{"id":336706,"date":"2026-05-28T23:57:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T23:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/336706\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T23:57:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T23:57:09","slug":"new-grand-jury-report-says-improvements-are-still-needed-at-troubled-san-jose-animal-care-center-shelter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/336706\/","title":{"rendered":"New grand jury report says improvements are still needed at troubled San Jose Animal Care Center shelter"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — A new civil grand jury report is the fourth in recent years to raise concerns about the troubled San Jose Animal Care Center.<\/p>\n

The report says that while the shelter has made progress addressing issues identified in a 2024 audit, “critical challenges remain in operations and in the significant erosion of public trust, both of which continue to undermine the shelter’s effectiveness.”<\/p>\n

The findings come as no surprise to San Jose animal rights advocate Rebekah Davis Matthews.<\/p>\n

“This is just another thing on top of all that to finally take us seriously when we say that there’s problems over there,” she said.<\/p>\n

One of the key issues highlighted in the report is a “trust gap” with the public, driven by what it describes as a lack of data transparency and credibility.<\/p>\n

MORE: Advocates demand change after latest dog death at SJ Animal Care Center<\/a><\/p>\n

The report also notes that while some metrics — such as animal adoptions — have improved, others, including animal deaths and the length of time animals remain in the shelter, have also increased.<\/p>\n

Those trends are unacceptable to advocates like Kit O’Doherty, who says the shelter’s growing budget should have led to better outcomes.<\/p>\n

“The shelter has very clearly been doing a lot less for a lot more money. That trend is very clear,” she said.<\/p>\n

The shelter was unavailable for an interview Wednesday but told ABC7 Eyewitness News in a statement:<\/p>\n

“As always, we remain committed to the health, safety, and welfare of the animals in our care, as well as the ongoing improvement of shelter conditions and services.”<\/p>\n

MORE: Audit reveals inhumane conditions at San Jose Animal Care Center<\/a><\/p>\n

DavisMatthews said the statement rings hollow.<\/p>\n

“It feels like lip service to me because we haven’t seen a lot of meaningful change,” she said.<\/p>\n

San Jose plans to move operation of the shelter from the Public Works Department to the city’s Parks Department later this summer – a shift welcomed by many South Bay animal advocates.<\/p>\n

Still, they caution that significant work remains.<\/p>\n

“Get standard operating procedures in place. Train the staff on those. Monitor compliance with those. Update them regularly. All of those basic organizational infrastructure-type things,” O’Doherty said.<\/p>\n

\"Now<\/a><\/p>\n

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