Our Commissioners

The Commission of Animal Control and Welfare has 11 members:

  • 7 voting Commissioners
  • 4 non-voting Commission members

The Rules Committee recommends Commissioners. Commissioners are appointed by the full Board of Supervisors. Commissioners serve for 2 years.

Non-voting members are City employees who represent:

  • Department of Animal Care and Control
  • Department of Public Health
  • Department of Recreation and Parks
  • San Francisco Police Department

These members attend meetings as needed.

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Join the Commission

If you are interested in serving on the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare, read information about vacancies and applying

All seats are to be filled by members of the general public who have interest and experience in animal matters.

Seat 7 must be filled by a licensed veterinarian. They must practice in San Francisco, but they do not have to live in San Francisco.  

All other members must live in San Francisco.

Enacting Legislation - Health Code Sections 41.2 - 41.3

In addition to any other powers and duties set forth in this Article, the Commission shall have the power and duty to:

  • Hold hearings and submit recommendations regarding animal control and welfare to the Board of Supervisors and the City Administrator; 
  • Study and recommend requirements for the maintenance of animals in public, private, and commercial care;
  • Work with the Tax Collector, the Director of the Animal Care and Control Department, and authorized licensing entities to develop and maintain dog licensing procedures and make recommendations on fees. 

The Commission shall render written reports of its activities that shall include recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, the Mayor, and the Chief Administrative Officer: 

  • for the development of policies and procedures which will further the objectives of animal welfare and control; 
  • of additional legislation deemed by the Commission to be necessary for animal welfare and control; 
  • of actions to be taken by any agency, board, officer of this City and County for the purposes of furthering the objectives of animal welfare and control. 

Enacting legislation section 41.1

There is hereby established a Commission to be known as the Commission of Animal Control and Welfare of the City and County of San Francisco (hereafter called "Commission"), consisting of 11 members.

The Commission of Animal Control and Welfare shall consist of the Director of Animal Care and Control or his or her designated representative, seven members to be appointed by the Board of Supervisors and one city department representative member appointed by each of the following: the Director of the Department of Health or his or her designated representative, the Chief or Police or his or her designated representative, and the General Manager of the Recreation and Park Department or his or her designated representative. The members appointed by the Board of Supervisors shall be six members representing the general public having interest and experience in animal matters and one licensed veterinarian practicing in San Francisco. Each member of the Commission shall be resident of the City and County of San Francisco, except for the licensed veterinarian, who must practice in San Francisco, but who need not be a resident of San Francisco.

Voting members of the Commission shall consist only of the seven members appointed by the Board of Supervisors. The Director of the Animal Care and Control Department, the Director of the Department of Public Health, the Chief of Police, and the General Manager of the Recreation and Park Department, or their designated representatives, shall report to the Commission regarding their respective Department's activities, and participate in general discussions before the Commission as non-voting members.

Three of the members who are first appointed by the Board of Supervisors shall be designated to serve for terms of one year and three for two years from the date of their appointment. Thereafter, members shall be appointed as a foresaid for a term of two years, except that all of the vacancies occurring during a term shall be filled for the unexpired term. A member shall hold office until his or her successor has been appointed and qualified. The Commission shall elect a chairman from among its appointed members. Any member who misses three regularly scheduled meetings of the Commission during each two year term without the express approval of the Commission given at regularly scheduled meetings will be deemed to have resigned from the Commission.

The term of office as chairman of the Commission shall be for a year or for thee portion thereof remaining after each such chairman is elected. No member of the Commission shall receive compensation for serving thereon.

No two individuals on the Commission shall be representatives, employees or officers of the same group, association, corporation, organization or City Department.