Volunteers accuse Multnomah County Animal Services of delayed care and question use of Dolly’s Fund after several dog deaths

Several volunteers and community members used the public‑comment period at the Oct. 31 Multnomah County Board of Commissioners meeting to allege delayed medical care, inadequate behavioral support and questionable spending decisions at Multnomah County Animal Services (MCAS).

Testimony recounted three individual animals by name: Freckles (a puppy found in August 2025), Velma (a seized rottweiler) and Meatball (a large adult rottweiler reported ill in late August and euthanized Oct. 17, 2025). Speakers described progressive medical symptoms, repeated episodes of vomiting and lethargy, delayed veterinary examination and recommended transfers to emergency hospitals (cited repeatedly as DoveLewis). Volunteers said they requested transfer and emergency diagnostics but that transfers did not occur; Meatball’s notes were cited as documenting repeated vomiting beginning Aug. 30 and that he was not seen by a veterinarian until Oct. 7, with X‑rays and bloodwork days later. Testimony said Meatball was euthanized on Oct. 17 and that the stated cause was a "severe illness beyond the shelter's ability to treat," while volunteers maintain earlier transfer to a veterinary emergency hospital could have produced a different outcome.

Speakers questioned why Dolly's Fund — a restricted donations account established to pay for animal medical needs — has a substantial balance. Testimony cited public records releases showing a fund balance above $692,000 (later testimony referenced a figure above $703,000) and questioned why the county was not using that account to pay for emergency treatment or diagnostics. Volunteers said they found at least one payroll entry charged to Dolly's Fund; they requested the county explain whether that expense met the fund’s spending criteria. Several speakers called for MCAS to maintain in‑house medical escalation and behaviorist capacity rather than relying heavily on untrained volunteers to provide behavior modification or clinical escalation.

Commissioners acknowledged receipt of requests and staff indicated they would circulate a chart of fund spend‑down and follow up with MCAS to provide information to the board. Chair Vicky Peterson said staff had already pulled initial spend‑down charts and would make them available to the board.

The comments did not result in a board vote. The board committed to follow up with MCAS staff to provide a factual accounting of Dolly's Fund expenditures and to return findings to the board and public.