January 8, 2010

Embattled Bloomingdale pet shelter close to giving up animals

By Jake Griffin Daily Herald Staff
Published: 1/9/2010 12:00 AM

Scores of animals being held at a controversial shelter in Bloomingdale that recently lost its state license could be relocated soon to new shelters.
A DuPage County judge ordered the operators of Pet Rescue at 151 N. Bloomingdale Road to return Jan. 19 with an agreement to find new shelters for the animals being kept there. The state took away the shelter's license in November following years of complaints by former clients and volunteers that the two women operating the shelter were hoarding animals and providing improper care. Neither woman was in court Friday.
The women, Pet Rescue President Dale Armon and director Penny Horak, are facing a series of lawsuits, including one filed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Madigan sued Armon in September after accusing her of spending at least $70,000 of the nonprofit group's funds for personal use since 2007.
For example, the lawsuit alleges, Armon paid her Cook County property tax bill for a house in Berkeley in 2008 with shelter assets. Authorities accused her of improperly spending more funds at restaurants, stores and motels in the Hebron, Woodstock and Lake Geneva areas.
Armon, 75, also lives rent free in a Pet Rescue-owned home in Hebron, the suit states.
The shelter is also facing having its special-use permit revoked by Bloomingdale. A plan commission hearing is also scheduled for the evening of Jan. 19. Village Administrator Dan Wennerholm said now that the shelter no longer has a state license it is in violation of the permit. The village had talked of revoking the permit a year ago, but the issue never made it to a hearing. Wennerholm didn't know when the village board would take up the matter if revocation is recommended by the commission.