Berkeley animal shelter workers face abuse from puppy snatchers, pickaxe threats

Violent confrontations came to light when Berkeley Animal Care Services requested an upgrade to its server on Bolivar Drive. Credit: Emilie Raguso

Employees and volunteers at the city’s animal shelter regularly face violence and threats on the job and burglaries after hours, including from frustrated pet owners and, in one case, a stranger with a pickaxe.

These confrontations came to light almost by accident, when Berkeley Animal Care Services requested an upgrade to its server in order to back up its surveillance cameras at their Dona Spring Animal Shelter on Bolivar Drive.

The request itself was mostly a matter of adhering to city ordinance. But the paperwork in support of the request revealed that shelter workers, both staff and volunteers, regularly face verbal abuse, violence and threats of violence on the job.

Shelter staff had to call city police for help five times in as many months beginning in September 2024. The incidents involved pet owners trying to take their animals back, a person disgruntled at being told they did not qualify to adopt an animal, and a pet owner who, after being released from incarceration, attempted to snatch his puppy from a volunteer who was walking the dog. 

These are the five incidents where BPD intervened between Sept. 15, 2024 and Feb. 3, 2024, Chakko said:

Sept. 15: A “cleaner was there after hours cleaning and someone was repeatedly trying to break in to retrieve their animal. This was not the first time an incident like this occurred while she was cleaning.” Sept. 29: “A person who was told that she did not qualify to be able to adopt a dog grabbed a staff keycard and ID from the staff member’s neck, resulting in scratches to the neck and chest.” When officers arrived, they recognized the would-be adopter from another report to their agency and made an arrest. Dec. 9: “An animal owner was arrested and the puppy was brought to us by BPD. A few days later, a volunteer was walking the puppy near the parking lot when the owner, who was just released, yelled at her and grabbed the puppy. He berated and threatened the volunteer, as well as a city staff person who came out to support.” Police did not arrest that man but “talked extensively” with him. Jan. 19: “A volunteer was coming back with a dog after a walk and was in our parking lot when an individual approached holding a pickaxe. He threatened her and followed her in the parking lot.” Feb. 3: “A dog was picked up as a stray, the individual trying to reclaim the dog was upset by the mandatory spay/neuter code. He pushed his way behind the front desk and yelled and cursed at staff. A staff member positioned themselves between the person and staff, and he pushed that intervening staff member.”

The shelter already has cameras installed, but the server they fed into has aged out of usefulness, according to emails to the Police Accountability Board from Peter Radu, assistant to City Manager Paul Buddenhagen. Since the system falls under the city’s surveillance ordinance, the PAB and city council have to sign off on the new hardware, which will cost an estimated $57,908. The PAB has already given the request the go-ahead and the council has it on its consent calendar for Tuesday.

Berkeley Animal Care Services, which moved into its custom-built facility on Bolivar Drive in 2013, provides shelter for stray pets, enforces animal-related city ordinances, removes killed or injured wildlife and investigates animal-related neglect, cruelty, nuisance and bite cases.