Elmhurst, Villa Park and Oakbrook Terrace residents who adopt pets, report strays or need animal control services from DuPage County's shelter in Wheaton will be backed by significantly more money after the county's Finance Committee approved a tenfold funding increase Tuesday, Aug. 11.
The committee voted to raise the DuPage Animal Friends unrestricted grant from $50,000 to $550,000, a $500,000 jump. The funds are unrestricted, meaning the shelter can direct them toward operations, staffing or programs at its discretion.
Committee member Brian Krajewski moved the resolution, seconded by member Sadia Covert. It passed by voice vote.
The approval came after the committee voted to discharge the Animal Services Committee from the item, a procedural step that let the Finance Committee act directly rather than wait for the Animal Services panel to weigh in. Member Sam Tornatore moved that discharge motion, seconded by member Kari Galassi.
The shelter, at 120 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton, serves all DuPage County municipalities. As of May, the facility housed 148 animals and was dealing with a surge in dog intake. A second full-time veterinarian position remained unfilled as of April, according to Animal Services Committee minutes. DuPage Animal Friends raised roughly $280,000 at its May 15 gala at the Marriott Oakbrook and was actively recruiting new board members to expand fundraising.
What the $500,000 will specifically pay for is not spelled out in the resolution. The grant's "unrestricted" designation gives shelter leadership flexibility but offers no public accounting of intended uses.
Villa Park police get surplus county equipment
The Finance Committee also gave final approval to the sale of surplus DuPage County Sheriff's Office inventory to the Village of Villa Park Police Department. Member Lucy Evans moved the resolution; member Yeena Yoo seconded.
Villa Park's police department has lost five officers over the past decade. The Judicial and Public Safety Committee had approved the transfer at its Aug. 4 meeting, and the Finance Committee's vote completes the legislative path. The specific equipment and dollar value of the transfer were not detailed in the meeting minutes.
Clean audit, no material weaknesses
Baker Tilly Managing Director Joe Lightcap presented the county's FY2025 audit at the same meeting. The independent auditors issued an unmodified "clean" opinion on DuPage County's financial statements for the year ended Nov. 30, 2025, and found no material weaknesses in internal controls. The opinion does not cover the DuPage Airport Authority, which is audited separately.
