Managing Animal Services in Seattle: Are There Better Options?
- seattleanimalwatch
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
The Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) is a division of the City of Seattle’s Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS). This large and busy Department seems like an odd choice for managing animal services within the city.
This is how FAS describes itself on its landing page:
The 500-plus employees of FAS span across 10 divisions and work behind-the-scenes providing critical functions, like managing 120 City facilities—including police and fire stations—overseeing the City's neighborhood customer service centers and Customer Service Bureau, and making sure minority-owned businesses can equitably compete for City contracts.
Note that there is no mention of the Seattle Animal Shelter.
Where do other cities place their animal services division?
San Francisco
The City and County of San Francisco (SF) has a complex model that involves citizens in its management of SF Animal Care & Control (SFACC). SFACC is a Division of the General Services Administration, which reports to the 11-member Board of Supervisors - another name for a city council.
San Francisco’s General Services Administration is composed of 25 agencies that manage a broad range of services, including the City Clerk’s Office, the Convention Center, city museums, and the building permit center. Policy and changes to the city’s animal welfare laws are considered by the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare, a standing advisory committee that makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
Everett
In Everett, the Shelter Manager is responsible for managing staff and volunteer services, overseeing veterinary services, pet licensing, animal control work, and networking with other agencies for the care and placement of animals. The Shelter Manager reports to the Animal Services Manager, who is responsible for managing all aspects of the shelter and other animal services, the care and control of companion animals as well as hiring and training employees.
The Animal Services Manager reports to the Assistant Director of Parks and Facilities. The Parks Department, Communications, and Cultural Arts are in one division of city government. Everett is an anomaly because it places animal services in a division that does not include finance and facilities, and it has a separate manager for the shelter.
Chicago
Chicago’s Animal Care and Control (CACC) is headed by an Executive Director who reports to the Mayor. CACC is in the “regulatory” division of the Mayor’s office; other regulatory agencies include Business Affairs, Ethics, and Department of Buildings. Like San Francisco, CACC has a citizen advisory board that makes recommendations to the Mayor and the Executive Director.
Conclusions
This research shows a tendency for city governments to place animal services within the department that manages buildings. This is probably a legacy from the time when services consisted only of control and impoundment, and the shelter was merely a facility to be managed.
With our demand for broader services such as animal health care, behavior assessments, day care, consumer education and animal training, lumping SAS in with FAS and its focus on managing money and buildings seems outdated and restrictive. The Mayor and Council should be encouraged to rethink this structure. One possibility might be to place SAS in the Department of Planning and Community Development, which has an emphasis on the quality of life in Seattle.
