Joint Animal Services reports fewer adoptions, higher cat count

Fewer animals have gone home with new families from Joint Animal Services (JAS) this year, even though the shelter's intake level dropped.

JAS Executive Director Sarah Hock presented the latest shelter statistics and field data to the Joint Animal Services Commission on Nov. 10. The report included shelter statistics and animal control field responses through Oct. 31.  

The shelter received 3,144 animals in the first 10 months of 2026, down 14.6 percent from 3,683 a year earlier. Cat intake bucked the trend, rising 14.9 percent to 2,001. Dog intake, meanwhile, fell 22.1 percent to 983 from 1,262. 

Adoptions dropped 15.4 percent to 1,193 from 1,410 in the same period last year. Cat adoptions slipped to 725 from 857, and dog adoptions fell to 448 from 531. 

Animal transfers, by contrast, rose 26.1 percent to 551 from 437. Cats drove much of the gain, with transfers climbing to 418 from 216. Dog transfers rose to 129 from 110. 

Owners reclaimed 351 animals, up from 337 a year earlier. Shelter euthanasia fell to 295 from 846, although owner-requested euthanasia rose to 225 from 168. 

Demand for animal control services also eased. JAS recorded 2,679 field responses through October, down 11.4 percent from 3,024 a year earlier. Thurston County accounted for 1,069 responses, followed by Olympia with 599, Lacey with 597 and Tumwater with 253. 

Olympia recorded the largest percentage decline at 18.3 percent. Responses in Thurston County fell 11.1 percent, followed by Tumwater at 10 percent and Lacey at 4.2 percent. 

October data showed the opposite trend in intake. JAS received 385 animals during the month, up from 361 in October 2025. The shelter also recorded 141 adoptions, 55 transfers and 40 animals reclaimed by their owners. 

Field responses for October fell to 252 from 263 a year earlier. Thurston County accounted for 81 responses, followed by Olympia with 73 and Lacey with 58. 

People hoping to adopt can stop by the shelter at 3120 Martin Way E. in Olympia, Tuesday through Saturday between 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. People may also reach JAS through its official Facebook page.