Hitchcock Road Animal Services unveils first strategic plan, vows more outreach and data

Hitchcock Road Animal Services presented its first strategic plan to the Salinas City Council on Feb. 3, with administrator Cindy Burnham outlining three goals: improve intake and live-release outcomes, expand community engagement and volunteer capacity, and secure sustainable funding and facility upgrades.

Burnham said the plan grew from stakeholder interviews, a SWOT analysis and a short, roughly six-month planning timeline led by Raymond Associates. Key performance measures identified include average length of stay by species, live release rate (adoptions, owner returns, transfers), and euthanasia counts. Burnham said the shelter is refining metrics and improving transparency via its website and social channels.

The presentation highlighted recent operational work: a spay/neuter clinic that performed 189 surgeries in a three-day period with funding and partnership support, expansion of volunteer coordination (over 90 monthly volunteers), and community-facing activities. Burnham also described efforts to expand low-cost veterinary access and potential partnerships to increase critical-care capacity.

Council members asked about revenue and enforcement authorities; Burnham said licensing fees and adoption/permit fees are the main revenue streams and that the new “Friends” group will pursue grants. She said the shelter is open for community off-site adoption events and noted barriers to access, such as transit to the Hitchcock Road site. Council and staff discussed recruitment and retention challenges and the 20-year-old facility’s space constraints.

Next steps: Burnham said the JPA (joint powers authority) will implement the plan over a three-year review cycle, seek partnerships and pursue funding opportunities to improve facility capacity and staff recruitment. The council thanked staff and volunteers and acknowledged the plan’s emphasis on data-driven outcomes.