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Shelter reports 3,120 adoptions in FY25 while owner surrenders jump 41%; staff warn of a capacity crisis
Summary
Office of Animal Services reported 3,120 adoptions in FY25 (a 21% increase) and a 41% rise in owner surrenders that now account for 36% of domestic live intakes; committee members and staff warned the shelter's current staffing and resources may be insufficient to meet rising demand.
Caroline Herefield, Executive Director of the Office of Animal Services, and other OAS leaders described rising service demand and its operational consequences. Council staff reported the shelter conducted 3,120 adoptions in FY25, a 21% increase from FY24, and that the overall number of services performed rose 6% year over year. "The shelter conducted 3,120 adoptions in FY25 which represents a 21% increase from FY24," Anbinder said.
At the same time, staff said owner surrenders rose 41% from FY24 and now represent about 36% of domestic live intakes. Caroline Herefield warned the county is "sitting on the very bottom of a tsunami" of surrenders and that OAS "cannot keep up" with current demand; she said staff face painful choices if capacity is outpaced. Committee members repeatedly pressed staff to identify the most effective levers to prevent surrenders and to prioritize funding for staff positions and programs that keep pets with families, such as food assistance, temporary foster housing and low-cost medical care.
