Wild Animals Sold in Lincolnwood- a disturbing misuse of power
Who is Spur?
Spur is a giant African sulcata tortoise who has lived on display-only for over 35 years inside a hard, tiled cell.
She is repeatedly observed attempting to escape — pushing against walls, pacing, trying to climb, falling, and showing clear signs of distress.
In the wild, sulcata tortoises walk up to 10 miles a day, digging, grazing, and roaming vast open land. Spur has been denied every one of these natural behaviors.
Spur is not an exception. She was forced into a system that treats living beings as merchandise. She is not a product. She is a sentient being — and her suffering is ongoing.
The Law is on Spur's side. Village officials... are not.
Cook County has humane ordinances to prevent the sale and confinement of wildlife and certain animals in commercial settings. These protections exist to reduce cruelty, public-health risks, abandonment, and environmental harm.
The Village of Lincolnwood has the authority to align with these protections. Village officials have also acknowledged that enforcement has been waived by choice — not because of a lack of power
Laws
Why This Matters to the Community
This issue is not just about animals — it affects people, too. Enforcing animal-protection laws help:
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Reduce the risk of zoonotic disease
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Prevent injuries from frightened or mishandled animals
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Lower abandonment rates and shelter overcrowding
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Protect local ecosystems from non-native species
Preventing predictable harm is part of responsible, community-centered governance.
Why hasn’t this issue been resolved by officials?
Village officials have the authority to revisit this issue and enforce existing standards. This is a matter of leadership and enforcement.
Is this about banning pets or limiting choice?
No. Residents can still adopt small animals from shelters and licensed rescues. This is about preventing harm caused by unregulated, profit-driven retail sales.
Why focus on animals when people are suffering?
Compassion isn’t a competition. These protections exist because animal exploitation often creates human consequences — public-health risks, environmental damage, and long-term community costs.
Animals With Complex Needs
Unsuitable for Confinement
Many animals sold in pet stores are wild species, or derived from wild stock, with complex physical and psychological needs that cannot be met in captivity.
Both wild and domestic animals sold in pet stores are:
• being bred or sourced irresponsibly
• sold to anyone with a credit card
• being maimed
• being dumped at and filling shelters and rescues
• confined to cages (often for their entire lives)
• being abandoned outdoors where they have 0 defenses
This is why thoughtful, informed adoption is essential for animal protection.
So many wrongs. One simple solution. Enforce humane law.
These photos have all been taken at The Animal Store.
The Simple Solution
The Mayor and Trustees of Lincolnwood re-vote in alignment with Cook County's humane laws.
Spur’s suffering is not inevitable. Enforcing humane law is not radical.
It is responsible governance.
Confinement doesn’t only limit movement — it causes chronic stress, illness, and trauma.
Lincolnwood Issues a Statement
In rebuttal, the Village’s issued this statement: “Sale of Exotic Animals in the Village”
Its own statement makes clear that this is not a matter of legal limitation—it is a matter of choice. The Village has the laws, discretion, and authority to act, yet it has chosen to waive enforcement.
Below, we address each of their excuses.
1: “The Village is not violating the law”
The issue is not whether the Village can waive enforcement — it is whether it should.
The Village openly states that:
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Spur is a “naturally wild animal”
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The Code prohibits keeping naturally wild animals
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The Board chose to waive enforcement for Spur
This confirms that Spur’s continued confinement is the result of a policy decision, not a legal requirement.
The Village is not legally compelled to allow this — it is choosing to.
3: “Spur is the only ‘naturally wild animal’”
This reveals a narrow and flawed interpretation, not a humane one.
Many animals sold in pet stores:
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are wild species or derived from wild stock
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retain complex, non-domestic needs
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suffer in confinement regardless of breeding status
Focusing on definitions rather than outcomes ignores the intent of animal-protection laws: to prevent suffering that predictably occurs in commercial settings.
Ethical governance looks at impact, not just technical classifications.
5: “The Village cannot release Spur”
Advocates are not claiming the Village owns Spur.
They are asking the Village to:
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enforce or reinstate protections
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stop granting exemptions
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require humane outcomes as a condition of operating
Municipal governments routinely regulate:
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what businesses may sell
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under what conditions
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whether exceptions continue
The Village may not own Spur, but it does control whether her confinement is allowed.
7: “Oversight exists through state agencies”
State oversight does not eliminate local responsibility.
The Village:
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issues business licenses
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enforces local code
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grants or revokes exemptions
If state oversight alone were sufficient, local animal-protection laws would not exist at all.
Local authority exists precisely because state oversight is limited.
2: “The Board already reviewed this in 2022”
Past review does not make an issue permanently resolved — especially when harm is ongoing.
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Spur remains confined
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Animals continue to be sold
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Public concern has not gone away
Municipal bodies routinely revisit decisions when:
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community values evolve
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new information becomes available
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ongoing harm persists
The fact that this was discussed once does not eliminate the Board’s responsibility to reconsider it now.
4: “The Village waived enforcement legally”
Yes — and that is precisely the problem.
Home-rule authority is meant to:
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protect residents
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uphold community standards
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prevent harm
It is not meant to be used to create exceptions that allow prolonged suffering for a single business.
Discretion should be used to protect the vulnerable — not exempt them from protection.
6: “Health questions should go to the Illinois Department of Agriculture”
This deflects responsibility rather than addressing welfare.
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IDOA inspections are minimal and infrequent
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“Appears healthy” ≠ humane living conditions
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Physical survival is not the same as well-being
Animal welfare includes:
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space
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enrichment
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freedom of movement
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psychological health
Bare-minimum compliance is not the same as humane care.
8: The biggest contradiction
The Village says:
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it cares about animal welfare
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it reviewed concerns
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it has authority
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it waived enforcement
All of this leads to one conclusion:
The ongoing harm is not accidental — it is being permitted.
How to Help
Lincolnwood officials have the power to prevent continued suffering, rather than permit it. The mayor and trustees of Lincolnwood can align with home-rule authority and the modern humane standards already in place.
You can help by:
1. Calling or emailing the Mayor. Please request a response or a meeting
2. Giving a 3-minute-or-less public comment at Lincolnwood Village Board meetings (1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month)
To: jpatel@lwd.org CC: jhalevi@lwd.org cmartel@lwd.org cklatzco@lwd.org gherrera@lwd.org asargon@lwd.org administration@lwd.org info@allianceforlincolnwood.com info@lincolnwoodchamber.com jan.schakowsky@mail.house.gov info@senatorram.com info@kevinolickal.com Josina.Morita@cookcountyil.gov Chicagoallianceforanimals@gmail.com
Urge The Animal Store to Release Spur to Sanctuary
Subject: Please Allow Spur to Go to Sanctuary
Dear Kenneth Bearman,
Please allow Spur to be transferred to a sanctuary. Desert Oasis Sanctuary in Arizona is ready to receive her, and she is healthy enough to be moved safely. We are committed to raising funds to support her transfer.
We urge you to prioritize her well-being, adopt out other animals in your care, and stop breeding animals for profit. Choosing humane outcomes reflects both responsibility and compassion.
Thank you for considering this.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Phone: 847-675-5133
Email:
Spur@theanimalstore.com
Social:
https://x.com/KennAnimal
https://x.com/Theanimalstore
https://www.instagram.com/the_animal_store
https://www.facebook.com/TheAnimalStorePets
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Voices Dismissed, Harm Continues
Concerned residents and animal welfare advocates from surrounding communities have raised issues about overcrowded shelters, animal abandonment, and other animal welfare concerns originating in Lincolnwood.
Despite these concerns, Lincolnwood officials have not met—nor corresponded with—advocates.
Speakers report that public testimony is deliberately delayed until the end of meetings—after attendees are encouraged to leave—and that portions of audio from recorded town hall meetings were unlawfully censored. In the linked recording of CAA’s July public testimony, the volume has been turned down so low that it is barely audible. This is how community voices are silenced.
Linked to timestamp:
Censored Public Comments
Village Board Meeting June 3, 2025
The Village lacks transparency, but Spur’s unlawful confinement is plainly visible.