ST. LOUIS COUNTY–St. Louis County Public health officials say they’re making improvements to an Olivette Animal shelter. The Animal Care and Control Adoption Center reopened last month under County management. The location was run by the APA between Dec. 2022 and Feb. 21, 2025. 

In a meeting Wednesday, officials said the shelter is following a “socially conscious sheltering model” through new training programs, staff positions and data-driven intake protocol.

“We're going to start small, but then I want to make this something that is embraced throughout St. Louis County,” said Dr. Kanika Cunningham St. Louis County Director of Public Health. “I am truly trying to change the image of our shelter and truly help the pets and the people that we serve.” 

The APA relinquished control of the shelter in February to expand operations, according to County officials. The organization initially took control of the St. Louis County Pet Adoption center following a 2019 audit showing euthanasia numbers at the shelter were manipulated to appear artificially low. There were also concerns about the facilities' condition and management.

The county re-assumed control in Feb. 2025. Despite allegations of a “secret plan” involving shelter-wide euthanasia, animals were transferred to a nearby APA shelter. Volunteers also left the shelter, following a county decision to end the APA volunteer program. Cunningham said 50 new volunteers began in early March—half the number of previous shelter volunteers. 

“We did calculate the amount of of staff that we need to take care of animals… volunteers as well,” Cunningham said. “We have proper staffing ratio ratios to make sure all of the animals were taken care of... There are a few positions, critical positions, that we do need to fill.”

Cunningham said the Animal Care and Control Adoption Center has more than 25 new roles, but still needs a chief operating officer, shelter division director and community outreach coordinator. The annual budget includes those roles, but the County plans to apply for grants and collaborate with universities to employ foster program managers and more veterinary staff. 

Employees at the shelter are already caring for more than 150 animals, including dogs, cats and sheep. St. Louis County Council members raised concerns about shelter capacity, lenient microchip checking and spay/neutering ordinances. 

“I don't disagree,” Cunningham said. “We need to revisit to make sure that we are following the best evidence-based research and policies… We may see an increase in our budget when it comes to spay and neuter.”

Cunningham says the shelter will consider raising adoption fees to align with Humane Society and APA shelters. Shelter officials plan to display fees, available pets and more data in an upcoming community dashboard.