Montgomery County animal services outlines staffing needs, phased spay-neuter rollout and disease-response lessons

Carolyn Herefield, executive director of the Montgomery County Office of Animal Services (OAS), told the County Council’s public safety work session on Oct. 21 that the shelter is operating beyond its designed capacity and needs both staff and process changes to protect animals and public health.

Herefield said OAS can care for about 4,340 animals under national staffing standards but is projected to handle roughly 5,584 animals this year, creating what she called a daily “capacity for care deficit” of about 25–35% that is driving staff burnout. “We operate around 25 to 35% of a capacity of care deficit every day,” Herefield said, urging a mix of staffing, technology and community programs to close the gap.

The briefing summarized three near-term priorities: secure staffing for veterinary and field operations, launch a limited community sterilization program funded by the council, and lock in disease-control procedures learned during a recent canine influenza outbreak. Logan Anbinder, the staff member who prepared the staff report, said the FY25 funding of an additional veterinary position and other reallocations have already improved turnaround on procedures.

OAS described a phased spay-neuter rollout funded in part by a $125,000 allocation from the county. Herefield said the program will begin with targeted, ZIP-code–based clinics and a small number of appointment slots each week so staff are not overwhelmed. “We will go to different neighborhoods that we know have a problem and start rolling out slowly,” she said, adding the program’s scope will expand only as staffing and community partnerships allow. OAS representatives said the department initially requested $250,000 for equipment and personnel but received funding for roughly half that amount.

Staff highlighted community-facing services: weekly low-cost vaccine clinics (projected about 1,800 vaccinations this year for pets not in OAS custody), a donation-run pet resource center that distributes food and supplies, and partnerships with mobile clinics and voucher programs to reach feral-cat and low-income pet owners. “If we, as a community, can get involved with TNR [trap–neuter–return], that would stop the cats from breeding,” Herefield said.

The presentation reviewed lessons from a recent canine influenza outbreak at the shelter. Spencer Kelly, shelter operations manager, described new operational steps: creating a smaller isolation space, vaccinating animals on intake when staffing allows, and reducing length of stay to lower infection risk. “Vaccinating animals upon intake — even within hours — makes a huge difference,” Kelly said, adding that quicker placement (foster or adoption) also reduces disease exposure.

Council members raised related system concerns. One council member cited U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidance that public-housing authorities generally may not bar tenants from owning pets and asked the committee to examine whether local housing policies are inadvertently driving surrenders. Chair noted ongoing facility issues (HVAC, lighting, fence maintenance) and said the county’s Department of General Services (DGS) has begun a tracking program to address repairs.

Budget and staffing questions were central. Members reviewed positions OAS requested during the budget cycle — including pooled hiring to expedite critical personnel, additional vet technicians and a foster coordinator — and urged the county to avoid filling critical gaps by reallocating staff from other emergency services. “We really need to be getting to a place where there’s 24/7 availability,” one council member said about dispatch coverage, while OAS cautioned that expanding to full 24/7 dispatch would require a substantial fiscal lift.

OAS also reported service improvements tied to a recent outside review: Lex, the OAS deputy director, said the department has implemented more than 40 recommendations from a Maddie’s Fund report, including making adoptions available seven days a week, instituting daily rounds to monitor animal health, creating a foster-on-deck system, and reclassifying certain clinical assessments to speed placements.

No formal committee votes or motions were taken during the work session. The meeting ended with public thanks from the Chair to OAS staff and volunteers, and the session adjourned.

What’s next: staff said they expect to post an updated annual report within the month and the county will continue budget and code discussions, including a potential change to stray-hold language (shortening a five-day hold to three days) that staff warned could have cascade effects in other ordinances.