Months after launching a national search for a new Department of Animal Services director, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors appointed Mary Martin to lead the department on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
The board voted unanimously in closed session to appoint Martin, county Counsel Minh Tran announced during open session Tuesday.
“Mary has a long professional experience in the field of animal welfare, including a proven track record of reaching a 90% live release rate at large shelters,” Supervisor V. Manuel Perez said, according to a county news release. “She has developed pet support programs to help keep pets with their owners, sought adoption techniques that find pets new homes, and brings a collaborative spirit to working with the community to find solutions to shared issues and concerns.”
Martin’s appointment comes at a time when the county is under scrutiny for its handling of animal services. Growing concerns about the treatment of shelter animals and euthanasia rates led to a lawsuit against the county in August 2024, followed in the early fall by the resignation of the county’s animal services director.
Martin will lead the department with a $34 million budget starting in mid-March. Prior to her appointment with Riverside County, Martin was assistant director for Dallas Animal Services and held roles with Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society and Animal Care Centers of New York City, according to the county’s news release.
Martin’s salary was not discussed in closed session, Tran said at the meeting, but the salary for animal services director is $110.50 per hour, or $230,000 a year, according to the county news release.
Former animal services director Erin Gettis resigned in September, a month after Rancho Mirage-based Walter Clark Law Group filed a lawsuit on behalf of Coachella Valley animal advocates who called for Gettis’s removal while raising concerns about the treatment of animals in the county’s care.
Assistant Director of Animal Services Kim Youngberg served as interim director while the county searched for a permanent replacement for Gettis.
“I am eager to work collaboratively with all groups interested in seeking solutions,” Martin said, according to the county’s news release. “I’m excited to be part of this vibrant county and its many communities. I will listen to everyone to understand what is working well, what needs work and how to get to our common goals – more live outcomes for animals in Riverside County.”
In her new role, Martin will oversee work by Outcomes for Pets Consulting, a Texas-based firm the county hired in mid-September to evaluate animal services and offer recommendations to improve operations and reduce euthanasia rates. The two-year, $2.5 million contract ends Dec. 31, 2026.
According to the county, Outcomes for Pets has been working to increase spay/neuter access, help reunite lost pets with their families and expand dog foster programs, among other things.
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