To:
 Mayor Matt Mahan
 City Manager Jennifer Maguire
 San Jose City Council
 San Jose Department of Public Works

We, the undersigned, urge the City of San Jose to immediately establish an emergency leadership contract to restore compassion and accountability for our animals. This measure is critical to ensure effective oversight of current management and staff, as well as provide competent leadership of the shelter's daily operations.

In recent years, the San Jose Animal Care Center (SJACC) has faced significant challenges, resulting in conditions that have compromised both animal welfare and community trust. What should be a sanctuary for animals has, unfortunately, become a place plagued by chronic mismanagement and a toxic environment for both the animals and staff. 

It is time for decisive action.

We respectfully request :
Immediate Appointment of a Crisis Shelter Leader 
This request builds upon an Open Letter issued in January 2025 by more than 36 rescue organizations calling for new leadership and urgent reform. Despite this unified and ongoing  appeal, meaningful action has yet to be taken.

The Office of the City Auditor released a comprehensive audit in November 2024, identifying  serious risks and critical conditions needing immediate attention. Yet these findings remain largely unaddressed.

The shelter has provided a timeline for completing audit recommendations but has failed to implement several critical actions necessary for meaningful reform:

1. Spay and Neuter Services

• There has been no measurable increase in spay/neuter efforts, directly contributing to the ongoing animal overpopulation crisis.
• Without urgent investment in prevention, the shelter remains overwhelmed.

2. Policies, Procedures, and Staff Training

• Basic policies and procedures remain incomplete, outdated, or unenforced.
• Staff, especially those working directly with animals, lack proper training and support.
• Shelter coordinator roles are unclear, and there is no accountability system in place.

3. Audit Response and Animal Intake

• Audit recommendations appear to be addressed by increasing euthanasia and limiting intake rather than improving operations.
  
• Community members are frequently turned away when trying to bring in lost or stray animals.

4. Medical Care Concerns

• Animals have died due to lack of supervision and inadequate medical care:  Rufus, a dog recovering from surgery, died unattended.
  Lola died after becoming tangled in an IV line and leash without medical supervision.
• Kitten euthanasia and deaths have increased -- the highest in the history of the shelter.

5. Euthanasia Practices

• Euthanasia protocols are unclear and lack transparency. A recent example: Barry Allen, a healthy young Corgi was euthanized without notice, lacking clear behavioral or medical rationale and without attempting to network for rescue.
• Dogs and cats continue to be euthanized before efforts are made to network them to rescue or explore alternative outcomes. 

6. Facility Conditions and Animal Welfare

• Poor facility maintenance: broken drainage systems and malfunctioning door locks create health and safety risks.
• Kennels are fully exposed on both sides, offering animals no place to hide—violating ASV guidelines — increasing stress/reactivity, which can lead to euthanasia.
• Management attempted to restrict in-kennel enrichment activities due to drainage problems, which puts animals at greater risk of mental decline and reflects a failure to prioritize animal welfare.

7. Record Keeping and Operations

• The shelter relies on handwritten logs for intake refusals and field operations—this is outdated and unreliable, and hinders transparency and accountability.
• The shelter is placing an unfair burden on the public to handle stray dogs due to a lack of Animal Control staff. Proper staffing is critical to protect public safety and ensure animal welfare.

It is evident that the current management structure is struggling to meet the shelter's urgent needs.

Therefore, we advocate for the immediate appointment of a qualified, external crisis leadership team to address the City's audit findings and restore operational stability.

We respectfully ask the City of San Jose to take the following actions:

1. Publicly acknowledge this petition by August 1, 2025
2. Establish lasting oversight measures, including: Creation of an Animal Shelter Advisory Committee

Our Voices for the Voiceless

We cannot remain silent while animals continue to suffer and dedicated staff feel unsupported and undervalued. We are calling for immediate, tangible actions -- not more promises.

The City of San Jose has an obligation to both its residents and the animals in its care to confront this crisis with urgency and integrity.

Join us in advocating for this long overdue change. Sign now. 

City Auditor's Report: Audit of Animal Care and Services: Ensuring the Well-being of Animals

Media and News Coverage:

Mercury News (no paywall):

Six months after scathing audit of San Jose shelter, animal advocates fume over unresolved problems

San Jose mayor calls for reforms after latest animal shelter death

Union raises concerns about scapegoating, retaliation after death at San Jose animal shelter

NBC Bay Area: Animal advocates raise concerns after dog dies at San Jose animal shelter

KRON: Dog advocates blast late response from San Jose animal control