Published September 2025
Report highlights
What We Found
The Auditor’s Office follows up on audit recommendations to support county government’s accountability. We added one new recommendation to the 2024 Animal Services Recommendation Status Evaluation report. Multnomah County Animal Services (Animal Services) is still in the process of implementing the recommendation.
What the Statuses Mean
- Implemented – Auditee has fully implemented, or auditee has resolved the issue to meet the recommendation’s intent.
- In Process – Auditee has started implementation.
- Not Implemented – Auditee has not implemented, or does not intend to implement.
Status of Audit Recommendations
Recommendation In Process
Recommendation: We recommend that Animal Services spay and neuter all eligible animals prior to adoption by March 1, 2025.
During fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025), Multnomah County Animal Services facilitated about 32% more spay/neuter surgeries for animals before they were adopted compared to the previous fiscal year. This includes surgeries performed by Animal Services staff and those conducted by contracted veterinarians. But they have not achieved full implementation of spaying and neutering all eligible animals prior to adoption.
Starting in September 2024, Animal Services expanded the scope of services provided by community veterinary clinics and also contracted with additional veterinary clinics to include pre-adoption spay and neuter services. Animal Services told us there have been challenges with logistics for these pre-adoption services, such as complexities of securing transportation, and there have been only two veterinary clinics regularly available to provide most of the pre-adoption contracted spay and neuter surgeries.
Animal Services leadership told us that staffing shortages continue to be a challenge, not just for Animal Services but industry-wide, as well. The FY2026 (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026) budget included new funding for 5.50 FTE (full time equivalent) new staff. These new staff positions include a 0.50 FTE Veterinarian, 4 Animal Care Technician 2 (perform technical and routine duties in providing humane care and control of animals impounded at the Animal Services Facility), and 1 Program Supervisor. Per the FY2026 budget program offer, with these additional FTEs, the animal health program will be staffed to perform more spay and neuter surgeries, medical treatments, and improve the general herd health of animals in care. As of July 2025, Animal Services has a recruitment opening for an on-call veterinarian and an on-call certified veterinary technician.
We are considering this recommendation as in process because Animal Services has increased pre-adoption spay and neuters, and is working to address current staffing challenges and build capacity to meet pre-adoption spay and neuter demand. Animal Services needs to address these issues as quickly as possible to ensure they are spaying and neutering 100% of eligible animals prior to adoption.
Objectives, Scope, & Methodology
The objectives of this evaluation were to determine the status of the new recommendation added to the 2024 Animal Services Recommendation Status Evaluation report that had a due date of March 1, 2025
Auditors evaluated the status of the recommendation based on interviews, documentation, and other available evidence.
Updating the Status of a Recommendation
During each audit our office conducts, we develop recommendations intended to improve government operations, particularly with regard to effectiveness, transparency, accountability, and equity. Our goal for evaluating the status of recommendations is to help ensure management implements these recommendations for improvement.
We recognize that after we publish an evaluation on the status of recommendations, management may fully implement a recommendation that we reported was in process or not implemented. Management can then provide evidence to the Auditor demonstrating why the recommendation’s status should be changed in the Auditor’s future reporting. The final decision on whether to change any recommendation’s status rests with the Auditor.
Staff
Annamarie McNiel, CPA, Operations & Audit Director