Performance Audit of Animal Care and Control

We identified several issues with ACC’s management of shelter operations and the shelter’s data system. For example, we found that policies and procedures for some of ACC’s population monitoring and management activities were insufficient; causing some of these activities to be sporadic, incomplete, and inaccurate. We also found that implementation of ACC’s data system was done without sufficient technical support and adequate IT security controls. As a result, ACC’s data system was left unguarded from misuse and abuse.

We recommend developing and implementing policies, procedures, and supervisory controls to improve ACC’s monitoring and management of the shelter’s animal population. This included improving intake procedures to ensure the accurate evaluation and recording of information about incoming animals. We also recommend ACC improve technical support and oversight for its data systems.

This performance audit of ACC was mandated by the King County Council in response to outside concerns about ACC’s shelter services and data reliability. The scope of the audit was to determine the extent to which the existing data systems, polices, and procedures were appropriately used to manage and carry out shelter operations, improve performance, and promote transparency and accountability.