This petition calls for transparency and reform at Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS), the City of Berkeley’s municipal dog shelter.

Location: Berkeley, California
Agency: Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS)

Max was a gentle, young German Shepherd found wandering the Hills in Berkeley, CA. He had people who cared about him and were willing to foster him. Yet just eight days after he was brought to City of Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS) for help, Max was euthanized without public notice and without contacting the people who offered to take him home. Learn more about Max in this three-minute video.

Max’s story is not an isolated tragedy. In the course of this petition effort (catalyzed by Max’s case) additional examples have emerged, pointing to a pattern of opacity preventing timely community actions. This conflicts with California’s policy that no healthy or treatable dog/cat should be euthanized, and the legacy of Councilwoman Dona Spring, after whom the shelter is named, who fought for Berkeley’s animals.

Today, BACS is not living up to this mission. By contrast, Oakland Animal Services (OAS) (serving 7,000+ animals a year) has reduced its dog euthanasia rate from 16.6% in 2019 to just 5.3% in 2024 through transparency, community engagement, and strong rescue partnerships. Berkeley can and must do better.

Call for Transparency & Reform at Berkeley Animal Care Services:

We, the undersigned residents and advocates, urge the City of Berkeley to:

1. Ensure Transparency and Public Reporting

• Current problem: BACS does not publish regular statistics on intake, adoptions, transfers, euthanasia.
• What We Are Asking the City of Berkeley to Do: Provide public monthly shelter statistics and clear, accessible publication of euthanasia policies and decision criteria.
• Model: Contra Costa Animal Service’s monthly performance reports; OAS’s at-risk postings (website, and social) and transparent outcomes.

2. Increase Adoption Visibility

• Current problem: Though BACS has 37 kennels [Dec '25: only 27 are usable], only ~20 dogs are listed as adoptable (Nov '25) and no adoption events are scheduled for 2025. No "priority" dogs (aka, scheduled for euthanasia) are listed at all.
• What We Are Asking the City of Berkeley to Do: Ensure that adoptable animals, incl. those at risk of euthanasia, are consistently and timely listed publicly, supported by regular on/offsite adoption events.
• Model: OAS’s website, outreach events, meet-and-greets, and adoption drives.

3. Operationalize the Foster Program

• Current problem: As of November 2025, BACS has no operational foster program for dogs.
• What We Are Asking the City of Berkeley to Do: Establish a robust and visible foster program, including emergency foster pathways, to move dogs out of stressful kennel environments and provide timely placement for urgent or at-risk cases.
• Model: OAS’s thriving and lifesaving foster program.

4. Activate Rescue Partnerships

• Current problem: Dogs at BACS are euthanized without a strong rescue outreach.
• What We Are Asking the City of Berkeley to Do: Ensure active and documented outreach to rescue organizations prior to euthanasia decisions, including transfers to qualified rescues and sanctuaries.
• Model: OAS’s national rescue partnerships and lifesaving transfer program.

5. Strengthen Qualifications and Volunteer Programs

• Current problem: Dogs displaying kennel stress are labeled unadoptable and euthanized. Past volunteers report retaliation for advocating for dogs. Also, BACS is not accepting new volunteers until March 2026 (as of Nov '25).
• What We Are Asking the City of Berkeley to Do: Ensure professional, evidence-based behavioral assessments with foster plans for stressed dogs, while maintaining transparent volunteer onboarding, clearly defined roles, enrichment programs, and protections for volunteers advocating in good faith.
• Model: OAS's 12 Coordinator Positions funded by FOAS. Clear goals and definitions for Volunteer Roles.

Why This Matters

Berkeley is a city that prides itself on compassion, justice, and progressive values. But today, our animal shelter is falling far short of those principles. Max’s death was preventable. Transparency would have saved him. A foster program would have saved him. A phone call would have saved him.

We are calling on the City of Berkeley to transform BACS into a humane, transparent, community-supported shelter worthy of its name and history. We also call on the Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Commission (PRW) to review BACS policies publicly and ensure this issue is placed on an upcoming agenda.

We invite you to sign this petition in support of transparency, accountability, and meaningful reform at Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS).

Together, we can make sure that Max’s needless death leads to meaningful change - and that no healthy, loving, adoptable animal is ever euthanized in silence again.

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