AUSTIN, Texas — A new person is overseeing Austin’s Animal Services Department after the city put the animal services officer on administrative leave.
Don Bland, who oversaw the department since 2019, has been on leave since March 7. The city did not say why Bland is on leave, but he has faced criticism in recent years.
In 2022, the city’s Animal Advisory Commission approved a vote of “no confidence” in him over issues like overcrowding and work conditions at the Austin Animal Center.
A city spokesperson told KVUE Deputy Chief Officer Jason Garza is overseeing Animal Services for now.
Austin’s City Council is set to approve a sweeping strategic plan for the department next week.
One of the issues the commission addressed in its vote of “no confidence” was violations of a mandatory three-day hold period for sheltered pets. The purpose of that policy is to give owners time to find lost pets if they’re at a shelter.
At the time, Bland told the commission that some animals had been adopted out or sent to other shelters early. Some commissioners worried the city could be held liable if any pet owners came to claim those pets.
In 2023, an audit of the office that oversees the Austin Animal Center revealed significant issues, including dogs being kept in too-small cages, dirty conditions and strained relationships with stakeholders.
Since then, Bland said staff had made some changes, including not keeping dogs in cages and launching a finder-to-foster program that lets stray animals be placed in foster care immediately if their finder chooses to do so, allowing for more space in the shelter.