TO: NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES
AND EDUCATION
COMMITTEE
FROM: Matt Loesch
SUBJECT: Animal Care and Services
Annual Report
DATE: September 26, 2025
Approved Date:
10/1/2025
RECOMMENDATION
Accept the annual report on the Animal Care and Services Division’s accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
BACKGROUND
This annual report provides an update on the activities of the Animal Care and Services (ACS) Division, a division of the Public Works Department. ACS is made up of four units; Shelter Operations, Medical Services, Field Operations, and Administration.
ACS leads the local efforts to care for unwanted, lost, found, and unclaimed domestic pets in San José, Cupertino, Saratoga, and Milpitas, and to ensure rabies compliance and licensing requirements are met by pet owners. All domestic pets who come into the care of ACS receive vaccines (including rabies), sterilization surgery, a microchip, and if they require it, medical care at the Division’s Animal Care Center on Monterey Road.
Exotic, wild, or farm animals that come into care are transferred to rescue partners who specialize in those species.
This report details the activities of the fiscal year 2024-2025, unless otherwise indicated.
ACS acknowledges the audit released in November 2024 and supports its recommendations. While the landscape of community-based animal care has shifted significantly since the Division’s founding 20 years ago, the core mission remains unchanged: to serve as the temporary caretakers of adoptable pets until they find permanent homes or rescue partners. Like shelters across the nation, ACS continues to face pressures from higher intake volumes and longer stays—particularly among largebreed dogs.
NSE AGENDA: 12/11/2025
ITEM: (d)5
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Despite these ongoing challenges, ACS achieved measurable progress throughout the past fiscal year. The Division remains committed to implementing the audit’s recommendations and strengthening our role as a trusted resource for pets and the community across the South Bay.
ANALYSIS
Overview
The Division continues to navigate through the national pet overpopulation crisis that many animal shelters are facing. ACS worked throughout this Fiscal Year to improve animal outcomes. Dedicated staff work with volunteers, rescue partners and the community to address animal welfare issues and create collaborative solutions.
Focusing on quality of care and reducing an animal’s stay, ACS has improved outcomes for pets entering the shelter, thanks to work of the Division, the community, rescue, and shelter partners.
ACS took into its care 11,193 pets, found homes for 4,639 pets, and secured temporary foster homes for 2,964 pets. Rescue partners and other shelters helped ACS by accepting 2,212 animals. An additional 1,141 pets were reunited with their owners.
Some of the animals who arrive at ACS could not be saved due to extreme medical trauma, disease, behavior, or at the request of the owner (euthanasia requests by owners are assessed by a medical or animal behavior professional to verify the most humane outcome). A total of 1,785 pets were humanely euthanized which includes 604 at the request of the owner.
As reported in the Division’s fiscal year 2022-2023 Annual Report, the buyout of private veterinarian practices causing costly veterinarian care across the country, coupled with landlord pet fees and breed restrictions, and the general cost of living in the Bay Area, continues to greatly effect some owner’s abilities to care for the pets that they love123.
ACS intake staff has witnessed an increase in abandoned pets brought to the Animal Care Center (Center) by good Samaritans, or good-intentioned neighbors rescuing outdoor pets that live in the community who are not lost but are just wandering. Pets who come to the Center are scanned for a microchip and the owners are contacted if a chip or any identification is found. The overpopulation crisis that is being seen nationwide is impacting municipal shelter veterinarians' ability to keep up with spay and neuter services, vaccinations, and check-ups because they must account for treating 1 https://bestfriends.org/network/blog/data-analysis-reveals-reasons-owner-surrender 2 https://www.aaha.org/trends-magazine/publications/corporate-consolidation-and-the-rise-of-privateequity/ 3 https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/vet-private-equity-industry/678180/
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
sick and injured strays that require emergency medical intervention, or treatment plans that require weeks of medical care456.
The remainder of this report details the activities of the four units within ACS and closes with a discussion of the strategies employed by ACS over the past fiscal year and its goals for the current year.
Shelter Operations
Shelter operations include adoptions, animal enrichment, animal feeding, kennel cleaning, stray animal intake, and animal euthanasia (for medical and behavioral issues that affect the animal’s quality of life or to protect public safety). Shelter operations also include the Volunteer Program. Volunteers help socialize adoptable animals, walk adoption dogs, assist with some cleaning, provide enrichment, help with adoptions, conduct play groups, and support other shelter activities. Volunteers have also continued to help with the coordination and transport of animals for spay and neuter surgeries. The volunteers continue to be an important part of the operation.
Animal Intake
The number of cats and kittens fluctuate every season. Combined the shelter saw a decrease of the number of cats and kittens who entered the shelter. From 7,342 (fiscal year 2023-2024) to 7,176 (fiscal year 2024-2025), there was a 2 percent decrease in feline intake. This decrease is wholly attributed to a reduction in the number of kittens the shelter accepted in fiscal year 2024-2025. In February of 2025, through community education and engagement, the shelter began implementing the audit recommendations and attempting to decrease the tide of kittens that arrive at the shelter. From 3,824 kittens accepted (fiscal year 2023-2024) to 3,581 kittens accepted (fiscal year 2024- 2025), the shelter experienced a 6 percent decrease in kitten intake. The number of cats the shelter accepted increased. From 3,518 cats (fiscal year 2023-2024) to 3,597 cats (fiscal year 2024-2025) there was a 2 percent increase in cat intake.
Shelter dog and puppy intake decreased. From 4,171 dogs/puppies (fiscal year 2023- 2024) to 3,532 dogs/puppies (fiscal year 2024-2025), there was a 15 percent decrease in canine intake.
As shown in the chart below, the animal intake at the shelter decreased by 8 percent from the prior year.
4 https://economichardship.org/2024/04/americas-animal-shelters-are-overwhelmed-pets-and-staff-are-atbreaking-point/ 5 https://www.shelteranimalscount.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Mid-Year_2024_Report.pdf 6 https://fohowv.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/New-Mexico-legal-article.pdf
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
In the previous fiscal year 2023-2024, the shelter experienced a 19 percent increase in animal intake. Coupled with a prolonged length of stay, the shelter was most often operating above its Capacity for Care (C4C). To transition the animal population to be uniform with the shelter’s C4C, the shelter prioritized the intake of sick, injured, and aggressive animals, and worked to get them on the pathway of foster, rescue, or adoption as quickly as possible. Healthy animals were taken in on a case-by-case basis when staffing resources and space were available.
The condition of all animals is evaluated based on the weCARE Pet Evaluation Matrix7.
ACS attempts to prioritize animal intake to sick and injured animals. The number of unhealthy and untreatable animals (U/U) that were impounded at the shelter decreased from 3,566 animals (fiscal year 2023-2024) to 3,098 animals (fiscal year 2024-2025).
That is a decrease in the percentage of U/U animals accepted as part of total intake from 29 percent (fiscal year 2023-2024) to 28 percent (fiscal year 2024-2025).
It should be noted that the prior year numbers have been updated with current numbers based on current reporting structures. We improved our intake statics reporting this year to align to audit recommendations and clarity i.e removing wildlife and TNR animals from intake numbers. We reran the prior year reports to generate a consistent and comparable reporting structure.
7 https://www.hssv.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/weCARE_Pet_Evaluation_Matrix.pdf FY 20-21 FY 21-22 FY 22-23 FY 23-24 FY24-25
Dogs 2,910 3,637 3,703 4,171 3,532
Cats 9,958 9,830 5,893 7,342 7,176
Others 763 1,098 702 710 481
Total 13,631 14,565 10,298 12,223 11,189
-
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
Animal Intake 5 Year Trends
Dogs Cats Others Total
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Animal Outcomes
The average Length of Stay (LOS) for dogs and cats both decreased during the past fiscal year. The LOS was 25 days for dogs and 15 days of cats (fiscal year 2023-2024).
The average LOS was 20 days for dogs and 14 days for cats (fiscal year 2024-2025).
ACS continues to work collaboratively and in coordination with rescue and shelter partners. There was a small gain in the number of Rescue Partners that accepted animals from ACS from the prior year involvement; from 104 active Rescue Partners (fiscal year 2023-2024) to 110 active Rescue Partners (fiscal year 2024-2025). Overall, the number of animals pulled by rescue partners decreased by 12 percent from 1,598 animals (fiscal year 2023-2024) to 1,412 animals (fiscal year 2024-2025). The number of dogs accepted by rescues was virtually flat. 464 dogs were transferred to rescue (fiscal year 2023-2024) compared to 466 dogs (fiscal year 2024-2025). There was a decrease of 16 percent in cats pulled by rescues. 823 cats were pulled by rescues (fiscal year 2023-2024) compared to 691 cats (fiscal year 2024-2025.) ACS staff continues to work on meeting the rescues needs for information and outreach with audit recommended improvements, such as updated rescue agreements and rescue reimbursement processes streamlining.
ACS continues to perform strongly with animal adoptions. Last year’s five-year high of 4,650 animals (fiscal year 2023-2024) was almost matched with 4,639 animals adopted (fiscal year 2024-2025). ACS continues to work with the community, rescues, and shelter partners to improve an animal’s outcome.
In addition to adoptions, ACS has a laudable stray dog “Return to Owner” (RTO) rate of 43 percent. The benchmark8 for a shelter of this size in this region is 40 percent.
Our shelter partnerships are also an important positive outcome for the animals that come to us. 800 total animals have been pulled by other shelters to fill their adoption opportunities or to ease the amount of medical care we need to provide the animals.
Non-live outcomes include animals that died or are euthanized. The number of animals that died decreased dramatically (45 percent) while animals that were euthanized increased slightly (3 percent) in this past fiscal year. For non-owner requested euthanasia, 1,150 animals were euthanized (fiscal year 2023-2024) compared to 1,181 animals euthanized (fiscal year 2024-2025). The number of ACS owned animals who died decreased with 555 animals died in fiscal year 2023-2024 compared to 308 animals in fiscal year 2024-2025, a decrease of 45 percent over the prior year. 8 https://rth-benchmark-8162-main-nsmk7fdqza-wm.a.run.app/
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Live Release Rate
Beginning last fiscal year (2023-2024), ACS has reported the live release rates (LRR) consistent with the Asilomar Accords9, an industry standard for calculating live outcomes. The LRR increased to 89 percent for all animals. By species, dogs have a 95 percent LRR, cats have an 86 percent LRR, and other small animals have a 94 percent LRR.
Medical Operations
The medical operations team consists of Animal Health Assistants, Animal Health Technicians, Veterinarians, Operations Supervisor, and a Division Manager (Medical Director). The medical team provides medical care, treatment, herd health management, and emergency care for all animals within the shelter. Medical staff perform procedures such as vaccinations, x-rays, blood analysis, dental procedures/extractions, major surgeries, emergency procedures, orthopedic procedures, forensic analysis for criminal investigations, in addition to spay and neuter surgeries for shelter animals, owned pets, and stray community cats. 9 https://shelteranimalscount.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/2004aaccords5_c97fa2dafd.pdf
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Spay and Neuter and TNR
Sterilization of pets may help with behavioral issues, provide protection against some serious health problems, and most importantly, reduce the overall pet population. Spay and neuter aims to provide surgeries for the animals in the shelter and the community.
Internally, the goal is to provide spay and neuter to shelter animals. Sterilizing an animal increases its ability for a timely outcome for adoptions, foster, and transfer to a rescue partner. Staff prioritized surgery for animals who had an immediate outcome to the community or partner.
Externally, the intent is to have spay and neuter services available to pet owners, community members, and community trappers. ACS faced the head wind of sick and injured animals in the care of the shelter that decreased the availability of staff Veterinarians and Animal Health Technicians who could perform public spay and neuter including Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). ACS utilized contracts to outsource surgical services. Externally outsourced surgeries required more resources. Acquiring the contracts involved the administrative team for the proper documentation and insurance requirements. ACS shelter staff and volunteers helped with coordination and transport of the animals to the location of the contracted entity.
ACS acquired contracts with the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, Valley Humane Society, Spay Neuter Imperative Project (SNIP) and Nine Lives Foundation for veterinary services and spay and neuter surgeries. The contracts and purchase orders, helped with animal adoptions, rescue transfers, and foster placements, which helped decrease the population at the shelter. The contracts and purchase orders demonstrated the commitment to the spay and neuter program, the animals, and community.
Including spay and neuter, the ACS team and partner organizations completed a total of 6,990 surgeries (fiscal year 2024-2025), which was an increase of 12 percent when compared to 6,224 completed surgeries (fiscal year 2023-2024). 96 percent of all surgeries performed last year were spay or neuter surgeries.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Medical Treatment
The medical team provides treatment for animals that need care. In fiscal year 2024- 2025, 4,333 animals were brought into the shelter categorized as "Healthy” and typically only required basic vaccines and spay/neuter surgery. 2,999 animals were brought to the shelter with “Treatable Rehabilitatable” illnesses. 759 animals arrived at the shelter with “Treatable Manageable” illnesses. 3,090 animals were brought to the shelter with “Unhealthy and Untreatable” (U/U) illnesses. Of these U/U animals with mostly incurable illnesses, 739 had live outcomes through either adoption, rescue, or were returned to their owners.
The high number of sick and injured animals continue to strain staff resources. The medical and shelter team continued to work to ensure that disease spread was limited and provide medical care and treatment to all animals entering the shelter.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Field Operations
During the fiscal year 2024-2025, San José Animal Services Field Unit provided services to the residents of San José, as well as contract cities, Milpitas, Cupertino, and Saratoga. These services included responses to emergency calls, stray and sick domestic and wild animals, criminal investigations, public safety investigations involving aggressive dogs, municipal investigations and inspections and permitting of animal facilities.
Calls For Service
San José Animal Services Field Unit responds to numerous types of calls for service and are organized by levels of priority.
Priority 1 calls are emergency situations that have a 1-hour response time, and include first responder assists, sick or injured animals, public safety calls involving aggressive animals, active crimes involving animal victims and any other emergent situations involving public safety or animal welfare. The ACS Field Unit responded to 2,602 Priority 1 Calls.
Priority 2 and Priority 3 calls include bite and exposure investigations, dangerous dog and humane investigations, municipal complaints, dead animal pick-ups, stray animals, and facility inspections. The ACS Field Unit responded to 14,643 Priority 2 and 3 calls.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Criminal investigations are a priority for the Field Unit. The opportunity to get justice for an animal who was criminally abused or neglected is a goal for the team. The reporting of these crimes is also on the Federal radar.
The National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) is a federally run information system that documents crimes against humanity, and animal crimes are part of that reporting. Within the past year, San José Animal Services Field Unit has reported over 1,256 reported cases of animal crimes, neglect, and abuse into the NIBRS system.
Over the past 5 years, the San José Animal Services Field Unit has responded to over 92,000 calls for service. The field unit average response time for all Priority 1 calls was 29 minutes. The average response time for Priority 2 calls was 1 day and Priority 3 calls was 2 days. The San José Animal Services Field Unit continue to provide service to the citizens and animals within The City of San José and contracted cities.
Administration
The Administration unit oversees customer service, licensing, fees, accounts receivable/payable, billing, purchase order and contract management, human resources and onboarding, and budget tracking.
Donations and Revenues
Throughout the year, Animal Care and Services (ACS) conducts fundraising efforts for donations. These funds cover a wide range of treatments from foster care supplies for newborn kittens to dental work, broken bone repairs, and other serious health issues.
Additionally, the funds help enrich the lives of shelter animals by providing stimulating activities and support marketing efforts to promote adoptions. Currently, there is a fundraising effort underway to upgrade the dog play yards.
Part of ACS’s donations, fund the Guardian Angel Program, which are primarily used to provide additional medical care for unowned animals at the facility and to assist rescue partners with animals they save from the shelter.
Total donations accounted for in fiscal year 2024-2025 were $684,969 which was an increase from $476,641 when compared to fiscal year 2023-2024. The overall revenue for fiscal year 2024-2025 was $3,303,280 which was a decrease from $3,491,632 when compared to the previous fiscal year. Overall revenues resulted in a 20 percent cost recovery against the ACS operating budget.
Animal Licensing
Fiscal year 2024-2025 resulted in an overall revenue of $1,610,477, which was higher than the previous fiscal year of $1,575,495. ASC will continue to evaluate how to increase license compliance rates for pet owners within the City of San José.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Communications & Outreach
ACS changed the overstrength Public Information Representative position into a fulltime position in September 2024. The recruitment for a new full-time Public Information Manager resulted in a candidate that will start this fall. The Public Information Representative took over shelter communication efforts with guidance from the City Manager’s Office. The team utilizes a storytelling-based strategy with social media and continues to foster a collaborative relationship with shelter staff, volunteers, and partners. To meet audit recommendation 5, the shelter’s webpages have been updated to include information, how-to guides, and community resources. The team conducted a seven-month educational “Kitten Season” social media campaign which focused on what to expect before and during kitten season and when intervention with community cats is appropriate.
ACS Continuous Improvement Strategies
During fiscal year 2024-2025, ACS identified strategies with the intent of improving the lives of the animals at the shelter and the community.
Healthier Animals at ACS
The animal population at the animal shelter decreased significantly in September 2024 compared to the previous fiscal year. Even prior to the delivery of the audit recommendations, the Division began taking steps to operate within the shelter’s “Capacity for Care" (C4C). Simply put an animal shelter’s C4C is determined by the number of animals in the shelter, the amount of time the animals are expected to be in the shelter, trained staff available to care for the animals, and physical kennel space.
The shelter is ensuring that animals have been consistently housed in a manner that is aligned with humane housing standards set by the Association of Shelter Veterinarian Guidelines.
The Division team closely managed intakes. When possible, attempted shelter diversion with rescue partners, as well as striving to reduce each animal’s Length of Stay (LOS), by removing barriers to an appropriate outcome. The results of these efforts have been dramatic. On June 27, 2024, 822 animals were in the shelter. On June 27, 2025, 408 animals were in the shelter.
Rebuilding Relationships with Rescues and Shelter Partners ACS has updated its policy and process to improve on providing financial support for rescue partners. New partnerships have been created, and ACS anticipates continuing to strengthen rescue and shelter transfer relationships in fiscal year 2025-2026. On July
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
2, 2025, ACS launched a new “Rescue Portal”, which is a web-based platform that securely connects with ACS’s database. The Rescue Portal allows registered rescue partners to access real-time and behavior information for pets on “Needs Rescue.” It also allows registered rescue partners to place “holds” on animals, immediately.
Spay and Neuter and Enhancing TNR
ACS worked with external resources and created contracts to outsource TNR services.
A new appointment scheduling system allowed the public to request TNR appointments. 984 appointments were scheduled from October 2024 - June 2025 through the new booking system.
Animal Behavior
ACS has worked to improve processes and behavior evaluation for dogs at the animal shelter. Beginning in February 2025, a vast majority of the dogs were given at least twoweeks visibility on “Needs Rescue Urgent” lists, before being placed on a “Final” list for a week. For dogs with verified aggression issues, humane euthanasia decisions were made within a reasonable timeframe.
Medical Service Protocols Expanding Live Outcome Options and Opportunities Fiscal Year 2024-2025 shepherded in a host of best practices, including having specific isolation rooms for specific diseases. Cats with panleukopenia, dogs with parvovirus, and shelter pets with ringworm were all treated in specific housing set-up for their particular needs.
The humane reduction in the shelter’s animal population directly supports healthier operations by making it possible to designate and maintain isolation rooms for animals with infectious diseases. When the shelter operates over the capacity for care, sick animals are often housed in close proximity to healthy ones, increasing the risk of illness spreading rapidly throughout the animal population. By lowering intake and the average length of stay, the shelter was able to reallocate critical space for quarantining sick animals and providing medical care. This has improved overall animal health and welfare, improved staff efficiency, and reduced stresses on the animals in the shelter’s care.
These housing strategies dropped the number of feline panleukopenia cases by 12%.
And it also increased the survival rate for cats diagnosed with what is potentially a deadly disease. Fiscal Year 2023-2024 there were 124 cats who survived their panleukopenia, out of 219 cases (a 57% survival rate). Fiscal Year 2024-2025 there were 131 cats who survived panleukopenia, out of 193 cases (a 68% survival rate).
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Although the dogs who were diagnosed with canine parvovirus remained the same number since last year, their survival rates also improved. Fiscal Year 23-24 there were 24 dogs who survived their parvovirus, out of 36 cases (a 67% survival rate).
Fiscal Year 24-25 there were 26 dogs who survived parvovirus, out of 36 cases (a 72% survival rate).
Several medical protocols and procedures were updated including, Zoonotic and Infectious Disease, Isolation Housing, Neonatal Kitten Intake, Kitten Nursery Guidelines, and Bird Flu Precautions.
Training was also a central focus point with medical and animal care staff completing training on Infectious and Zoonotic Diseases, Proper Use of PPE, Kitten Nursery Guidelines, Feline Upper Respiratory Infection, Feline Panleukopenia, Ringworm, Canine Parvovirus, Manage, and Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease.
Communication and Problem-Solving Protocols
ACS staff continues to engage in dialogue and communication with the community and partners through social media and direct communication. ACS staff has continued to work with the CMO to improve communication and effective problem-solving strategies.
One of the projects that helped make ACS services more accessible was to translate forms that the community fills out or provided while conducting business with ACS. The translated forms will improve customer service and equity.
ACS Accomplishments
Tails and Trails Program
In 2022, ACS made a big request of Silicon Valley Pet Project (SVPP) to address a critical need at the shelter that ACS did not have the resources to support. Large dogs coming to the shelter were increasing in numbers, and they were staying at the shelter longer. Taking large shelter dogs for a long walk or hike, and burn off some of their pent-up energy, improves their mental well-being and also increases their chances for being adopted. SVPP created and launched the program known as Dog Day Out (DDO) in partnership with ACS. For over two and a half years, specially trained SVPP volunteers took ACS shelter dogs out for extended walks and hikes. After ongoing discussions, it was decided that ACS should take responsibility for the program moving forward. In December of 2024, SVPP transferred the program and volunteers to ACS, and “Tails and Trails” was born. SVPP’s Operations Manager now volunteers for ACS and continues to schedule shelter dogs for walks with ACS trained volunteers. Nearly every day, these volunteers take a shelter dog for a fun and safe adventure. After their trip is over the volunteers complete a report card for each trip, detailing what the dogs did, what they liked and other observations that will help a potential adopter know more
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
about their personality. ACS staff import these report cards to the dog’s animal profile and reviews these notes and interactions with potential adopters. ACS would like to thank SVPP and their Operations Manager for this incredible program their continued support for our shelter dogs, and the opportunity to continue it as a program of ACS.
PAWp-Up
In December of 2024, Public Works made modest improvements to a previously empty store front in downtown San Jose and ACS’s first PAWp-Up was born. 3-days a week between December and February, ACS brought dogs, cats and rabbits to the location for adoptions and meet and greets. The response from the community was extremely positive and 40 animals found homes through these efforts. The number of smiles and goodwill this earned the Division is difficult to measure. It should also be noted that the space is now rented. We think that animal’s spotlight, and our improvements helped to gain interest for the City to be able to secure a long-term lease for the space.
Partners in Care
ACS worked collaboratively with Gatos De La Noche, The Dancing Cat, Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV), and Nine lives to humanely address a hoarding case in San Jose. Collectively the organizations collaborated to provide to TNR for all the cats living in and around the residence and find homes, for a house where approximately 110 cats and kittens were living.
In December of 2024, HSSV had a fire in their medical/surgical room, rendering their medical clinic space for a period of approximate 8 months. ACS reached out and offered assistance, including the use of spay and neuter room. HSSV used ACS’s surgery suite one to two times a week to spay and neuter their shelter pets and public appointments.
HVHQ Spay/Neuter Training
On May 4, 2025, ACS Partnered with two nonprofits, Bay Area Cats and United Spay Alliance to perform a High Quality High Volume (HQHV) Training for Community Veterinarians. The concept was simple, provide local and licensed veterinarians with an opportunity to learn HQHV Spay/Neuter techniques, under the guidance of experts in the field. The shelter provided the surgical space and a veterinarian experienced HQHV spay/neuter to help lead the training. The shelter also supplied necessary tools needed for the day, including surgical supplies, medications, and microchips.
The results were 3 community veterinarians who were trained on these techniques, and 47 community cats were sterilized.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Community Support
Public Spay/Neuter Services
With strengthened capacity to perform Spay and Neuter Services, ACS resumed offering spay and neuter animals being redeemed by their owners at a low cost. This program allows ACS to get at the root cause of overpopulation by ensuring these animals can’t continue reproducing. Since the launch of this program in January 2025, 47 owned dogs and cats have been sterilized prior to returning to their owners.
Support for the Unhoused
As capacity allows, ACS worked with Community Outreach Specialist VHHP- Valley Homeless Healthcare Program, Office of Diversion and Re-Entry. These efforts helped unhoused pet owners get medical treatment and care. ACS agrees to hold their animals temporarily and spays or neuters their animals if needed.
ACS also partnered with the Housing Department to provide vaccinations and food distribution to the newly opened EIH residents at Via Del Oro on May 6th. ACS also provided free spay and neuter services to residents who accepted the spay and neuter offer.
In coordination with St. Francis, ACS provided spay and neuter appointments weekly for unhoused pet owners.
Serving the Underserved
In collaboration with Chewy and the Humane Society of the United States, ACS accepted a large pet food donation in February. This food was designated to be used exclusively for distribution to pets in the community. This pet food was handed out to San Jose’s underserved community at: the shelter, Via Del Oro, through our partners at the Housing Department, and the nonprofit St Francis.
Community Event Participation
1. National Night Out Participation 08/06, Locations Visited:
a. Los Lagos Golf Course Club House Patio – District 7
b. Valley Palms Apt, 2245 Lanai Ave – District 7
c. Welch Park – District 8
2. Movies in the Park 08/15
3. Bark in the Park 08/21
4. Field Unit participated in Saratoga Safety Day event 08/24
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
5. National Clear the Shelters Adoption Event 09/8
6. Celebrated 20-years of the ACS Shelter 10/01
7. CMO Open House 10/16
8. Samsung Adoption Event 10/28
9. SJ Barracuda’s Pucks and Paws with Adoptable dogs 11/10
10. Launched Pets for Patriots to promote military veterans adopting shelter pets 11/11
11. Christmas in the Park Tree Display 12/06
12. Mayor’s Faith Leader’s Breakfast 01/23
13. Bi-Weekly Large Dog Playgroups Launched 01/25
14. State Senator’s Cortese’s 2025 Unhoused Health Fair 01/31 a. ACS Provided Microchips and Vaccinations for approximately 30 pets who are owned by members of the Unhoused Community
15. District 3 Leadership Committee Presentation by Shelter Division Manager 02/19
16. Apple Inc. conducted beta testing for their AI software at the shelter 02/27-02/28
17. Employee Health and Wellness Fair Participation 05/06
18. California Pet Adoption Day Participation 06/07
19. Viva Calleja Participation 06/08
Audit Recommendations Update
ACS continues to be focused on implementing the recommendations of the 2024 Audit - Animal Care and Services: Addressing Capacity Constraints and Updating Shelter Protocols Will Help Improve Animal Outcomes10. As reported in September by the City Auditor, all recommendation targets dates have been met or exceeded (15 recommendations of the 39 are “Implemented”, 16 are “Partially Implemented”, and 8 are “Not Implemented”). While this has taken a tremendous focus, the results of the recommendations are being felt by a smaller, healthier population of animals in the shelter. At the beginning of calendar year 2026, staff anticipates producing an information memorandum to City Council to report out the results of the audit implementation work through end of the calendar year.
10 https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showdocument?id=116106
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Goals
ACS continues to be committed to serving the animals and the community. For fiscal year 2025-2026, ACS will implement the following categories and strategies.
1. Leadership
a. Onboard a new ACS Deputy Director and Public Information Manager b. Establish clear expectations and supervisory oversight responsibilities
2. Animal Care and Capacity Management
a. Complete a shelter capacity assessment based on capacity for care b. Develop a newborn kitten intake reduction plan
c. Adopt ASV Guidelines and expand implementation of Maddie’s Guidelines d. Strengthen policies for sanitation, feeding, and medical oversight to ensure consistent practices
3. Community Engagement and Services
a. Expand contract spay/neuter services and public outreach campaign b. Propose sustainable funding options for low-cost veterinary care for unhoused residents and those in Emergency Interim Housing c. Strengthen communication with rescue partners
4. Training
a. Implement a recurring training calendar covering PPE, sanitation, cleaning, feeding, infectious disease identification, and documentation b. Onboarding and training for infectious disease protocols and safe handling
5. Volunteer Engagement and Development
a. Streamline volunteer enrollment, application, and orientation processes b. Create role-specific volunteer training materials aligned to ASV Guidelines c. Ensure all volunteers complete zoonotic and infectious disease training d. Identify an effective repository for volunteer resources e. Evaluate alternate volunteer management software
6. Facility and Infrastructure Planning
a. Study kennel space required with intake and animal inventory data b. Produce a funding needs analysis for kennel improvements or expansion c. Formalize a plan to outsource licensing software
7. Data, Reporting, and Technology
a. Strengthen timely and accurate data entry in Chameleon b. Expand internal dashboards to include metrics
c. Formalize physical inventory tracking with defined staff responsibilities
8. Policy and Procedure Standardization
a. Standardize policy and protocol formats across the shelter b. Create a policy change communication process for staff and volunteers c. Create a timeline for review of all existing policies and procedures
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES & EDUCATION COMMITTEE
September 26, 2025
Subject: Animal Care and Services Annual Report
COORDINATION
This memorandum and attached report have been coordinated with the Budget Office and City’s Attorney Office.
/s/
MATT LOESCH
Director, Department of Public Works
For questions, please contact Matt Loesch, Director, Public Works Department at [email protected]