CITY OF SAN JOSÉ
ANIMAL CARE & SERVICES
CIVIL GRAND JURY
RESPONSE
Matt Loesch, Public Works Director
August 18, 2026
Item 7.1
1 Findings
2 Finding #1 Response Finding #2 Response
The ventilation system in the
isolation areas was not functioning
correctly…
Agree The number of animals taken by
rescue partners has declined
significantly since 2021.
Disagree Partially
Finding #3 Response Finding #4 Response
The current provision of public spay
and neuter services is insufficient to
meet the volume of animals in the
communities SJACS (San José
Animal Care Services) serves.
Agree SJACS has changed some shelter
data categories, methodologies,
and historical data, and does not
consistently note changes …
Agree
Finding #5 Response
There is a trust gap between SJACS
and some animal advocates.
Agree
Recommendations
3 Finding #1 Response Recommendation #1 Status
The ventilation system in the
isolation areas was not functioning
correctly…
Agree The City should inspect and adjust
ventilation systems as needed to
ensure they function properly in both
isolation rooms and throughout the
facility.
Implemented
Finding #2 Response Recommendation #2 Response
The number of animals taken by
rescue partners has declined
significantly since 2021.
Disagree
Partially
The City needs to develop a plan
and timeline to repair, maintain and
expand relationships with rescue
partners with the goal of increasing
the number of animals placed for
rescue.
Implemented
Recommendations
4 Finding #3 Response Recommendation #3 Status
The current provision of public spay
and neuter services is insufficient to
meet the volume of animals in the
communities SJACS serves.
Agree The City should expand public spay
and neuter services, either at the
shelter, in community spay clinics, or
by partnering with more organizations
to provide services.
Implemented
Recommendations
5 Finding #4 Response Recommendation #4a Status
SJACS has changed some
shelter data categories,
methodologies, and historical
data, and does not consistently
note changes …
Agree The City must provide accurate, clear, and
complete data so the public can assess
performance. Formal protocols for data
handling, security, and publication should be
established to ensure data is accurate,
standardized, and consistently reported.
Implemented
Recommendation #4b Status Recommendation #4c Status
The City should report the shelter’s
available capacity as suggested by the
City Auditor on the SJACS public data
portal and website to communicate to the
public how often the shelter is operating at
capacity, over capacity, or under capacity.
Will Not be
Implemented
The City should require that when SJACS
makes changes to its posted data or to data
categories, that SJACS should consistently
provide the public with a rationale for the
modification and note the change.
Implemented
Recommendation #4d Status
The City should report the number of animals turned away due to capacity limitations on the SJACS public data portal, quarterly at the City Council’s Neighborhood Services and Education
Committee meetings, and yearly in SJACS annual report.
Future
Implementation
Recommendations
6 Finding #5 Response Recommendation #5a Status
There is a trust gap between
SJACS and some animal
advocates.
Agree To rebuild public trust, the City should issue
a public follow-up report to the 2024 audit
that clearly explains improvements made
and how it will monitor consistent
implementation of new processes and
training and sustain ongoing improvements.
Implemented
Recommendation #5b Status Recommendation #5c Status
The City should establish a community
advisory group composed of residents
from each City Council district and each
contract city. This group should elevate
neighborhood and resident concerns,
improve communication about the
shelter’s services and needs, and foster
meaningful engagement between shelter
staff and the communities they serve.
Future
Implementation
The City should conduct a public needs
assessment to determine how best to meet
the needs of the communities SJACS serves.
Future
Implementation
Next Steps
Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services will continue tracking implementation of the remaining recommendations.
This includes:
Development of a Community Advisory Group
Community assessment needs and reporting to City Council Future annual reports
Data management and reporting
7 CITY OF SAN JOSÉ
ANIMAL CARE & SERVICES
CIVIL GRAND JURY RESPONSE
Matt Loesch, Public Works Director
August 18, 2026
Item 7.1
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