May 2026 · Official Staff Enrichment Records
Using official May 2026 shelter records, this independent audit reconciled the population of 415 dogs, verified shelter exits and shelter care-days, and analyzed all 212 documented staff enrichment activities. The findings below highlight the most significant patterns identified during the review.
Only 4.3% of shelter care-days included documented enrichment. Statistically, a dog housed in the Gwinnett shelter on any given day had a 95.7% chance of receiving no documented enrichment.
327 of 415 dogs had no documented staff enrichment recorded during May 2026.
More than 62% of all documented enrichment in May was recorded by a single employee, highlighting a severe operational bottleneck and dependency on one staff member.
The audit examined all 415 dogs based on the total number of days they were physically housed in the shelter during May 2026.
received zero
documented enrichment.
received zero
documented enrichment.
received zero
documented enrichment.
Recognized shelter medicine guidance identifies regular physical activity, mental stimulation, and positive human interaction as essential components of behavioral health during confinement. Enrichment is not optional—it helps reduce stress, frustration, and behavioral deterioration.
Shelter leadership has frequently cited behavioral decline as a primary factor in euthanasia decisions. If documented enrichment was absent for the vast majority of shelter care-days, are dogs receiving the behavioral support necessary to prevent the very decline later cited as justification for euthanasia?
Forensic reconciliation identified recurring data-quality issues that significantly complicated independent verification and limited effective administrative oversight.
Some enrichment pages were created using incorrect Animal IDs, requiring manual review to determine the correct record.
Some pages listed dogs but contained no initials, activity, date, or confirmation that enrichment occurred.
Staff used different abbreviations, symbols, date formats, and levels of detail across the records.
Duplicate records and older forms required additional reconciliation before the data could be analyzed.
The audit identified practical opportunities to strengthen behavioral care, documentation, performance measurement, and accountability.
Review the workbook, methodology materials, data tables, and official source records used in the audit.
Gwinnett County has an opportunity to use meaningful documentation, measurable standards, and evidence-based behavioral care to improve outcomes for dogs in the shelter.
Contact County Leadership