Animal control isn’t usually the first department that comes to mind when local governments think of process improvement, innovation, and best practices but it should be! A well-run animal control department costs about $4 per citizen annually but many local governments strip down the budget and hope that the costs can be covered by fees like pet registration alone. This usually leads to an ineffective animal control department that cannot cover its operating costs. There is also room for innovation in the message that animal control departments send about euthanizing and spaying and neutering because effective spaying and neutering now can help to decrease animal costs in the future (1).

            These are just two of many possible areas of innovation when it comes to animal control departments. Check out the resources below to learn about best practices in animal control and get guides to help you start innovating with your animal control department today!

• This previously asked question touches on different funding sources for animal control operations.
• “Animal Control Process Review” from Miami Dade County discusses how they run their successful animal control department.
• “Animal Control Management: A Guide for Local Governments” is a guide from the ICMA bookstore that covers all issues related to animal control departments.
• “Animal Control Management” is a guide from the Humane Society of the United States that discusses ways in which animal control departments can increase in efficiency (1).
• “How Innovation in Animal Control Creates Success” details a case study from San Antonio, TX on the big changes they made in their animal control department and how they have emerged as a leader in animal control.
• Additionally you can find all the animal control resources you need on the Animal Control Topic Page.

If you are doing innovative things with your animal control department submit them to the Knowledge Network either as a blog post or as a document so others can get inspired by your creativity. 

Robin Saywitz 

ICMA Knowledge Network Intern

rsaywitz@icma.org