Montgomery County officials told the Public Safety Committee on Nov. 10 that the Office of Animal Services (OAS) has implemented a majority of reforms recommended in a 2023 Maddie's Million Pet Challenge (MMPC) report but is confronting growing operational pressure and staff burnout.

Logan Anbinder, who delivered the staff briefing, said OAS has addressed 52 of 80 MMPC recommendations, with 8 items in progress and 20 yet to be addressed. "Table 1 on the top of page 2 of your staff report provides this breakdown," Anbinder said. He listed reasons some recommendations remain incomplete, including cost (six items), a finding that an item was not best practice (one), legal or state-jurisdiction constraints (three), and other causes for the remainder.

Anbinder and agency leaders emphasized that the shelter's service volume is growing: total services rose about 6% from FY2024 to FY2025, and the shelter recorded 3,120 adoptions in FY2025, a 21% increase from the prior year. The shelter's 30-day return rate is 5.5%, below the national average cited in the briefing (10%). At the same time, owner surrenders have increased substantially; staff reported a 41% rise in surrenders, which now represent roughly 36% of domestic animal intake.

"We're sitting on the bottom of a tsunami that hasn't even hit us yet," Caroline Herefield, Executive Director of the Office of Animal Services, said, describing how rising surrenders and limited capacity are creating "moral injury" and emotional strain for staff. Herefield warned that if demand continues to outpace resources, the shelter will face "hard, hard, hard decisions" about animal care and capacity.

Staffing shortfalls were a focal point. OAS is currently authorized for 15 animal care attendant (ACA) positions; Anbinder said applying the MMPC staffing formula to current shelter numbers would indicate a need for at least 24 ACAs. "It's a big investment for Montgomery County," Anbinder said, and he urged the committee to consider a transparent, prioritized request so the county executive and council can evaluate budget choices.

Committee members pressed staff for detail on what to prioritize. Council members and staff discussed combining adoption counselors and foster teams, hiring a second foster rescue coordinator and expanding volunteer recruitment to increase foster placements and reduce shelter burden. Staff said an appointment-based surrender system, counseling and a "home-to-home" rehoming database have helped prevent some surrenders, and that reinstating or expanding temporary "safe keep" options depends on available foster capacity.

The committee did not take formal action at the session. Members thanked staff, asked for a prioritized list of staffing and program needs (including what would be required to add a second foster coordinator), and encouraged continued outreach for volunteers and private funding. The meeting adjourned with members requesting follow-up on staffing priorities and safe-keep capacity.