Joint Animal Services is facing facility needs and requires about $30 million to $40 million to meet increasing service demands.
Sarah Hock, the executive director of Joint Animal Services, spoke at the Olympia City Council on Tuesday, March 18. She reported on the organization's achievements and challenges last year.
In 2024, the organization saw a 28% increase in dog intake, totaling nearly 300 additional animals.
"As we get further from the pandemic, our intake has continued to rise. … We have a maximum number of kennels of about 35. Having those additional animals come in is impactful to the staff on their daily job," Hock said.
She added that Olympia has the second-highest intake among the jurisdictional partners, with 22% of the overall intake. The total for 2024 was 3,305 animals.
As animal intakes increase, Hock noted positive outcomes are rising with continued growth in adoptions.
Last year's transfers appeared lower due to a previous large-scale cat hoarding case where 150 cats were quickly dispersed to shelters across the state.
According to Hock, it was a great foster year for the organization with multiple animals going into foster homes — 350 cats and 77 dogs.
Hock highlighted the contributions of more than 140 volunteers, who collectively provided 5,626 hours, totaling 2.7 full-time employees, with an equivalent of $226,615 ($40 per hour).
The organization's full year with an on-site veterinary team also saw the completion of 1,200 spay and neuter surgeries, performing 2,200 medical exams, and conducting 64 additional surgical procedures.
Field response calls increased 18% overall, with Thurston County up 23%, Olympia 11%, Lacey 21%, and Tumwater 8%.
"Across the board, we are responding more and more to field calls within the community and going out on those calls," Hock said.
She cited a case in July 2024 in which Joint Animal Services worked with the Thurston County Sheriff's Office (TCSO).
They discovered more than 40 Great Pyrenees mixes on a property with inadequate shelter. After discussing with the owner, they learned high veterinary costs, more than $600 for spay and neuter, led to uncontrolled breeding.
Hock said the organization helped the owner gradually surrender dogs, ensuring rescue placement and finding adoptive homes, and addressed the root cause of the overcrowding. She explained their fieldwork focuses on solving community problems, not punishment.
Hock also provided an update on the new facility, which strategic planning started in 2021 with the Joint Animal Services Commission (JASCOM).
The most pressing issue is the current facility, which Hock described as the "second-worst building in the city, with extremely poor condition." The original 1996 kennels are deteriorating, with rust and water damage making replacement costly.
In 2023, Hock said, replacing just nine kennels in the adoption room cost nearly $300,000, highlighting the urgent need for a facility upgrade.
A 2024 space needs assessment determined the need for a new 20,000-square-foot facility, estimated to cost between $33 million and $41.5 million.
The proposed new building would include:
Breakdown of concept plan costs:
JASCOM is exploring various funding strategies for their new facility, including the potential option of removing the veterinary clinic from the building and reducing building costs.
Hock said they have reached out to jurisdictional representatives to discuss financial tools, resources and revenue sources for the building project.
Joint Animal Services has identified several potential revenue sources for their new facility, including $1 million from reserves; a $2 million request to Washington state; an estimated $500,000 in grant funding; proceeds from selling their current site; and potential local donations.
Hock said these sources total approximately $7.5 million, falling short of the estimated $40 million building cost.
City Councilman Robert Vanderpool inquired about the location of the new facility. He suggested looking at current city-owned lots that might be useful for the new facility, while also keeping in mind potential future uses like housing development, and being centrally located and accessible.
Hock explained a heat map analysis showed about 60% of their services are within 15 minutes of Lacey city limits. She also outlined specific location requirements: looking for 3 to 5 acres of land, with considerations to be a good neighbor by avoiding placing the facility directly in a residential neighborhood.
She was open to potential sites offered by jurisdictions, as long as the location met their specifications for serving the community effectively.
12 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
CrazyGranny
MAKE IT A NO-KILL SHELTER AND I'LL DONATE AS MUCH AS I CAN!! I'm not going to help out an agency who kills every other dog or cat coming in because they're "too old" or disabled, or some such nonsense. EVERY animal deserves a loving home and perhaps if you'd lower your "adoption fees" (read: gouges to the pocketbook) you would have a LOT more adoptions. Of course you can't guarantee 100% good adoptions; no one can, but your greed isn't helping those animals!
Tuesday, March 25 Report this
olyhiker
money, money, money. everybody needs/wants money..
Tuesday, March 25 Report this
JHermes
My cat Avery came from Joint Animal Services.
Best $70 I have ever spent. He's a treasure.
Tuesday, March 25 Report this
JohnOuthouse
30 million $ increase for an increase of 300 animals is $100,000 per animal
Tuesday, March 25 Report this
Dogmom
Joint Animal Services does a heck of a lot of good for the animals & community. It isn't $100,000 for each dog, it is everything needed for all the services to provide animals with the care they need. It may not b considered a no-kill shelter & that is because sometimes due to illness, rabies, or maybe too dangerous of a dog(& that would b where the person who turned it into a dangerous dog needs to b punished & I'm not talking about a police dog). Other than that they try & place every animal. Even elderly dogs are sometimes helped by fosters such as Old Dog Haven & a few others. They r part of our community & deserve our support for the tireless efforts they provide. Thank you
Wednesday, March 26 Report this
KatAshe
CrazyGranny,
Do you have statistics for the number of animals taken in and the numbered ‘killed’?
I do know as a fact, in the case of hoarding rescues, some, if not many, are extremely ill, and putting them down is a kindness.
My two felines are rescues, one of which was a hoarder rescue, the other a relinquish.
Wednesday, March 26 Report this
KatAshe
Dog mom,
Thank you for clarifying, the kill, no kill situation.
Wednesday, March 26 Report this
HappyOlympian
We have a deep love for Animal Services, but $30-40 million? This is a county with a population of 300k. Wondering how many of those animals come from from homeless folks who no longer want "service animals" (often unfixed male pit-bull mixes) they have to give up to get cheap housing we readily provide. Again, we keep acting like the large urban are we are not. Not hard to see how my country mired in massive debt when keeping stray animals cost this much.
Wednesday, March 26 Report this
BobJacobs
I was a member of the JASCOM board when the current building was acquired. County Commissioner Judy Wilson spotted the building that PSE was done with and we got it for a song as I recall. Judy did the same thing for the 9-1-1 building by the cemetery.
This proposal seems very spendy. Let's look for less expensive alternatives in both facilities and services.
Bob Jacobs
Thursday, March 27 Report this
JulesJames
JASCOM took in 3,305 animals in 2024 and is asking for $30-$40 Million -- physical plant only, no staffing. Over 20 years, that maths out to $600 for the average animal through the door. Certainly hope folk can find ways to reduce that to closer to average adoption charges out the door -- maybe $100 per, staff salaries included.
Thursday, March 27 Report this
TheGreatAnon
Well then CrazyGranny, you adopt all those sick, aged & problematic animals. You pay for their care. You house and feed them. You keep them out of trouble, Fact is you are demanding others to do the work and pay the expenses so you can lecture us from your moral high ground.
Five years ago I found my Husky companion at JAS. She was in doggy jail because she is a cat, chicken and small animal killer. She fights all dogs her size or less. She is not loyal and given the chance she would run wild terrorizing the neighborhood putting coyotes to shame. I was the 3rd person to bail her out of the pound. Knowing all that would you adopt her? Yeah, I didn't think so.
I do have a constructive suggestion. Donate the cost of a few spay & neuter surgeries.
Thursday, March 27 Report this
MisPeeps
Joint Animal Services took in 3,305 animals in 2024. That's 3,305 animals that needed help, so first off, THANK YOU JAS!
Secondly they are cleaning up everyone else's messes, please spay and neuter your dogs and cats. If you don't have the resources reach out to all our local animal rescue organizations including JAS, there is support out there. And if you are breeding animals, please just stop! 3,305 animals in one year means we are making to many or letting too many happen, do your part please!
30 million seems like a lot and I hope it can be done cheaper, but JAS deserves support! They stop suffering that no one else will take on. Stop complaining and support them!
Now JAS, I do not believe you have to euthanize very many animals. I understand you work with a lot of rescue groups and try to place all you can. But if you could be very transparent about your policy, when you do have to euthanize and why you have to, that would help. I do think there are some misconceptions about your euthanization policy.
Friday, March 28 Report this