The union representing the frontline workers at San José’s beleaguered Animal Care Center has implored the city to hire a new director from outside the ranks, warning that a failure to do so would erode trust, morale and service and “perpetuate the very dysfunction the city claims to want to fix.”
Although the city is pushing forward with recommendations from a scathing audit that took the shelter to task for operating above capacity and poor conditions, animal advocates are questioning the progress made and clamoring for a complete overhaul of leadership.
In a letter sent on Monday to Public Works Director Matt Loesch, the union released results of an internal survey, which found that the vast majority of participating staffers supported a new, outside voice as the city looks to hire a replacement for Jay Terrado, who was granted an early medical retirement in June.
“These sentiments, backed by the overwhelming numbers in our survey, reinforce a clear message: staff are calling for a clean break from the past and a leader who can reset the culture, rebuild trust, and bring the shelter forward,” the letter stated. “We respectfully urge the City to commit to an external recruitment process for the next permanent director of ACS. The staff at ACS deserves leadership that will restore integrity, accountability, and transparency to the shelter.”
The conditions and operation of the shelter have continued to raise concerns from residents and animal advocates for the past few years.
Following numerous complaints and an uptick in animal deaths that resulted in the shelter losing its no-kill designation, public officials had called for an objective review of the shelter’s operations.
A report from the city auditor in late 2024 confirmed many of the worst fears and concerns that swirled for years from both staff members and animal advocates about the state of their beloved shelter, prompting the City Council to demand improvements.
Among the audit’s findings was that the shelter had operated well-above capacity and in substandard conditions, increasing the risk of disease spread, and had not expanded medical care, including trap-neuter-return services, to address the growing pet population. It also found a steep drop-off in engagement with rescue groups, many of whom said they did not have a positive relationship with the shelter.
The city is currently implementing the 39 recommendations and has managed to lower the population below capacity, but that has done little to appease advocates, who say a slew of alarming incidents since the audit demonstrate mismanagement persists at the expense of the animals’ welfare.
For example, in May, an animal care attendant found a small dog tangled in an IV line and with a leash wrapped around her neck, cutting off circulation to her leg and suffocating her at the same time. Eventually, an animal control officer transported the dog for emergency care, but she did not survive.
Following the incident, union representatives had raised concerns about management potentially scapegoating or retaliating against employees and accused the city’s response of exhibiting “shades of cover-up.”
While a necropsy found that the leash and IV tubes did not contribute to the dog’s death, the shelter conducted an internal review and promised accountability for any missteps, acknowledging that procedural errors were made.
Advocates have also raised the alarm about the shelter euthanizing a growing number of animals, even accusing the city of not following its own rules and procedures, failing to notify rescue partners and lacking transparency.
One particular death that drew their ire was the sad case of a three-year-old Corgi named Barry Allen, who was euthanized two months ago. Advocates said Barry entered the shelter with a “minor, defensive nip” but was beginning to regain trust — wagging his tail for chin scratches, chasing toys and socializing with other dogs — and had the potential to be rehabilitated.
“This was not an isolated incident — it is a symptom of a broken system under current leadership,” said Rebekah Davis-Matthews, spokesperson for Sustain Our Shelters. “Barry was making progress, showing trust and sociability, and yet leadership circumvented established procedures designed to give animals like him a chance. This is a systemic breakdown, and it starts at the top.”
However, the city disputed accounts of the dog’s behavior and noted that the shelter identified him as a high-risk animal.
“While it is not uncommon for high-risk animals to demonstrate calm behavior from time to time, the videos being circulated don’t represent all behavior demonstrated throughout the dog’s stay with us,” public information officer Kari Chinn said in June. “During the month he was in the shelter to decompress, he was not consistently able to leave his kennel due to his behavior.”
Meanwhile, an online petition calling for leadership changes circulated by shelter advocates received more than 3,500 signatures before closing.
In the union’s letter to the city this week, it noted the history of complaints tied to “retaliation, favoritism, lack of accountability and poor communication,” making the need for new leadership a necessity.
“These results are not close, nor are they ambiguous,” the letter stated. “They reflect a workplace that has suffered under ineffective and mistrusted leadership, and is now seeking a real opportunity for change.”
Loesch said that the city received 30 applications for the director role — with the nationwide search concluding on Aug. 1 and the first round of interviews expected in the coming weeks — but declined to say whether any internal candidates applied.
Although the city has declined to have union representation on the hiring panel, Loesch said that its input was important and would be incorporated as part of the selection process.
“We have prioritized the community’s feedback, received via letters and meetings, in the selection process,” Loesch said. “We also value our employees’ thoughts and will include their feedback as well. The San José Animal Care Center’s priority is to provide the highest quality of care and a welcoming and humane place for animals and those who care for them.”