Two-Year Roadmap: Progress Report to the Community
In January 2024, the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) shared a bold two-year roadmap outlining how the shelter would transform into a more community-focused, equitable, and innovative organization. Like animal shelters across the country, SAS was navigating overcrowding, limited resources, and evolving community needs—challenges magnified by the pandemic.
The roadmap offered an opportunity for SAS to pause, listen, and partner with employees, volunteers, community members, and national animal welfare experts to critically examine where the shelter had been—and where it needed to go next.
Two years later, we’re proud to provide an update on our progress. Over 245 action items from the roadmap have been implemented, ensuring that we can better fulfill our mission and serve every animal—every time.
The work accomplished over the past two years has helped create a stronger foundation for a shelter that is more community-centered, equitable, and responsive to the needs of both people and pets.
The roadmap was never intended to be an endpoint, however. It’s a starting place to get us where we want to go. As we look ahead, the focus shifts to sustaining what has been built, learning from what this process has revealed, and continuing to improve. That means strengthening systems, addressing pain points, and staying open to feedback as the shelter evolves.
Seattle’s pets and the people who care for them are at the heart of this work. Thank you for being part of the journey—and for helping shape what comes next.