COOK COUNTY, Ill. — As intense heat heads for the Chicago area the South Suburban Humane Society is asking for the public’s help to keep its animals safe.
There are roughly 75 dogs and about 120 cats inside of the Humane Society’s Matteson shelter near Adams Street and Central Avenue, putting the shelter over capacity, with animals in crates and offices. The site’s air conditioner is also having trouble keeping up amid the extreme heat.
“So we are completely overwhelmed,” Emily Klehm, South Suburban Humane Society CEO said. “We are completely full. Every single kennel and cage is full here in our Matteson animal shelter. Plus we have dogs in crates, in offices, just everywhere.”
Klehm says dogs and cats of all breeds and ages at the Humane Society need help.
A dramatic rise in strays being brought in and the extreme heat is also causing issues at their Homewood location, near 183rd Street and Homewood Avenue.
“Our Homewood adoption center is an old building and the air conditioning just can’t keep up when it’s these extreme temperatures. So we’re trying to move as many pets out of there as possible through foster homes,” Klehm said.
The Humane Society is looking to pair the animals for at least the next couple of days, and the shelter says it will provide all the essentials to care for the animals, like food and a crate.
“If you want to help us through this crisis over the next few days, great. If you might want to foster for a couple of weeks, maybe even fall in love and you want to foster to adopt, we’re really open to any situation,” Klehm said.
According to Klehm, the shelter has taken in more strays than usual this year, and while they have scrambled to accommodate, she says fostering for even a few days could greatly help.
“We’re just putting out a huge plea to the community,” Klehm said.
Anyone interested in fostering a pet can visit the Humane Society’s website or stop by a shelter for details.
For those who would like to adopt, the Humane Society is waiving all adoption fees through the weekend.
