Kane County Animal Control seeks to expand mission
GENEVA Most of the duties performed by Kane County Animal Control dont attract the level of media attention it got this month when Administrator Robert Sauceda led the efforts to move nearly 100 animals from an impounded petting zoo.
The event spurred an outpouring of support that included dozens of volunteers and donations of various supplies, resources and money.
Kane County Board member T.R. Smith, R-Maple Park, said last week he liked that Animal Control set the precedent that it will help all animals and not just cats and dogs, like it had in the past.
This, he said, has really shown the public what we can do.
Sauceda agreed that the situation with the petting zoo animals demonstrated what his department is capable of and what its goal and mission is going forward.
This was a turning point for us, Sauceda said.
Since joining Animal Control last year he started as billing manager before the County Board named him interim administrator in November Sauceda has maintained the departments main role of preventing rabies while finding more ways to involve the community with his agency and better promote what it does.
People think were just animal control, he said.
Sauceda said he is seeking County Board approval to change the departments name to Kane County Animal Care and Control to better reflect its responsibilities, which include running a shelter for animals up for adoption.
Cats and dogs are mainstays at the shelter, but Animal Control also gets other species, including goats, bunnies, snakes and turtles, Sauceda said. In February, he said, police notified Animal Control of a potbellied pig that was dropped off at a meat packing plant. She was rescued last week by a farm in southern Illinois, Sauceda said.
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Kane County Animal Control seeks to expand mission