Overview
- Mayor Brandon Johnson has appointed Susan Cappello as permanent executive director, with a committee review expected before a March 18 full council vote.
- Alds. Gilbert Villegas and Ruth Cruz, with 15 colleagues signing on, are pressing for a nationwide search and have asked the mayor to start it by April 1.
- Leaders from PAWS Chicago, the Anti-Cruelty Society and Tree House Humane Society praised Cappello’s collaborative approach at a Thursday news conference.
- Supporters cite improved outcomes, including what PAWS officials say was a record year in 2025 for animals leaving the shelter alive through adoptions, transfers and reunifications.
- PAWS will expand on-site owner support at the Little Village shelter from five to six days a week this month and seven by summer, as intake has climbed from 13,419 in 2023 to 18,337 in 2025 and the city adds more than $600,000 to a roughly $7.5 million budget.