Near Miss! City Task Force Reverses Recommendation to Close Animal Commission

The San Francisco Animal Commission survived a threat of elimination in the latest unanimous vote by a city task force. photo: AdobeStock

As the San Francisco Animal Commission began to wrap up its 52nd year, its members found themselves facing a serious challenge. Specifically, the city’s Commission Streamlining Task Force - what some have called San Francisco’s DOGE - had recommended that the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare be eliminated. 

But in a last minute turnaround, as this issue of Bay Woof went to press, the task force reversed its interim recommendation to eliminate the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare and instead voted unanimously to recommend KEEPING the commission!  It all went down at the task force’s November 5 meeting after task force members received a number of letters and messages in support of the commission and heard directly from the community during the public comment period of the meeting. The community spoke up for animals and the city listened. Once again, our community’s advocacy and support made all the difference!

Please check out next month’s column for a full report and a look at what the commission plans to work on in the new year. In the meantime, read on for details about this near miss. 

How Did We Get Here? 

Nationally, there’s been a lot of discussion recently regarding city government and how things work or don’t work. In San Francisco’s case, that’s included a big emphasis on public bodies – city commissions, advisory boards, task forces, and committees – and their role in our local government. They’re an easy target since there are currently over 130 public bodies on the city’s books, including a number that are inactive and haven’t held a meeting in years.

Enter Proposition E, the November 2024 election ballot measure that won with about 58% of the vote. The passage of Proposition E established a Commission Streamlining Task Force charged with making recommendations to the mayor and Board of Supervisors on reforming the city’s commissions and boards.  

During the last few months, the task force reviewed a number of public bodies and issued interim recommendations on ways to modify, eliminate, or combine these entities. With the exception of a questionnaire and a spreadsheet to complete, the task force’s review process included little interaction or discussion with those who actually serve on the bodies being reviewed, though they did hold extensive conversations with a number of city department representatives.

In late October, the task force issued a memorandum, which included the recommendation that the Animal Commission be eliminated (click here for a copy of the document; the section on the commission begins on page 63). But fortunately, the review process still included at least  one public meeting in which the community could provide comments to the task force. Which brings us to the November 5 meeting and the amazing turnaround based on feedback from you, the community.

The Beginning of the End of Public Engagement?

The fact that the task force originally wanted to eliminate the Animal Commission both did and didn’t surprise me. The reasons provided for the decision were indicated in the referenced document and, although I didn’t agree with a lot of what was written (some of it was clearly incorrect), what really concerned me was that the task force was doing exactly what many feared it would do: eliminate community involvement in how our city is run. Sadly, our commission was just one of those bodies that would have been eliminated if the Board of Supervisors approved these initial recommendations. There are others still on the chopping block.

In San Francisco, the local government loves to talk about civic engagement. Public officials say it is who we are and that we are a city that prides itself on community input and passionate discussion over just about everything. That’s true to an extent. For those who want to be involved, there’s usually a commission or committee where residents can attend meetings, provide public comments, and help shape city policy. Some of us even volunteer to serve as members of these bodies.

But all that could change. Depending on how the commission streamlining process unfolds, we could see major changes in how we are allowed to interact with city government.

The deadline for the task force to complete its work and submit a final report and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors is February 1, 2026. The Board of Supervisors must hold a hearing on the task force’s recommendations by April 1, 2026. So please stay tuned as the new revised recommendations make their way to the Board of Supervisors. 

Why the Animal Commission Matters

In the case of the Animal Commission, none of our members receive compensation and we do not have a budget. We hold hearings on matters regarding animals and we issue recommendations, but we do not have the power to enact legislation. We also do not have oversight over any city department, and we cannot hire or fire any city employees.

But what we are able to do is provide a way for community members to speak out on animal-related issues and work with us to address their concerns. In fact, many of our recommendations have come about because a member of the community has brought a particular issue to our attention. Our commission is a place where everyday residents can have a voice.

Of course, we know that some of our recommendations have caused discomfort, which may have to do with the initial decision to recommend our elimination (it definitely couldn’t have been because of our supposed impact on city resources).

No matter the Board of Supervisors’ final vote, I want the Animal Commission to use whatever time it has to go big- really dig into some of those issues that commissioners have always wanted to address but felt we didn’t have the bandwidth to do (or were waiting for a city department to address at its request). We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. So let’s do it.

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The next meeting of the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 13. Meetings are held in Room 408 at City Hall (1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102). Information concerning remote access to meetings is on our website (agendas for upcoming meetings are published within 72 hours prior to that meeting).

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Please be aware that the views and opinions expressed in this column are those of Commissioner Torres and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare.