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PROPOSED MISCELLANEOUS ITEM OF BUSINESS
Department: Law Enforcement Department
Request: Authority to Retire, Donate, and Reimburse Veterinary Expenditures for Canine Officers
Summary: The Forest Preserve District of Cook County (“the Preserves”) has and maintains several canines trained as cadaver-search dogs within the Law Enforcement Department. The Preserves requests authority to retire and transfer ownership of any dog nine (9) years or older, any dog unable to perform the routine duties for medical or other reasons, or any dog that exceeds the recommended maximum number of handlers to the canine’s current or a former handler, or any other organization or individual qualified to care for dogs that have heightened training for law enforcement purposes. Consistent with the recently enacted Illinois Public Act 099-0817, the Police Dog Retirement Act, canines that no longer are fit for public service will be offered to their existing handlers first prior to being considered for donation to any other capable individual or organization.
To facilitate care of these canine officers, the Preserves also seeks approval to set aside up to $3,500 in funds for reimbursement of fifty percent (50%) of any expenditures by the recipient of the donated canine for veterinary care (excluding food, water, vitamins, and nutritional supplements) for each canine officer over the lifetime of the canine.
District(s): Districtwide
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