Mayor Rahm Emanuel today named Kelley Gandurski Acting Executive Director for the Commission on Animal Care and Control (CACC), effective immediately. Gandurski replaces Susan Russell; Gandurski will serve until a permanent Executive Director is named.

“Animal Care and Control has two critical missions - to provide quality, humane care to animals and to ensure the safety of our residents, said Mayor Emanuel. “I'm proud to announce Kelley Gandurski will serve as the Acting Director of Animal Care & Control, and I know she will ensure both of those critical missions are fulfilled while ensuring the department's operations are uninterrupted. I want to thank Ms. Russell for her service to Chicago."

Gandurski previously served as CACC's Deputy Director and General Counsel. Prior to that, she worked for the Chicago Department of Law, where she was most recently a Supervising Senior Counsel in the Legal Information and Prosecutions Division, where she supervised the city's misdemeanor branch court cases and administrative review matters. She also worked closely with prosecutions, defense of prosecutions and drafting and reviewing ordinances for CACC. She has volunteered her time at various animal rescue groups, fostering dogs and assisting in fundraising activities.

Gandurski earned her bachelor's degree from Saint Joseph's College and her juris doctorate from DePaul University College of Law. She lives in the West Loop neighborhood.

CACC is an open admission shelter that takes in approximately 20,000 animals each year, focusing on increasing live outcomes and ensuring the health and safety of all animals under its temporary care. CACC continues to enhance adoption programs, simplify pet returns to owners and maximize transfers to rescues to further increase live outcomes of dogs and cats that are least likely to be adopted.

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