New Standalone County Department Of Animal Services Established

The seven-member Anne Arundel County Council unanimously passed Bill 25-25 in May. The bill will transition Anne Arundel County Animal Care & Control into the Department of Animal Services, and it establishes the department as an executive-level branch of county government reporting to the county executive.

The current Animal Care & Control department operates under the Anne Arundel County Police Department. The bill was introduced March 17 by council chairwoman Julie Hummer, of District 4, at the request of County Executive Steuart Pittman, following his July 2024 announcement that the department would be reorganized. The changes take effect on July 5.

As the Department of Animal Services, the organization is expected to be more efficient and effective. At a May 5 council meeting, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Hannah Dier told the council the bill wasn’t intended to introduce any policy changes within the department; rather, the focus was on the organizational structure of the new department following months of studying similar departments in other Maryland jurisdictions and throughout the country.

Recognizing long-standing challenges operating under the leadership of the police department, Dier said, “The mission of Animal Control doesn’t necessarily align with the mission of the police department,” and that the best solution is to elevate animal control to a cabinet-level department.

Claudia Roll was named administrator of Animal Control & Care by Pittman in July 2024 and will retain that position within the Department of Animal Services. During the May 5 meeting, she said, “The police department has been very helpful, but there is a chain of command that slows down (efficiency) and it can be a challenge.”

She added that whether the animal advocate department is tucked under the police or even the health department, “We are a square peg.”

The Department of Animal Services will establish all positions, including the addition of a director of the Department of Animal Services and the creation of an Animal Welfare Council. All responsibilities and requirements of the former Animal Care & Control under the police department will be transferred to the newly approved Department of Animal Services, which will report directly to the county executive.

“The residents of Anne Arundel County will not initially experience significant changes, as our core duties of animal care and enforcement remain the same,” Roll added. “Being a standalone department, Animal Services will have increased flexibility to move forward with improvements. Those improvements will benefit both the animals in our care and county residents. We look forward to being even more equipped to fulfill our mission effectively and efficiently.”

The Department of Animal Services manages two municipal shelters with an annual intake of 24,000 animals. The organizational structure should be transparent to county residents and the high-level care and advocacy provided to animals in Anne Arundel will be maintained.

Bill 25-25 can be accessed at www.aacounty.org/county-council/legislation/bill-no-25-25.