San Antonio Animal Care Services headquarters on the city’s the far West Side. Credit: Michael Karlis

After a 10-month search sometimes mired in controversy, San Antonio finally has a new director for its troubled Animal Care Services Department.

Jonathan Gary, a 25-year veteran employee of the City of Oklahoma with extensive experience in animal welfare, will take leadership of ACS on Dec. 30, San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh said Thursday afternoon.

“I have total confidence in Mr. Gary’s ability to lead Animal Care Services in its mission to protect both the animals and the residents of our community,” Walsh said in a statement. “Gary’s career in animal welfare has truly run the gamut. He has worked in the medical side of animal sheltering, supervised field services, and overseen daily shelter operations. That’s an incredible breadth of experience that will serve San Antonio well.”

Gary has served as the director of Oklahoma City’s Animal Welfare Division for the past eight years. Under his leadership, the department broke its annual save-rate record, sparing more than 15,000 animals from being put down over the past year.

Jonathan Gary Credit: Courtesy Photo / City of San Antonio

Before becoming director of the Oklahoma City Animal Welfare Division, Gary served as an animal shelter worker, vet assistant, field supervisor and operations manager.

“His 25 years of municipal shelter experience are invaluable,” San Antonio ACS Advisory Board Chair Rita Braeutigam said. “These talents will help us work united on behalf of our pets, our partners, and our community.”

Interim ACS Director Mike Shannon, who took over in July, will resume his previous duties as Development Services Director in January, according to city officials.

Gary’s hiring draws to a close a national search that began last December after former ACS Director Shannon Sims announced plans to retire.

Sims left the city in May — an earlier-than-expected departure — after giving an acerbic speech during an ACS Advisory Board meeting during which he referred to animal-rights activists as “social media terrorists.”

The search again made news after emails showed that Montgomery County Animal Care Services Director Aaron Johnson was among the finalists for the gig.

That choice drew fire from animal-welfare activists, because Johnson had previously been under criminal investigation for allegedly falsifying paperwork that led to more than 70 dogs being euthanized. Johnson was later cleared of all charges.

Activists rang new alarm bells last month, arguing that newly surfaced emails suggested San Antonio Assistant City Manager David McCary tried to influence the hiring process.

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San Antonio finally hires new Animal Care Services director

Michael Karlis

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