Animal Shelter Top Managers Still Not Hired

While most of the grand jury’s recommendations for the county’s animal shelter have been implemented, the county has yet to hire a permanent director and a chief veterinarian, county officials said Tuesday.

In June, the grand jury reported that the shelter, which handles more than 50,000 animals a year, has “not always met our high expectations.”

Jurors found that the shelter’s managers and staff repeatedly neglected to follow their own policies for treating sick and injured animals by not making daily rounds, inappropriately handling controlled substances and prematurely euthanizing animals.

Though the shelter had made significant progress, filling the two top management positions would improve shelter administration, jurors said.

The county has been recruiting for the positions and acknowledged that hiring a permanent director “is essential” and remains one of the agency’s highest priorities.

Since the grand jury’s report, the agency has increased public relations efforts and won approval to post pictures of lost, found and up-for-adoption pets on the county’s Web site.