DuPage Animal Friends approves veterinary contract, reports 94% live-release rate; staff outlines avian-flu precautions

DuPage Animal Friends’ board approved a contract for veterinary services and several grant appropriations and heard an administrative update that the shelter ended 2024 with a 94% live-release rate.

Laura Winnie, communications and outreach coordinator for DuPage Animal Friends, told trustees that the shelter “ended 2024 with a 94% live release rate.” She said intake declined in 2024, with the shelter admitting “just shy of 1,815 animals,” and that the organization added field-investigation and field-call totals to its publicly posted statistics.

The board voted to approve a procurement contract with Turner Vet Services for $25,005.17 to cover mobile veterinary services. Staff described the contract as covering the mobile veterinary vehicle’s March-through-November season and said the work funded under the contract primarily supports cat surgeries performed through the mobile unit. Staff said the shelter’s annual number of surgeries can vary and estimated it handles “anywhere from 500 to 800 surgeries” in some years.

In addition to the veterinary contract, the board approved three appropriations: an unrestricted $50,000 grant to DuPage Animal Friends, a $5,000 appropriation to a foundation coordinator (purpose not specified in the record), and acceptance of interest earned equal to $0.43. Each motion carried after voice votes; the meeting record shows “Aye” and “Motion carries” but does not list individual vote tallies or movers.

Winnie described steps the shelter has taken to address avian influenza risk. She said veterinarian Dr. Twardak drafted an intake protocol for birds, staff are using new isolation spaces in the renovated facility, and staff have tested some incoming birds; so far, “nothing has tested positive.” She told the board that intake staff are screening birds on arrival and using personal protective equipment and isolation when symptoms appear.

Winnie also described operational changes tied to the facility renovation: a separate intake entrance to limit contact between incoming animals and general populations, and newly available isolation spaces. She said the shelter is coordinating with Feral Fixers for community trap-neuter-return work and that the mobile surgery vehicle allows operations to be carried out at Feral Fixers’ location when appropriate to keep those cats segregated from the shelter’s general population.

On volunteer and community engagement, staff outlined several upcoming events and plans: a volunteer appreciation open house on April 19, the Raise the Woof gala on April 25, a tentative public grand-opening on June 7, and participation in Giving DuPage on May 1. Staff said volunteer recruitment postings are on the shelter website for positions such as cat-condo cleaning partners, small-mammal socialization, and front-desk greeters.

Board members and staff discussed outreach to local police departments. Staff said the shelter will host a police-department field service workshop in March that covered return-in-the-field practices, animal cruelty investigations and wildlife complaints, and that the workshop will include a field-service kit (microchip scanner and supplies) as an incentive. Staff noted some municipalities have shifted animal drop-off responsibilities and discussed differing municipal fee structures for stray drop-offs.

The board also discussed a microchip-registry issue: staff presented notice that a registry called Save This Life reportedly went bankrupt; staff said they will include guidance in the March newsletter and social media about how pet owners can look up where a microchip is registered and that a free national microchip lookup site exists. Staff advised owners to check their microchip registration because a defunct registry can leave a chip unlinked to owner contact data.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes for the Jan. 21 meeting — motion carried (voice vote; individual tallies not specified). - Approval of procurement contract with Turner Vet Services, $25,005.17 — approved (voice vote; details on mover/second not specified). - Acceptance of unrestricted grant, $50,000 — approved (voice vote; purpose described as general support). - Appropriation to foundation coordinator, $5,000 — approved (voice vote; purpose not specified). - Acceptance of interest earned, $0.43 — approved (voice vote).

Why it matters: The board’s decisions secure the mobile veterinary services that support high-volume spay/neuter work and confirm recent investments in facility renovations and isolation capability, both of which affect public-health risk management (avian influenza screening and isolation) and the shelter’s ability to resume expanded volunteer programming. Staff’s disclosure of a 94% live-release rate and intake statistics provides a data point for policymaking and public fundraising.

Next steps and staff direction: Staff said they will continue outreach to police departments about the March workshop, publish microchip-registration guidance in the March newsletter and on social media, continue retraining staff and volunteers as renovated space becomes fully operational, and move toward the tentative June 7 public opening.