The City of Austin Animal Services Office (ASO) has launched a strategic planning process. During this process, ASO will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to create a shared vision for the future, set goals, and outline a plan to achieve these goals over the next five years. The process began in June 2024 and the plan will be released by December 2024.  

What is a strategic plan?  

A strategic plan is a tool used to define an organization’s goals and describe what action the organization will take to achieve those goals.  

What are the benefits of strategic planning?  

The main benefits of strategic planning include: 

• Clear Direction: Helping everyone understand the organization's goals and how to achieve them 
• Coordinated Decision-Making: Providing a framework for making informed decisions that align with goals 
• Resource Allocation: Ensuring resources like time, money, and people are used effectively to achieve goals 
• Increased Collaboration: Encouraging stakeholders to be involved in the planning and implementation  
• Performance Tracking: Setting measurable goals that make it easier to track progress and make necessary adjustments 

Why is the Animal Services Office (ASO) developing a strategic plan?  

The City Auditor’s Office and the National Center for Animal Shelter Evaluations conducted reviews of ASO in 2023 (view the 2023 ASO Audit Report here, view the 2023 Animal Shelter Evaluation here). Both reviews identified misaligned departmental goals as well as issues with stakeholder engagement and alignment. One of the City Auditor’s recommendations was for the Chief Animal Services Officer to work with stakeholders to develop, implement, and monitor a strategic plan.   

Since the release of those reports, ASO has implemented ordinance and process changes and hired a third-party vendor to facilitate the development of a strategic plan in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.  

What are the objectives of ASO’s strategic planning process?  

In line with recommendations from the City Auditor’s Office, the plan's objectives are to align the City’s animal welfare priorities, chart a course for addressing overcrowding at the animal shelter, improve relationships among stakeholders, and rethink the compilation, tracking, and presentation of data related to animal services. The plan should also integrate the City’s no-kill goals, the community’s intake needs, and the humane treatment of its animals. Additionally, the plan should be adaptable to changing conditions and resources in the shelter and be clearly communicated to all stakeholders.