Will County Board Meeting | November 2025

Article Summary: The Village of Frankfort has entered into a two-year agreement with Will County Animal Protection Services to handle calls regarding bats and dangerous wild animals. The deal standardizes costs for the village, setting flat rates for call-outs to remove animals that pose a public safety risk.

Frankfort Wildlife Agreement Key Points:

• Scope of Service: The County will respond to calls within Frankfort for bats located in living spaces and for “dangerous animals” (such as non-indigenous big cats, wolves, or reptiles) in possession of an owner.

• The Cost: Frankfort will pay the County $200 for standard wildlife callouts (Monday – Friday) and $300 for dangerous animal call-outs.

• After-Hours Rates: Fees increase for nights, weekends, and holidays, rising to $350 for wildlife and $500 for dangerous animals.

• Limitations: The agreement does not cover general nuisance wildlife (like raccoons in trash cans) unless they have bitten a human or pet and are already contained.

FRANKFORT – Residents in Frankfort dealing with bats in their homes or exotic animal threats will now be served by Will County Animal Protection Services under a new intergovernmental agreement authorized Thursday.

The Will County Board approved the contract, which runs from September 1, 2025, through September 1, 2027. The agreement clarifies exactly when the County will step in to assist Village police and how much it will cost local taxpayers.

Under the terms of the deal, Will County officers will respond to Frankfort for “Emergency Calls,” specifically defined as bats found in the living space of a residence or wild mammals that have bitten a human or companion animal and are currently contained. The county will also respond to reports of “dangerous animals,” defined as non-indigenous species like lions, wolves, alligators, or venomous reptiles.

The Village of Frankfort will be billed monthly for these services. Standard weekday responses are priced at $200 per wildlife incident. However, if county officers respond and the call is cancelled, the Village will still be charged a $50 fee.

The agreement explicitly notes that general “sick or injured wildlife” calls will continue to be referred to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources or private trappers, keeping the county’s focus strictly on public health and safety threats.