Our program coordinator will get back to you to schedule an appointment.

The usual cost of a spay surgery is $45 for a rescued stray and $20 for *low-income pet guardians. The cost of a neuter surgery is $25 for a rescued stray and $10 for low-income pet guardians.

*low-income pet guardians are people receiving Public Aid or Disability (annual Social Security letter or medical card will be required as proof)

In addition to the Spay/Neuter surgery Tree House also offers the following services for Spay/Neuter clients only:

Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) testing ($15)
Topical Flea Treatment ($10)
PCR vaccinations ($5)
Rabies vaccinations ($10)

Contact Information 

**If you read this after the date listed, contact the organization/clinic.  Often times, they offer these services on a regular basis.  If not, these clinics may offer the low cost clinics once a month.  You can use the same contact information listed above.**

Illinois: Let Animal Rescuers Do Their Jobs Without Fear

IL HB 5076—Good Samaritan Bill
Sponsor(s): Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, Senator John Cullerton
ASPCA Position: Support
Action Needed: Please email the letter below to your senator in the Illinois State General Assembly.

Update, 4/03/08—Good news: the Good Samaritan Bill has passed the Illinois House unanimously! It now moves to the Senate for consideration, so please use the letter below to email your state senator.

Update, 3/06/08—HB 5076 has made it out of committee and now goes to the House Floor for a vote. Please don't wait—email your representative today!

Illinois House Bill 5076 contains “Good Samaritan” provisions for individuals who rescue or provide care for injured animals in emergencies or disasters. The bill also clarifies the statute of limitations for violations of the Humane Care for Animals Act.

The need for legislation like HB 5076 was seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and 18 states already have Good Samaritan provisions that protect individuals who rescue or help animals during emergencies or disasters. The Land of Lincoln should encourage these generous actions by protecting animal rescuers from lawsuits.

Please personalize and send the email below to your senator, requesting a favorable vote on HB 5076.

Click here to be taken to the ASPCA site to send your email.

Can you foster or adopt a chained dog in Illinois??

(this is from a group I belong to)

Dear Friends,
“Beau” Jangles (aka “Beau”) is currently living his life on a heavy chain in West Salem, Illinois. Beau’s “family” is willing to give him up so if a rescue or foster can take him, he can be retrieved from this sad situation immediately. Beau is approximately 1 years old but you can see in his eyes that he is already losing his youthful spirit.

I don’t know what breed Beau is but he is VERY handsome and looks like a lab or lab mix (pictures attached). Please consider helping this poor soul get into a home where he can experience love for the first time. He clearly deserves it. A transport can be arranged to almost anywhere and I am willing to sponsor vetting costs.

Beau’s story is below (his words, not mine :~)

My name is "Beau"Jangles and I am about 1 whole year old. My life has actually been quite sad so far but I’m hoping you can help me to turn it around.

I was adopted into a family when I was very young (a puppy as they say) and I thought it was going to be a great life… but it didn’t turn out that way. When I was very young one of the boys in the family through a brick at my head and it knocked me out. I don’t think that anyone really cared much about that because no one did anything to help me. Luckily I woke up a while later.

Truthfully, sometimes I wish I hadn’t woken up that day because mostly I just lay here chained to the house. Sometimes I get up and walk around but I can never get very far because of my chain. When it rains, I lay in the mud, when it’s cold and windy I shiver, when it’s sunny…. well, you get the point. Sometimes the people feed me but when they do, they never stop to greet me. Sometimes they don’t even look at me. So I guess you could say I am pretty lonely and sad most of the time.

What I would really like is for someone to take me away from here; to a place that the people appreciate my great assets :~) And where they pat me on the head, maybe even hug me and take me for fun walks!! Am I getting carried away here?!

I am currently located in West Salem, Illinois but I know some folks who would take me just about anywhere if it is better than here.

Love and big doggie kisses,
"Beau" Jangles

Contact Aileen Worden if you can help this sweet dog.

Tell Lawmakers to Ensure That Animal Cruelty Is Treated as a Serious Crime

The Tracking Animal Cruelty Crimes Act of 2007 would require the FBI to add animal cruelty as a separate category in its crime data reporting system. Contact your senators and ask for their co-sponsorship and support of this bill!

The link between animal cruelty and other forms of societal violence is a national concern. The practice of dogfighting perfectly illustrates this connection, as it is almost always linked to illegal drug and weapons violations, gambling, aggravated assault and gang violence.

Laws that enable law enforcement agencies to address animal cruelty increasingly improve the lives of animals. However, reported incidents of animal cruelty are still not getting the attention they deserve because there is no national system designed to track these crimes. Instead, when local and state police agencies report animal cruelty incidents to the FBI, they are labeled “other offenses.” This in turn makes it nearly impossible to access and respond to even the most basic information about animal cruelty crimes and their perpetrators.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) wants to change this. Today, Sen. Menendez introduced the Tracking Animal Cruelty Crimes Act of 2007, which would require the FBI to add animal cruelty as a separate category in its National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Doing so will help law enforcement agencies track animal cruelty crimes, which will help stop the cycle of violence and allow researchers to study animal cruelty’s connection to other forms of societal violence. This critical bill ensures that animal cruelty is finally treated as a serious crime.

The American Humane Association supports this legislation. Tell your senators to co-sponsor and support the Tracking Animal Cruelty Crimes Act of 2007!

Ban Unfair Insurance Practices Targeting Certain Dog Breeds in Illinois

Insurance companies have been re-evaluating their coverage for homeowners who have dogs such as “pit bulls,” rottweilers, German shepherds, Doberman pinschers, Akitas and chow chows.

One-third of all liability claims against homeowners are dog-bite-related, and insurers claim dog bites cost them $351.4 million in 2006. Consequently, some insurance companies are declining, terminating or limiting the amount or type of insurance coverage a property owner can have, as well as imposing increased premiums under a homeowner’s insurance policy based on the type or specific breed of dog living at the residence.

Insurance discrimination is another form of breed-specific legislation (BSL). BSL generally refers to legislation, regulations or municipal ordinances that restrict the ownership of certain dog breeds, sometimes designating certain breeds as dangerous or illegal.

However, studies have shown that it is not the breeds themselves that are dangerous, but unfavorable situations that are creating dangerous dogs. Dogs that have attacked or bitten humans generally are:

• Dogs that have been obtained for negative functions such as fighting or guarding.
• Dogs that the owners have failed to humanely care for, control and properly train.
• Dogs that are left unsupervised with children.
• Dogs that have not been spayed or neutered.

The consequences of insurance discrimination are wide-ranging. Penalizing certain dog owners not only causes financial challenges for them, but also results in a greater number of dogs surrendered to shelters.

Assembly Bill 1279 would prevent insurance companies from unfairly discriminating against consumers based on the breed of dog at their residences. It stops insurance companies from declining, terminating or limiting the amount or type of insurance coverage a property owner can have if a certain breed lives on the property. The bill also prevents companies from imposing higher premiums under a homeowner’s insurance policy on the basis of the type or specific breed of dog living at the residence.

Please support this important bill along with American Humane by contacting your legislators!

Support Insurance Policies That Do Not Discriminate Against Certain Dog Breed Owners in Illinois

Insurance companies have been re-evaluating their coverage for homeowners who have dogs such as “pit bulls,” rottweilers, German shepherds, Doberman pinschers, Akitas and chow chows.

One-third of all liability claims against homeowners are dog-bite-related, and insurers claim dog bites cost them $351.4 million in 2006. Consequently, some insurance companies are declining, terminating or limiting the amount or type of insurance coverage a property owner can have, as well as imposing increased premiums under a homeowner’s insurance policy based on the type or specific breed of dog living at the residence.

Insurance discrimination is another form of breed-specific legislation (BSL). BSL generally refers to legislation, regulations or municipal ordinances that restrict the ownership of certain dog breeds, sometimes designating certain breeds as dangerous or illegal.

However, studies have shown that it is not the breeds themselves that are dangerous, but unfavorable situations that are creating dangerous dogs. Dogs that have attacked or bitten humans generally are:

• Dogs that have been obtained for negative functions such as fighting or guarding.
• Dogs that the owners have failed to humanely care for, control and properly train.
• Dogs that are left unsupervised with children.
• Dogs that have not been spayed or neutered.

The consequences of insurance discrimination are wide-ranging. Penalizing certain dog owners not only causes financial challenges for them, but also results in a greater number of dogs surrendered to shelters.

Assembly Bill 1279 would prevent insurance companies from unfairly discriminating against consumers based on the breed of dog at their residences. It stops insurance companies from declining, terminating or limiting the amount or type of insurance coverage a property owner can have if a certain breed lives on the property. The bill also prevents companies from imposing higher premiums under a homeowner’s insurance policy on the basis of the type or specific breed of dog living at the residence.

Please support this important bill along with American Humane by contacting your legislators!

This action alert is for residents of the following states only: Illinois