San Diego Humane Society is voicing deep concern over San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which includes a 20 percent — or $3.5 million — cut to the organization’s contract for providing animal services. The nonprofit warns that this level of funding reduction could significantly impact public safety and put animals and people at risk throughout the city.
San Diego Humane Society has held multiple meetings with City officials since January, when the possibility of budget cuts was first raised. During these discussions, the nonprofit outlined its contractual and legal responsibilities and emphasized that it cannot absorb a cut of this magnitude without eliminating essential services.
While the proposed budget describes the cuts as a “reduction in patrols,” San Diego Humane Society clarifies that the consequences may be far more severe — a cut of this size would equate to eliminating San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement services within San Diego city limits. This includes:
- The inability to respond to animal cruelty or neglect cases
- No enforcement of animal laws in communities
- No patrols in parks to address off-leash or aggressive animals
- No enforcement of rabies control and other public health protections
- No investigations of bites or potentially dangerous dogs
“These are not simply operational reductions — they represent a direct threat to public safety,” said Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of San Diego Humane Society. “A cut of this size would effectively eliminate our entire Humane Law Enforcement operation for the city, as well as significantly threaten the welfare of the more than 20,000 San Diego animals we care for. To say this would be a devastating blow to our mission and our service to the community would be a tremendous understatement.”…