The City Auditor will present the results of a performance audit of Animal Care Services to the Sacramento City Council on May 13 — and Front Street Animal Shelter says it is already taking steps to address the findings.
The audit, issued by the Office of the City Auditor, recommends improvements to address overcrowding, staffing shortages, and low revenue at the Front Street Animal Shelter. It includes 10 findings and 31 recommendations.
“Our audit focused on how well Animal Care Services is meeting its responsibilities to both animals and the community, including whether facilities and programs are being managed effectively,” said City Auditor Farishta Ahrary.
Front Street Animal Shelter Manager Phillip Zimmerman said the division has already begun implementing improvements, including staff recruitment efforts.
“It’s helpful to get an outside perspective and recognize areas for growth,” Zimmerman said. “We are taking action and look forward to improving the care of animals in the community.”
One key audit finding was that the City’s animal population has grown by more than 30 percent since the Front Street facility opened in 1992, leading to persistent overcrowding. The audit recommends expanding spay and neuter programs as a proactive way to manage shelter capacity.
Zimmerman said the division agrees and plans to boost community outreach efforts to increase access to affordable spay and neuter services.
“We recognize the need to further our efforts to get out in the communities to increase affordable spay and neuter opportunities for both cats and dogs,” Zimmerman said. “We plan to host spay and neuter events for owned pets and expand our efforts to be active in seeking funding from the city and private donors to help provide these services.”
Staffing shortages were another key finding, with the division operating at about 70 percent capacity at the time of the audit. Limited veterinary staffing has caused delays in surgeries and contributed to longer animal stays.
The audit recommends potentially changing hiring requirements, enhancing veterinary staffing, increasing salaries for shelter veterinarians, seeking more cost-effective facility improvements, and enhancing employee engagement.
Zimmerman said the shelter currently has only seven vacancies out of its 63 approved positions, and recent hiring has helped address staffing shortages. With the addition of new staff and expanded community partnerships, the number of animals waiting for spay and neuter surgeries before adoption has dropped from an all-time high of 872 to a low of 80 dogs and 18 cats.
The audit also recommends stronger enforcement of licensing and vaccination laws to increase compliance and revenue. Only about 14 percent of dogs and 7 percent of cats are currently licensed, leading to funding gaps that shift costs to taxpayers. Zimmerman said Front Street is committed to working on strategies to improve licensing rates and generate additional revenue to support operations.
The full audit will be presented to the City Council on May 13 at 5 p.m.
