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Ottawa Vet Clinic’s planned closure prompts countywide animal‑control planning; committee discusses short‑ and long‑term options
Summary
Ottawa Vet Clinic’s pending closure and planned sale of its building leaves Ottawa and other LaSalle County municipalities without a primary facility for stray and quarantine animals, prompting county officials to seek short‑term holding solutions and to consider longer term options including leases or a new shelter.
Ottawa Police and LaSalle County animal‑control officials told the Public Safety Committee that Ottawa Vet Clinic will close and that the county must find alternative housing for stray and quarantine animals before the clinic stops accepting county animals.
Mike Cheatham, chief of police for the Ottawa Police Department, said the clinic on Clinton Street notified the city that it would close, removing a long‑used local partner that handled strays and quarantine kennels. “We were able to find a vet clinic who was willing to accept our strays… we’ve come to find just late last week, notification from them that they’ll be closing,” Cheatham said.
Captain Kyle Boris of the Ottawa Police Department said he spoke with the building owner and reported the owner told him July 1 would be the clinic’s last day of operation and that the owner planned to sell the building; Boris added that June 20 is the last day Ottawa PD or the county can take animals to that clinic. “July 1 is the last day that they will be in operation… The June 20 is the last day that we at Ottawa PD or even the county can take any animals to them,” Boris said.
Officials said the closure will affect multiple municipalities; Ottawa Vet Clinic currently accepts animals from Ottawa, Peru, Marseilles, Utica and other nearby jurisdictions. Chief Cheatham said Ottawa typically bills the clinic monthly, generally about $50 per animal per stay, and that the number of stray calls varies seasonally — with summer months producing more intake. Committee members were told Ottawa Vet Clinic has about 10 runs (kennels) and that there have been recent days when the clinic was full.
County and municipal speakers, as well as representatives from local animal‑welfare providers, discussed short‑term and long‑term responses. Chris (representing IVAR) said local providers already operate near capacity: “She could build 50 more kennels and still have the same issue,” Chris said, describing persistent intake pressure. The committee discussed options including formalizing agreements with nearby clinics, leasing or purchasing an existing facility (several buildings near Ottawa were noted as candidates), expanding county facilities or creating a joint county‑city shelter. One speaker who operates a local shelter described current payroll and operating costs and urged that compensation for labor be part of any plan.
Committee members proposed forming a task force or convening key stakeholders to develop an immediate plan and longer term strategy. Ray said liability, staffing and intergovernmental agreements must be examined before the county commits to leasing or operating a facility. “I think there’s some questions that need to be answered just to protect the county,” he said.
Short‑term options discussed included: formalizing a written agreement with an existing provider to house a small number of animals; using temporary holding kennels for up to 24 hours while officers post lost‑pet notices; and exploring rental or lease arrangements with existing clinics or private facilities. Long‑term options discussed included leasing the Ottawa Vet Clinic building, purchasing or leasing another facility, or building a county‑owned shelter — with officials estimating a multi‑year timeline for constructing new facilities.
Officials said staffing would be a significant constraint. Animal‑control staff said the unit is understaffed and already working overtime; any leased or county‑operated facility would require dedicated staff for intake, cleaning, feeding and administrative duties. Committee members and speakers agreed that a short‑term working group should be formed immediately to build options for the committee and county board to consider before the clinic stops accepting animals.
The committee accepted the animal control report and approved routine bills at the meeting. No formal decision to lease or purchase a facility was made; the discussion concluded with agreement to meet again and to convene key stakeholders for a planning session.
