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Animal control outlines wildfire pet-shelter response and volunteer gains over summer
Summary
Animal control reported emergency pet sheltering during June and July wildfire events (shelter activations June 21–30 and July 3–11), with 353 staff hours and 145 CERT volunteer hours; staff also described volunteer recruitment, foster metrics and increased stray and drop-off intakes, especially cats.
Animal control staff told the commission that the borough activated emergency pet sheltering twice during this summer’s wildfire season and leaned heavily on volunteers and CERT to staff operations.
Animal control manager Sandy (Sandra) Hill said the largest responses were for the Himalaya Road Fire, the Aggie Creek Fire and the Nana Complex Fire. The first shelter stood up shortly before the June solstice (June 21–30) and reopened for July 3–11; Hill said staff logged roughly 353 staff hours and 145 volunteer hours from CERT during those activations. The borough used the Emergency Operations Building as an alternate site because the fairgrounds’ vaccine requirements and blackout dates made rapid use of that facility impractical.
Kimberly, animal control program staff, reviewed staffing and program updates: two admissions clerk positions were filled, animal tender recruitments remain open, a revised volunteer manual was issued, and orientations and joint community trainings (dog body language) are planned. Monthly volunteer and foster figures were shared: May — 110.5 volunteer hours and 27 foster animals; June — 159 volunteer hours and 28 foster animals; July — 89 volunteer hours and 30 foster animals (not including CERT hours).
Shelter activity jumped in July, Kimberly said: May intakes included 67 strays and 121 owner surrenders; June saw 75 strays and 93 surrenders; July had 100 strays and 81 surrenders with increased drop-off-cage use. Commissioners asked about euthanasia-for-space numbers; Kimberly reported four in May, nine in June and zero in July.
The department will hold an after-action review later in August to identify improvements for next year and continue volunteer recruitment through CERT and community outreach events.
What happens next: staff will provide the commission with any after-action findings and continue to refine volunteer and foster use for capacity management.
