King County Council
Animal Services timeline

Over the past two years, the King County Council has made many efforts to move the County towards a model animal care program:

June 2006: Following two shocking incidents of animal abuse in King County, one involving a puppy burned over 95 percent of her body with concentrated ammonia, Council unanimously adopts motion calling on King County Animal Care and Control (KCACC) to place greater emphasis on investigating animal cruelty cases and improve enforcement of the county’s animal cruelty laws.

“The public outcry over these heinous crimes is understandable. We want to ensure that the procedures already in place to investigate these acts are sufficient and examine whether changes need to be made to improve the investigation and prosecution of animal cruelty incidents.” --Councilmember Julia Patterson 6/5/06

May 2007: Council adopts three comprehensive measures to address animal control, cruelty and care in King County:

• Motion 2007-0283 requested the Executive and Animal Services staff, in cooperation with the King County Animal Control and Care Citizen’s Advisory Committee, to provide the information on a range of animal care and control issues
• Ordinance 2007-0284 made changes to the King County Code relating to abuse, euthanasia rates and the King County Animal Control and Care Citizen’s Advisory Committee
• Motion 2007-0105 addressed a report submitted by the County Executive regarding the enforcement of animal cruelty laws and requesting new strategies for preventing and prosecuting animal abusers.

“This comprehensive legislation reflects our County’s values about care and treatment of animals, while further engaging the community to more successfully reduce the number of unwanted, mistreated pets.” --Councilmember Patterson 5/29/07

September 2007: Council receives Citizen Advisory Committee report detailing “deplorable state” of county shelters (September 27):

From the report: “One point on which we are unanimous is the deplorable state of the KCACC’s shelters. Far from being a ‘model animal control program’ or a ‘recognized leader in the…animal welfare field,’ we found King County’s animal care program to be well beneath the standards that should be expected in a prosperous, compassionate and generous community such as King County.” (p. 2)

October 2007: Council adopts motion calling on Executive to enact immediate reforms to correct problems within the County’s animal shelter system

“King County has an absolute obligation to these animals to provide humane care, medical treatment, and food and shelter. We must do everything in our power to give them a chance to be reunited with their families or placed in a safe and loving home. If we are unable to provide appropriate care and facilities, we simply should not be in the shelter business.” --Councilmember Dow Constantine 10/08/07

November 2007: Council adopts 2008 budget that includes funding for the most critical upgrades to the county’s animal shelter facilities and improvements to the provision of medical care, nutrition and socialization, but leaves open the possibility of the County getting out of the operation of shelters.

“The Council budget funds emergency animal shelter upgrades, and mandates a swift investigation to determine whether the county can provide the quality of shelter services the residents of King County expect. We have an absolute obligation to the animals in our shelter to provide humane care, medical treatment, and the best chance to be adopted into a loving home. Nothing less is acceptable.”
--Councilmember Constantine 11/19/07

March 2008: Council receives critical reports from consultant No-Kill Solutions and an Executive-generated report from the University of California, Davis:

No-Kill Solutions report: “The same problems that plagued the shelter ten years ago plague the shelter today.” (p. 36) “KCACC performed at a level of competency beneath the standard of care which should be expected from a municipal animal care and control agency…the prognosis of the KCACC having the ‘leadership, human resources and structural capacity to become a model no-kill program … is grave.”

UC Davis report: “… the capacity of both staff and facility was exceeded in almost every area of animal housing and care.” (p. 11)

April 2008: Council and Executive agree to nearly $1 million in immediate improvements at county shelters while appointing an Interbranch Work Group to develop long-term master plans. County also declares an emergency and makes a call for volunteer vets to assist the county shelters in caring for animals.

September 2008: Volunteer veterinarians stop treating shelter animals, citing a lack of accountability and a reluctance from shelter staff to fix a broken system:

“The general feeling was we were being used as an extension of the shelter while there were no significant changes being made to try and improve the problems plaguing the shelter. I did not want to act as enablers to the proven failed procedures.” --Dr. Brad Crauer, medical director of the Redmond Animal Hospital (Seattle Times, September 13).

October 2008: Council receives “King County Animal Services Interbranch Work Group Strategic Plan and Operational Master Plan 2009-2011,” which proposes three organizational models: Status Quo with Enhanced County Services, County Reorganization, and Community-Based Services.