This petition acquired 3,212 signatures by October 2022 and had almost 3,500 signatures as of November 20, 2024. It was presented to the Mayor Breed's staff and its other intended recipients on October 22, 2022. The Mayor's staff presented it to City Administrator Carmen Chu in November 2022. She is the supervisor of the Executive Director of SFACC, Virginia Donohue. Since then — silence from all City administrators.

I notified Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie of the situation in the hope that he will finally reform Animal Care & Control, but he apparently has "more urgent" business on his plate.

A verdict in the court case against the San Diego Humane Society (SDHS) was handed down on December 20, 2024, and it appeared that our side won, but the SDHS attorneys petitioned the judge afterwards asking that she modify her sentencing instructions. She did so. SDHS must determine beyond a reasonable doubt that no stray cats brought into the shelter have a current owner, as revealed by a microchip, collar, tags, signs of recent surgery, etc.

If no signs are found, the shelter can continue returning friendly stray cats to the area in which they were found, even though that is considered abandonment according to state law. This judgement will not set a precedent in California or nationwide since it has not gone to an appellate court.

Nevertheless, our next fight will be to effect the humane reforms at S.F. ACC.

Bill Hamilton

San Francisco Animal Care & Control (ACC), formerly the city’s only “open-door” animal shelter, has CLOSED ITS DOORS to lost, abandoned and homeless cats. ACC’s new $76.4 million facility will not admit cats from the public for medical care, food or shelter. Not even to scan for a microchip! Not even orphaned or nursing kittens! Not even if the cat is injured, sick or near death! Not even if the cat is rescued from heavy traffic in the middle of an intersection! (Yes, this has happened.)

If a Good Samaritan finds a cat in danger and wants to bring her into ACC to be reunited with her guardian, ACC now says it is up to the Good Samaritan to find the guardian by posting flyers and using social media. However, in most cases, ACC advises the Good Samaritan to simply put the cat back where he found her, claiming the cat is “likely” an outdoor cat owned by a neighbor. If the cat is actually lost, too bad, even though lost cats are threatened by vehicles, other cats, raccoons, coyotes, parasites, diseases, etc.

ACC has also abandoned its hold policy, whereby the shelter could notify an individual or rescue group after an impounded pet’s waiting period is over, so the animal could be immediately adopted or fostered.

These changes violate the San Francisco Municipal Code, Section 41.6; California Penal Codes, Part I, Title 14, 597 (1), 597 (b), 597s(a); the California Food & Agricultural Code, Section 31752 (a)(c)(1) and (2) and Section 31752.5 (c); and California Civil Codes 1815 and 1816

- PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION -

Dear Mayor:

San Francisco Animal Care & Control (ACC), our taxpayer-funded, open-admission animal shelter, is refusing to admit healthy, lost and abandoned cats, violating its Mission Statement, the San Francisco Municipal Code and state laws. ACC is telling the public to return lost cats to wherever they were found, even if the location is clearly dangerous, and to assume ACC’s responsibilities by posting flyers and using social media to find the pets’ owners themselves. This policy places residents at risk by forcing them to be in prolonged contact with potentially frightened and unsocialized animals, making the City liable for lawsuits. ACC’s new $76.4 million shelter, which cannot harbor as many animals as the old shelter, stands half empty due to these inhumane policies. We are requesting that you ensure that ACC accepts abandoned and lost cats brought in by members of the public for microchip scanning, basic medical care, shelter, food and adoption; and that ACC reinstates its hold policy, allowing unclaimed pets to be adopted by individuals or partnering rescue groups.

cc: Carmen Chu, City Administrator; Brooke Jenkins, District Attorney; David Chiu, City Attorney