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PACT is a Leader in the Companion Animal Welfare Movement

In the 8 years since its inception, under the leadership of Cherie Travis, PACT Humane Society has become the leading force in the Chicago area advancing animal welfare, particularly toward ending euthanasia at municipal facilities and advocating TNR for feral cats by actively seeking to change local and county ordinances.

Aggressive Spay/Neuter Program

All private, no-kill shelters can continue rescuing animals from municipal shelters until the day we die and NEVER solve the problem.   The problem is that too many unwanted cats and dogs are being BORN.   The only way to stop the senseless killing of animals in shelters is to prevent unwanted births through aggressive spay/neuter efforts.

 

PACT runs a twice-monthly spay/neuter clinics in partnership with PAWS Chicago performing free spay/neuter for those who cannot afford low-cost spay/neuter.    To date, we have sterilized 3,000 cats.  These include cats rescued from hoarders as well as feral cats, cats belonging to elderly people, and to other rescue groups.  Cherie Travis regularly recruits volunteer veterinarians, veterinary technicians as well as non-skilled volunteers to run these clinics.   PAWS Chicago generously donates the use of their facility and surgical supplies.

 

PACT also insures that all animals we adopt out are spayed or neutered BEFORE going to their new home.

Local Municipal Shelters

In addition to regularly rescuing animals slated for euthanasia at the following open admission municipal shelters, PACT offers partnership and shares ideas toward:

  • reducing overpopulation and euthanasia,

  • increasing adoptions by:

  • extending open invitations to PACT Adoption Counselor training sessions—have been attended by 4 other organizations—other organizations marvel at how we adopt out 13-year old cats and we want to share our strategy, and

  • sponsoring or supporting their adoption events
  • improving their image in the community, thereby encouraging adoptions & volunteering

Chicago Animal Care & Control, Chicago, IL

  • PACT arranged over 25 volunteers to staff Chicago Animal Care & Control's adopt-a-thon weekend event in August 2003 and advertised the event on our web site
  • Since their budget does not allow for advertising, PACT has paid for ad space in the “Chicago Tribune” promoting adoptions from their facility

DuPage County Animal Care & Control, Wheaton, IL

  • PACT has secured support of DuPage County Board members to reduce euthanasia at County Animal Control, met with the director several times to provide suggestions to make DuPage County “no kill”, and to increase the number of other no-kills who rescue from their facility.  Efforts are ongoing.
  • PACT President, Cherie Travis, wrote an article for Chicagoland Tails promoting volunteerism at DuPage County Animal Care & Control.

DeWitt County Animal Care & Control, Clinton, IL

  • PACT has made suggestions to the director regarding ways to improve their image with a few, inexpensive cosmetic changes to the facility.
  • Offered strategies to increase the number of animals saved by recruiting foster homes.
  • Offered to co-sponsor a visit by a mobile Spay/Neuter van, to reduce the staggering number of stray and free-roaming cats and dogs in Clinton, IL.

Prairieland Anti-Cruelty, Champaign, IL

  • Suggested ways to enlist the University of Illinois Veterinary Medical School students to provide low-cost services.
  • Offered suggestions to increase foster homes.

Local City Councils

PACT has addressed the city councils in the following suburbs to educate the residents & officials about the plight of feral cats, the companion animal overpopulation problem, the benefits of TNR, and extended an offer to start TNR programs in their towns:

We also were invited to address the West Central Municipal Conference (consists of 37 west suburban mayors) in September 2003 on the issue of humane population control of feral cats.

 

Awards

  • In December 2005, Cherie Travis was awarded the "Citizen Initiative Award" from the Citizen Advocacy Center in Elmhurst, IL, which stated:   "Ms. Cherie Travis received the award for her persistence in bringing accountability and oversight to the DuPage County Animal Control Department. The County not only lied and refused to respond to FOIA requests, but threatened harassment charges against Ms. Travis.  Undeterred, Ms. Travis convinced the Department of Agriculture, the State agency that oversees Animal Control, to conduct its own investigation of Animal Control policies and practices. Ms. Travis also recruited three major newspapers to cover the systemic problems at the agency.  The result was an overhaul in the system." 
     

  • On October 16, 2004, PACT's President, Cherie Travis, was selected Runner-Up for Alley Cat Allies' National Feral Cat Day "Activist of the Year Award" for her advocacy on behalf of feral cats.

Networking with other Organizations

  • PACT is extremely networked with other organizations. We are members (and PACT President, Cherie Travis serves on the Advisory Board) of The Chicagoland Stray Cat Coalition, a network of over 100 individuals and groups committed to humane population control (Trap-Neuter-Return or TNR) of feral cats. 

  • We are also very involved in the No More Homeless Pets Coalition and the Chicago Animal Shelter Alliance (CASA). 

  • Cherie Travis serves as Chairman of the Chicago Bar Association's Animal Law Committee.

  • Cherie Travis is Co-Vice Chair of Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart's Partners Against Animal Cruelty Task Force.