News & Events

By Joanne Ladolcetta
May 15, 2019

This morning was the groundbreaking ceremony for San Francisco Animal Care & Control’s new animal shelter. It was a good turnout, despite the rain. We huddled under a tent to listen to various speakers including Mayor London Breed (wearing fabulous boots), former SF Supervisor Katy Tang, who advocated tirelessly for the new shelter, Executive Director of SFACC, Virginia Donahue, City Administrator Naomi Kelly, and SFDPW Director Mohammed Nuru. There were a couple of adorable and adoptable animal ambassadors also in attendance.

On average, 10,000 animals come through the doors of San Francisco Animal Care & Control (SFACC) every year. Unlike more targeted rescue organizations, they take on animals of every kind. We’re talking goats, chinchillas, reptiles, birds, fish.

SFACC’s current shelter was put together in 1989 during a six-month period when the SF SPCA gave up its animal control contract with the city. Enclosures don’t meet industry standards. There’s not enough room for animals to get adequate exercise and socialization. There isn’t a proper system in place for disease quarantine. The building is not seismically safe. This was not designed to be a lasting solution.

The new shelter will be at 1419 Bryant Street in a building that most recently housed MUNI’s overhead lines repair shop. The exterior has to stay, because it’s a historic building, but the inside will be transformed into a state-of-the-art animal shelter nearly double the size of the current facility. There will be more play space (9,000 square feet of yard), better facilities for veterinarian and dental care, public spaces for classes and workshops and sweet sweet air conditioning.

I hadn’t realized that along with adoptions and being the place to go when looking for a lost pet, SFACC also provides disaster and emergency response. SFACC sent a team to Paradise for close to a month after the deadly and destructive wildfire, because 800 animals were displaced and needed care.

SFACC is also responsible for local wildlife rescue. When a raccoon gets stuck in PG&E equipment, who do you call? SFACC. They are the ones who will, “oil him up and pop him out.” I got the feeling that this happens more frequently than you’d think!

The city of San Francisco is investing over $70 million in the new shelter. SFACC’s dedicated nonprofit, Friends of San Francisco Animal Care & Control, needs to raise $4.3 million more to help make the new facility a welcoming place for animals and their pet guardians, and to sustain critical shelter programs that are not funded by the city budget. To find out more about how you can become involved in the shelter campaign, email [email protected]. 

Photos courtesy of Joanne Ladolcetta and SFDPW…

Historic renovation blends modern technology and smart architecture to support the City’s first animal emergency responder. See how the new facility will improve the lives of animals and their guardians, and the SFACC staff in this VIDEO produced by DPW.

On May 15 at 11:00 AM, San Francisco Animal Care & Control (SFACC) broke ground on a new state-of-the-art animal shelter at 1419 Bryant Street. Mayor London Breed, City Administrator Naomi Kelly, former S.F. Supervisor Katy Tang, The Friends of Animal Care & Control, The Dept. of Public Works, Clark Construction, and the Department of Animal Care & Control staff, volunteers and animals gathered to celebrate this historic occasion. The new facility will enable SFACC to fulfill its responsibilities as San Francisco’s first responder for all domestic and wildlife animal emergencies, as well as better serve the City’s growing population of lost, abandoned, sick, injured, abused, and surrendered animals. The event was open to the public and about 200 attendees were sheltered from a light rain to hear remarks from city dignitaries and show support.

The 65,000 square-foot project–a collaboration between SFACC, the San Francisco Department of Public Works, and the San Francisco Office of the City Administrator–is scheduled to open in 2021, and is designed to provide safe, sanitary, and humane conditions in line with best practice animal health and welfare standards. Improvements over the current building include specially engineered ventilation schemes, room finishes, noise reduction strategies, and cleaning systems to mitigate disease paths, control noise and odors, facilitate sanitation, and improve the welfare and adoptability of all animal occupants. The project will allow SFACC to continue emergency operations after a major earthquake, even if power and water are temporarily interrupted. With nearly double the square footage of the current building, the new shelter will include a modernized veterinary suite, expanded play and training areas for all animals, and new education spaces to serve the public, animal care staff, and the many volunteers who log over 27,000 hours at SFACC every year. 

“We are thrilled to take this next step in our journey.” says SFACC Executive Director Virginia Donohue, who hosted the groundbreaking ceremony. “The new building will allow Animal Care and Control to advance our mission to care for and protect San Francisco’s animals and support the people who love them. We are extremely grateful for the City’s commitment to building a sustainable future for all of San Francisco’s animals.”

The new facility replaces SFACC’s existing home at 1200 15th Street, where the agency has been for nearly 30 years. The 15^th Street location was constructed as a warehouse in 1931 and repurposed as the municipal animal shelter in 1989. The renovated facility on Bryant Street similarly will carry a historic legacy—this time of an 1893 San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency power station originally used to store vehicles and overhead lines.

SFACC’s groundbreaking ceremony marks the 30^th anniversary of SFACC and the unveiling of a new agency logo and messaging: “Open doors. Open arms.” The new branding underscores SFACC’s open-admissions policy of accepting all domestic and wild animals regardless of species, age, medical, or behavioral condition. By contrast, “limited-admission” shelters and nonprofits select which animals they accept and how many.

While the City is funding the majority of the cost for the new facility, SFACC is also seeking financial support from the community through its nonprofit board, Friends of SF Animal Care & Control. For those interested in being a benefactor and demonstrating commitment to this historic renovation, opportunities to name rooms and areas of the building are available through tax-deductible donations.

About San Francisco Animal Care & Control

San Francisco Animal Care & Control (SFACC) is a taxpayer-funded, open-admission animal shelter. Since 1989, SFACC has provided housing, care, and medical treatment to wild, exotic, domestic, stray, lost, abandoned, sick, injured, and surrendered animals. SFACC’s doors are open to all animals in need regardless of species, medical condition, or behavior. To learn more, visitwww.sfanimalcare.org or call (415) 554-6364.

About Friends of San Francisco Animal Care & Control

Friends of San Francisco Animal Care & Control (Friends of SFACC) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit all-volunteer organization founded in 2000. Friends of SFACC is the only organization dedicated to raising funds for the City’s municipal, open-admission animal shelter and its rescue partners to enhance or establish programs and services that benefit animals and serve and educate the public. To learn more about how you can become involved in the mission of Friends of SFACC email [email protected]. To support the campaign, email [email protected]

SFACC Acting Ops Manager Ariana Luchsinger (left) holds one of the beneficiaries of a Friends of SFACC microgrant, and Friends board member Lauren Weston meets two new friends.

On March 30, Friends board members welcomed the recipients of the 2019 Friends of SFACC Adoption Partner Rescue Awards. A long-time program of Friends, the microgrants are distributed each year to Bay Area adoption partners who rescue animals from the shelter. This year, 20 organizations received microgrants totaling $50K for their work with SFACC in 2018.
The Bay Area’s strong network of animal adoption organizations is one of the key reasons SFACC is able to maintain a high level of success. Whether in response to environmental disasters, urban intrusion, cases of displacement, loss, neglect, or abuse, our adoption partners expand SFACC’s capacity to rescue animals by accepting animals from us and rehabilitating, fostering, and finding them forever homes or releasing them back to the wild.

Patty La Cava, representing Bay Area Siberian Husky Rescue was the first to accept a grant and expressed how impressed and grateful she is to work with SFACC’s professional staff and volunteers “SFACC is my favorite shelter to work with–their work with rescue groups is exceptional and really stands out.” Other recipients echoed Patty’s sentiments. The appreciation is felt on both sides! Beyond helping to ensure that these organizations have the resources to support their work, Adoption Partner Grants keep the Bay Area rescue community engaged with SFACC, widening our collective reach and expanding our potential adopter base.

Sherry Frankin, Muttville Senior Dog Rescue (L), accepts her grant from Friends of SFACC board member Andrea Gremer.

Some of the animals that our adoption partners take on are among the hardest to save: animals that need extensive medical and behavioral rehabilitation. The special-needs work they do is remarkably resource intensive and we’re grateful for each organization and their unwavering dedication to saving animals’ lives.

Friends of SFACC Board Member Timothy Tandun and Genevieve Herreria (Board Chair) get to know sociable Kensy, a former racing pigeon and available for adoption through Palomacy.

2019Adoption Partner Rescue Award Recipients

Adoption partner representatives pose for a group photo at the March 30 reception at Sports Basement on Bryant St. in SF.

Bay Area Siberian Husky Rescue (BASH)
Bulldog Norcal Rescue
Beyond Rescue
Coppers Dream
Dog Zone
Give Me Shelter
Grateful Dogs Rescue
Mickaboo Bird Rescue
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue
Palomacy Pigeon & Dove Rescue
Ratical Rodent (formerly North Star)
Save a Bunny Rescue
SFROMP (SF Rescued Orphan Mammal Program)
Shep Heros
Snap Cats
Sonoma Reptile Rescue
Town Cats
Toy Dog Rescue
Wildcare
Wonder Cat
Wonder Dog

WHAT: Doc’s Clock Yappy Hour Fundraiser for FSFACC
WHEN: April 6, 2019
WHERE: Doc’s Clock Bar, 2417 Mission Street, SF

Doc’s Clock is a local dog-friendly bar that supports SF animal rescue efforts. Come and hang out with friends and have a special-event cocktail. Props to Standard Deviant for donating beer! Bar proceeds go to Friends of SFACC. Bring your well-mannered pooch and cash (Doc’s is cash only). Come drink for a good cause!

For SF residents, SFACC’s partner, SFSPCA, is offering FREE spay/neuter surgeris for these three breeds: Chihuahuas, Pit Bulls, and Shepherd mixes. To book an appointment, call 415-554-3030. Full terms and conditions at sfspca.org.