PAWS Chicago, a no-kill animal shelter, will need about $300,000 to remodel and operate the shelter plus pay for medical services and employee salaries at the Petco location.
"The Planning Commission's approval is contingent on several conditions, among them that there be no special sales of animals that can be considered to be predatory or environmentally hazardous, or are related to specific holidays, such as bunnies or chicks for Easter", reported Donald Liebenson in the Chicago Tribune.
Founded in 1997, Paula Fasseas, founder and chair of PAWS Chicago said their mission is "to solve the problem of overpopulation of homeless animals by not only adoption but also providing free spaying and neuter services for low-income family pets."
Lance Schwimmer, vice president of regional operations and a member of the board of directors of Petco Foundation, an animal welfare charity, said "The opportunity to add an adoption center in the Highland Park store provides more exposure for homeless animals and more opportunities for people in the community who are looking for companion animals." The foundation works with more than 8,000 local animal welfare groups across the country to find homes for homeless animals.
This sounds like a win/win situation that hopefully more Petco stores will adopt.