A recently released performance audit by the Colorado Office of the State Auditor found weak oversight of the state’s pet care facilities which includes groomers, shelters, boarders and breeders.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture is responsible for the regulation of pet care facilities which includes about 1,839 licensed facilities as of January 2015.
PET ANIMAL CARE FACILITIES ACT PROGRAM (PACFA)
June 2015 Performance Audit – KEY FINDINGS:
- The Program failed to conduct routine inspections on 19 percent of the licensed facilities within the prescribed timeframe as of January 2015.
- Audited sample found that the Program failed to conduct complaint investigations within the required five-day time frame 65% of the time (13 of the 20 complaints) in calendar year 2014.
- The Department does not regularly and consistently enforce penalties against facilities found to be in violation of regulations.
- The Department lacks key controls for ensuring that inspections and enforcement actions are consistent among inspectors.
- The Department lacks sufficient controls for ensuring staff identify and disclose actual and perceived conflicts of interest in order to ensure public confidence in the Program.
RELATED:
Pet Animal Care Facilities Act Program
June 2015 Performance Audit
Colorado Department of Agriculture – Inspection and Consumer Services
– www.colorado.gov/pacific/aginspection/pacfa
Colorado Fails To Inspect Some Pet Care Facilities – (11.17.14)