CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — KRIS 6 News has been following the Corpus Christi Animal Care Services for months.
(ACS) is taking firm steps to modernize its operations, improve animal welfare, and increase efficiency across the board.
The City Council has demonstrated a strong commitment to animal welfare by approving over $2 million in investments for ACS and authorizing a comprehensive assessment of the department.
When City Manager Peter Zanoni took office in 2019, Corpus Christi faced a wide range of urgent priorities: public safety, infrastructure and street repair, water and wastewater systems, family amenities, economic development, and restructuring the Public Health District.
In 2012, it moved to the Police Department, and in 2021 to the Neighborhood Services Department—structures that limited its ability to grow and evolve.
Recognizing the need for modern leadership and dedicated focus, in June 2023, the City established Animal Care Services as a stand-alone department.
To support this vision, the City partnered with Citygate Associates, a nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in local government and animal care operations.
Citygate conducted a full operational assessment, benchmarked ACS against best practices, and developed a roadmap for sustainable improvement.
“I asked for the study to be done so that we can see exactly what we need to do at Animal Care Services to make it a high-performing best class operation today,” Zanoni said.
The assessment yielded 170 actionable recommendations organized into five key areas:
- Policy – Updating standard operating procedures to align with national best practices
- Operations – Streamlining intake, care, and live release processes
- Staffing – Expanding and optimizing the workforce
- Facilities – Improving shelter capacity, public accessibility, and animal housing
- Culture – Strengthening internal communication, staff development, and workplace environment
So far, 12 recommendations have been completed and 53 are in progress, with a total of 65 planned for completion by the end of Fiscal Year 2025.
The remaining 105 will be implemented through a five-year phased plan, ensuring steady and sustainable progress. Zanoni said they will have a system that will help them keep up with the lastest, and will present frequent updates at future council meetings.
Zanoni originally anticipated the final report would reach city leadership in November 2024. However, the timeline changed when the city extended its contract with Citygate Associates by one year.
“We deliberately postponed presenting it to the then city council to propose it to this city council, as they are the ones to make decisions on this upcoming budget—and they have some tough decisions to make,” Zanoni explained.
The extension increased the contract by over $80,000, bringing the total cost to more than $226,000. Because it did not exceed a defined budget threshold, the extension did not require City Council approval.
Zanoni said the delay was purposeful and part of a larger strategy to enhance the depth of the final plan.
“We added scope to the contract so that we could get a really good assessment and a good list of recommendations,” he said. “We also added to the final phase of the contract implementation services.”
Of the total recommendations, 28 will require formal City Council approval—primarily for staffing increases and capital improvements to the shelter and support systems.
“This is really the start of our rebuilding of our Animal Care Services,” Zanoni said.
As the City continues its commitment to compassionate and professional animal care, progress will depend on more than internal reform. Community involvement is essential to sustaining these improvements.
Residents are encouraged to support animal welfare through responsible pet ownership: spaying and neutering, microchipping and licensing pets, adopting from shelters, reporting strays responsibly, and participating in volunteer or foster programs.
