Cathryn Rakich
Editor and Home Design and Pets Columnist
About This Author
Cathryn Rakich has been a writer and editor in the Sacramento area for 35 years, with articles in local, state and national publications. She is also active in the animal-welfare community, volunteering for local animal rescue groups. Her latest endeavor is as a ceramics artist.
Articles by this author
Disturbing Allegations
Under Philip Zimmerman’s leadership over the last five years, the city’s Front Street Animal Shelter has ignored spay/neuter laws, increased euthanasia, turned away unaltered stray animals and let hundreds of animal control service calls go unanswered.
A recent city audit also cites a lack of a community spay/neuter program, overcrowded kennels, unfinalized policies, uncollected fees and low employee morale.
Now, Zimmerman has hired Staycee Dains to run Front Street’s shelter operations.
Dains, previously with Long Beach and San Jose animal shelters, was named general manager of Los Angeles Animal Services in 2023, overseeing six LA city shelters.
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Too Little, Too Late
It’s not complicated. High-volume spay/neuter is the most effective way to stop the influx of unwanted dogs and cats.
Lacking such a program, Front Street Animal Shelter has big problems.
In the five years since Phillip Zimmerman took over as Front Street manager, the city’s homeless animal population has exploded. Stray dogs and cats entering Front Street grew from 6,309 in 2022 to 8,457 in 2024.
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Tax Cheat
Bill Russell, philosopher and basketball legend, told me what he thought of Sacramento when he moved to town in 1987 to coach the Kings.
He said Sacramento was Fresno with a capitol.
I exaggerate when I say Russell moved here. He disliked Sacramento so much that he lived in Rancho Murieta, a golf community on Amador County’s doorstep.
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Spot Fix It
Walk the dirt trail along the lower American River. Underfoot is cobble, buried in soil and held in place by decades-old tree roots.
Added in the 1950s, the smooth stones have protected the riverbank from erosion for more than seven decades. Cobble is a far cry from riprap, large angular rock and rubble used to protect shorelines.
“Cobble is very effective and still holding in place,” says Bill Avery, a biologist and Sacramento State professor. “Roots plus cobble are almost invincible. You’ve got extremely powerful erosion protection.
“It does not need to be covered with angular riprap exploded out of a quarry.”
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No Excuse
The city’s Front Street Animal Shelter has a problem. Unwanted pets keep coming.
In three years, stray dogs and cats entering Front Street increased by 2,148—from 6,309 in 2022 to 8,457 in 2024.
More animals mean more killing. In 2022, Front Street euthanized 747. In 2024, the shelter killed 1,462—nearly double.
To address the statewide animal overpopulation crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom included $50 million in the 2020-21 state budget to help California animal shelters stop killing adoptable dogs and cats.
Four years later the killing continues.
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