Speakers urge Multnomah County to reinstate animal enrichment roles cut from FY2027 proposal

At the morning meeting, three public commenters pressed the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners to restore animal‑enrichment positions that the Chair's FY2027 proposed budget would eliminate.

Polly Wheeler said the budget "eliminates the shelter's only animal enrichment programs" and argued audits from 2016 and 2018 flagged inadequate staffing and lack of enrichment. "Animal enrichment saves lives, improves quality of life, reduces suffering, and improves adoption rates," Wheeler said, urging commissioners to reinstate funding and to prioritize direct animal‑care staff over administrative reductions.

Julie Costanzo, a four‑year volunteer at Multnomah County Animal Services (MCAS), described busy dog‑walking shifts and limited volunteer capacity. She cited volunteer statistics and warned that relying on volunteers leaves dogs insufficiently exercised and increases quarantine and euthanasia risks. "By far the most humane benefit I've seen at the shelter is increased enrichment in dog playgroups," Costanzo said.

Anna Aziskhan noted that the enrichment program was created in response to audit recommendations and said the budget description that the program "relies heavily on a robust volunteer network" is inaccurate; she presented volunteer‑hours records and estimated volunteers provide about 23 minutes per eligible dog per day — far less than staff‑led enrichment provides. She said the proposal would cut three enrichment staff positions and that the program had measurable positive impacts since its 2023 establishment.

The commenters requested that any necessary reductions target administrative layers rather than front‑line animal‑care positions. Board members acknowledged the testimony; no formal decision on MCAS funding was taken at the meeting and the budget remains under review ahead of scheduled hearings and deliberations.