OC animal shelter reports progress on 8-year plan; advocates push back

Orange County Animal Care released a progress report in April claiming substantial completion of its eight-year-old strategic plan, but former shelter volunteers say the agency is retreating from expert-recommended standards for dog socialization and feral cat care, according to Voice of OC.

The dispute puts Orange County animal welfare policy under renewed scrutiny, with advocates arguing the shelter is unilaterally lowering standards set by a team of nationally recognized shelter veterinarians even as it claims a dog release rate above 90 percent and touts a 75 percent cat save rate in 2025.

The shelter's progress report, unanimously approved by the county's community outreach committee April 22, lists five priority areas and marks most goals as completed. On dog enrichment, the report states that playgroups are "just one tool" and that OCAC "provides varied, daily enrichment" including walking, off-leash yard time and fetch sessions, according to Voice of OC.

Former shelter volunteer Michael Mavrovouniotis disputed that framing in an email to Voice of OC. "Volunteers report that less than 10% of the dogs are in playgroups," Mavrovouniotis said. "Everybody knows the difference between socialization and plain exercise – except county management. Shelters everywhere are moving forward, but the county wants to roll back the clock."

The original strategic plan — developed by nationally recognized shelter veterinarians before the current Tustin campus opened in 2018 — called for daily playgroups for all dogs cleared for out-of-kennel activity. The shelter euthanized 256 dogs and puppies in 2025. Feral cat policy has drawn equal criticism: the original plan set an 85 percent live release rate and a 20 percent trap, neuter and return target for cats. The progress report now lists the 85 percent goal as "no longer applicable" and the trap, neuter and return target as "delayed or pending." The shelter has ended catch-and-release services for community cats, citing county counsel guidance on potential legal liability, even as neighboring Garden Grove and Costa Mesa have adopted such programs.

County spokesperson Alexa Pratt defended the approach in an email to Voice of OC. "The Strategic Plan was implemented in a thoughtful and meaningful way, taking into account the transition to a new shelter campus, changes in leadership, and the impacts of COVID-19," Pratt said. "The focus remained on the intentional decision-making rather than adhering to rigid timelines, ensuring that the plan adapted to evolving needs and updated guidelines."

County supervisors have pressed for greater accountability. At a February meeting, Supervisor Janet Nguyen told shelter leadership, "Please know that we appreciate you, but there is still some work to be done." Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento called for regular progress tracking. "I think we need to do something on a periodic basis, almost as a dashboard, and make sure we're able to see how we're doing on these different concerns that we have that are outlined in the strategic plan," Sarmiento said. Mavrovouniotis acknowledged incremental gains but said structural problems remain. "Progress happened thanks to the hard work of kennel staff and the support of Supervisors Nguyen and Sarmiento," he told Voice of OC. "But the county bureaucracy continues to have a transparency problem. They're glossing over shortcomings."

Former volunteer Jackie Lamirande framed the stakes in terms of national trends. "From 2018 to now, shelters nationwide have increased socialization for dogs and cats to make them more adoptable," Lamirande said in an email to Voice of OC. "Why is the county dodging the 2018 requirements and looking for a lower standard of care?"