By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – “Comptroller’s Critters” is a pet project of Illinois comptroller Susana Mendoza, though the late comptroller and treasurer Judy Baar Topinka started it. Four dogs visited Mendoza’s tent at the Illinois State Fair Tuesday for an “adopt-a-pet” event.
“The program saves money,” said Kim Howard, a spokeswoman for the comptroller’s office. “One, it saves you money, because if you are adopting from a shelter, quite often the dogs are fully up to date on their shots, they’ve been spayed or neutered, and it’s a nominal or very reasonable fee. And two, it saves taxpayers, because (fewer) dogs on the street means less animal control costs.”
Springfield-based WILD – Women in Love with Dogs – is Mendoza’s partner for the annual event. WILD founder and president Jill Egizii says there’s a recent influx of dogs. “Part of it is economy-driven,” she said. “The other part is lack of commitment by owners under forty, who are turning in their dogs because they’ve learned that everything is disposable. Economy does play a big part of it – people losing their homes and moving into apartments that won’t take their animals – but lack of commitment is my Number One reason.”
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]
