Kane County animal control unveils online tag portal, clinics and wins approval to replace worn van

Kane County animal control on Wednesday described recent donations and facility improvements, rolled out an online tag-payment portal and announced upcoming vaccine and microchip clinics, then secured committee approval to begin replacing a heavily used support van.

The presentation by animal control staffer Brett highlighted two previously approved resolutions—25-009, which funded a dog water fountain, and 25-468, which paid for a cover to protect the dog unit. Brett said conservation partners and a landscape contractor (Ratliff) will add native plants to the facility’s front to make the area more welcoming.

"We received in December another donation…we passed resolution 25-468 to put in a cover now over said dog unit," Brett said, describing work that staff said should improve both aesthetic and shelter-useability.

Brett described a newly launched online payments portal that lets residents pay for tags and download vaccination certificates immediately via a "download your certificate now" button added the night before. The portal will later allow veterinary hospitals to remit payments directly to the county. "It was actually tested last night, worked beautifully," Brett said.

Committee members asked operational questions about tags and vet remittances. When asked whether three-year rabies vaccinations allow for a three-year tag, Brett confirmed the county issues three-year tags when the vaccine is three-year. He also explained that vet hospitals currently mail certificates and checks to the county; the portal aims to reduce that administrative lag.

Brett invited members and residents to two upcoming events: the first vaccine clinic of the year (Saturday, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.) and a microchip clinic in Carpentersville offering 50 free microchips for the first 50 Carpentersville residents who verify residency.

The committee then considered authorization to begin a four-year phased vehicle replacement for animal control, starting with a van Brett said has about 180,000 miles and intermittent climate-control failures. Brett recommended replacing it with an all-wheel-drive gasoline van, explaining that facility and staff logistics make electric vehicles infeasible at present because the county cannot easily equip every employee’s home with charging infrastructure. "Our facility is not set up to hold electric vehicles…we have staff that have to take home vehicles," Brett said.

Sanchez moved to authorize the vehicle purchase; the motion passed on a roll-call vote. Brett noted the purchase will proceed through the administration committee before reaching the county board, per routing protocols.

The committee’s approval begins a staggered replacement plan: one support vehicle per year for four years, prioritizing vans that carry multiple animals and supplies. The committee did not set purchase dates beyond the authorization and will follow standard procurement and administrative routing.

What happens next: the vehicle authorization will advance to the administration committee for review before county board consideration; staff said they expect continued reporting to the public-health committee as procurement proceeds.