City outlines steps to stabilize staffing, hours at Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids city staff are working to identify a mix of short- and long-term solutions to address ongoing staffing issues at the Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control Center.

Cedar Rapids Police Chief David Dostal addressed the issue this weekend in a statement posted to the center’s social media pages. In the post, he noted the prevalence of recent staffing shortages and its impact on shelter offerings.

Earlier this year, the shelter was forced to periodically close to the public among ongoing staffing issues. The shelter was still taking in new animals during that time, but community members were unable to visit the shelter to socialize with potential adoptees.

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To address those concerns, Dostal wrote that the city has either hired or is in the process of hiring seven temporary, part-time workers to restore consistent shelter hours and maintain animal care levels.

Further initiatives include a cross-departmental city job-sharing program where staff from other departments will temporarily assist with shelter operations, as well as improved public volunteer coordination to further assist with daily happenings.

“We are committed to ensuring CRACC has the resources and support necessary to provide compassionate, effective and safe care for the animals they serve,” Dostal wrote. “It is clear our community deeply values this shelter, its dedicated team and the animals in their care.”

Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control is an open-admission shelter with a small staff and volunteer corps who help care for more than 3,000 animals each year.

In his statement, Dostal noted that the challenges facing the center are not unique to the city.

Per the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the number of animals entering shelters nationwide experienced only slight decreases in 2024 when compared to the year before.

However, the average length of stay increased in a move the organization states is “adding strain to an already overburdened shelter system” facing too few slots and not enough hands to help the millions of animals brought to U.S. shelters each year.

“Shelters across the country are experiencing increased strains similar to our own: staffing shortages, … slower adoption rates and limited living space,” Dostal wrote. “Shelters like ours are seeking new solutions to these problems and implementing best practices for operations.”

To help address those challenges at a local level, Dostal wrote that the city will be seeking a third-party review of current Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control operations and facilities in the coming weeks to evaluate staffing levels, available space and long-term needs.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell shared Dostal’s statement in her own online post, stating she was “grateful to (Dostal) and to city staff for rallying behind the need for a stronger, more sustainable Cedar Rapids Animal Care & Control.”

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