Seattle Animal Shelter director Esteban Rodriguez announced last week that he has stepped down from his role leading the city-funded facility.
Rodriguez, who joined the shelter in early 2021, said concerns about the city’s failure to better fund the shelter spurred his departure. In a resignation letter first obtained by Cascade PBS, Rodriguez also cited challenging relationships with staff, volunteers and board members at the shelter.
He said the city had not fully funded essential positions, such as behaviorists and foster coordinators. He also said there had been “no meaningful progress” toward remodeling the shelter, which was built in 1982.
“The current conditions — animals living in inhumane kennels, a kennel system that poses safety risks to both people and pets, and a shelter that no longer serves its purpose for our community — are unacceptable,” Rodriguez writes. “While I have repeatedly raised these concerns, the City’s inaction could negatively impact my professional career, as I am ultimately responsible for the shelter’s outcomes.”
Callie Craighead, a spokesperson for Mayor Bruce Harrell, said in an email the city is in the process of hiring a behaviorist, and has already hired a foster care coordinator. She said both positions are fully funded.
She said that due to a $250 million budget shortfall, Seattle can’t afford to fund a new facility or add new positions, but the city has set aside nearly $4.5 million for building improvements at the shelter. Additionally, she said, the city invests $7.4 million annually in the shelter.
Rodriguez also referenced conflicts with staff and volunteers in his resignation letter, alleging some had provided “fabricated information” to Cascade PBS that he said unfairly targeted him.
Cascade PBS published an article in May in which more than a dozen volunteers accused shelter leaders of dismissing safety complaints about animals, such as dogs’ biting histories. Volunteers also alleged shelter leaders had retaliated against them for raising concerns, revoking their positions or ceasing to call them for things like fostering pets.
Despite the concerns he raised, Rodriguez said he was proud of the work accomplished during his tenure, including establishing free vaccination clinics and a planned contract with a veterinary clinic to expand access to vet care.
