Budget Updates for Animal Services
In a challenging budget year, the Board of County Commissioners invested in veterinary staff positions, and restored funding for after hours emergency services for foster volunteers and found animals.
Multnomah County, Ore. (June 12, 2025) — The Board of County Commissioners on June 12, 2025 approved a $4 billion balanced budget that makes painful tradeoffs to preserve core health, homelessness and public safety programs in the face of Multnomah County’s largest spending gap in a decade.
The adopted Fiscal Year 2026 budget ensures an increase in shelter beds and maintains housing and case management services to help people leave homelessness. It supports community safety by fully funding the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, and adult parole and probation programs. It funds work to tackle our community’s substance use crisis. And it invests in the strategic rebuilding of Multnomah County Animal Services (MCAS).
The Board unanimously approved an amendment from Commissioner Brim-Edwards, co-sponsored by Commissioner Moyer, that restores $200,000 for Multnomah County Animal Services’ contracted emergency services at DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital. The investment supports after-hours emergency medical care for pets, including fostered animals and those found injured or sick by law enforcement or good Samaritans outside of regular shelter hours.
View the Full Budget Update from the Multnomah County Communications Office
Budget Updates from Erin Grahek, Animal Services Director
“The impact of the budget at MCAS is significant,” said Erin Grahek, Director of Animal Services. “We were given five and a half new staff positions for Animal Health in Chair Vega Pederson's approved budget. Those positions include a Program Supervisor, a half-time Veterinarian, and 4 additional Animal Care Technician 2 positions dedicated to the hospital. This investment will support the complex medical needs of an increasing population of shelter animals, including our capacity for pre-adoption spay & neuter surgery!”
“The Board’s amendment restoring $200,000 for after hours emergency medical services means that our amazing foster volunteers will still have access to that crucial support for animals in their care around the clock. I would like to thank the foster volunteers and others who advocated so persuasively for these services, you were heard! Emergency responders and Good Sams will also be able to take injured found animals to DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital for immediate care and relief.”
“As in many departments and offices of the County during this challenging budget cycle, our operating budget was reduced in several areas. Animal Services will lose two Animal Technician 2 positions for animal enrichment in the coming year, and the funding for after-hours support services previously contracted to On Call Community Rescue for Animals (OCCRA). We have made operational adjustments and will continue to move forward.”
Multnomah County Animal Services is grateful to you, our community, for your support of animals in need, and their people.
