Seattle Animal Shelter officers handle far more than cruelty cases. From park patrols to wildlife rescues, their work reflects the city’s evolving relationship with animals. Our latest analysis reveals how complaints have shifted from 2018–2024 — including a sharp rise in park patrols tied to media coverage.

Seattle Animal Shelter data shows 1,008 animal cruelty and neglect complaints in 2024, with most resolved through verbal warnings, cruelty notices, or impoundments. Abuse and abandonment cases stood out, highlighting how officers respond to the city’s most common animal welfare issues.

Explore the latest on animal cruelty patrols in Seattle, with 2024 data revealing key areas for complaints. Seattle's patrols focus on the South and Central parts of the city, where median income is also lowest.

Animal cruelty & neglect complaints rose 5.5% in Seattle in 2024—the highest since the pandemic. With abandonment & abuse cases climbing, can the City keep up with growing demands on animal welfare services?

This article dives into the 2025 WA State Animal Welfare Assessment in depth, exploring what it means for Seattle and how it's findings intersect with Seattle Animal Watch's work.

Seattle Animal Shelter expenses remain greater than the revenues it generates and the City of Seattle must close the deficit with taxpayer dollars. This article explores more about the direct and indirect costs the shelter incurs and the overall funding picture of the City Shelter.

This post provides an update on spay neuter procedures at the Seattle Animal Shelter in 2024. Procedures for shelter animals and animals owned by members of the public rebounded from 2023, but community cat procedures are at an all time low.

This article explores the role of business permits in animal welfare, particularly in businesses that provide animal services. But what does the data tell us about how healthy these processes are in Seattle today?

Animal cruelty complaints fielded by Seattle Animal Shelter have risen 15% in the last year. This post digs into why.

SAS is in the process of hiring a new director & implementing a 2yr roadmap to improve processes and morale. Here is their progress so far.

Seattle Animal Watch made strides in 2024 with CAWS launch, 149% subscriber growth, 46 articles published, and 9 public disclosures!

A follow up on a previous article showing a sharp increase in animal returns post adoption from SAS in 2023.

A review of 2016-2023 intake data for Seattle Animal Shelter. Returns of adopted cats & dogs are at an all time high in 2023.

Animal cruelty crimes and arrests are up year over year. This article explores other animal cruelty findings in WA's 2023 Crime Report.

A look at the data being the Seattle Animal Shelter's spay/neuter clinic since 2016.

This Data Bites is a review of wildlife intakes at the Seattle Animal Shelter.

This month we look at all Seattle Animal Shelter intakes from 2016 to 2022. Once again, the numbers reflect the post-COVID crisis.

The SAS Spay/Neuter clinic used to perform more than 2,300 surgeries a year. That number has plummeted since 2020.

This month’s Data Bites is a summary of shelter intake data received from the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) via a public disclosure request.

This month’s Data Bites is a lesson in dealing with Shelter intake da coming from Public Disclosure Requests (PDRs).