7 things to know about our investigation into the wealthy, yet rundown, Montco SPCA

Animal welfare is a tough business and most animal shelters are struggling to make ends meet. Shelter leaders often blame poor outcomes for dilapidated conditions on the green scapegoat: money.

But a recent Inquirer investigation found that the Montgomery County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is by far the wealthiest animal shelter in the state — and yet its kennels are dangerously run-down, its facilities are understaffed, and euthanasia is rampant under what staff and volunteers describe as neglectful leadership.

Here are some of our findings:

» READ MORE: Euthanasia, understaffing, and broken kennels are rampant at Montco’s ultra-wealthy SPCA

Montco’s financial assets — over $67 million at the end of 2023 — are an anomaly in the animal welfare industry. Pennsylvania SPCA, in Philadelphia, ranks second, with assets less than half of that.

The financial position for most large rescues is far more grim. Half of all animal shelters in Pennsylvania reported $4.5 million or less in assets, according to an Inquirer analysis of federal nonprofit filings at more than 30 shelters statewide. Those assets include buildings and land, as well as rainy day funds for operating expenses.

Despite its wealth, Montco SPCA spends only about $3 million a year on operations, while Pennsylvania SPCA spent more than $10 million last year. (The Montco SPCA board of directors declined to answer detailed questions about the shelter’s finances.)

Montco’s kennels are chronically broken, and conditions are often dire due to understaffing, we found. Dogs often escape through the unlockable kennel gates. Photos taken by staff and volunteers show dogs that gashed their eyes and coats on protruding metal wires. Others showed dogs that appeared to have burns on their paws, which staff attributed to the animals standing in their own urine.

In July, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration received complaints about black mold in the cat isolation room and other subpar conditions at the main Conshohocken shelter. (Shelter operations manager Ed Davies said the mold has since been remediated, and the board of directors said that facility upgrades are in the works.)

The Inquirer found that the Montco SPCA’s save-rate was the lowest among shelters in the Philadelphia region. By its own metrics, its main shelter, in Conshohocken, saved about 82% of animals last year, meaning it euthanized about one in five. The save-rate across all three branches was 85%.

That rate was on par with the national average, but low among shelters in a region where both elected officials and animal welfare leaders have pushed to implement a “no-kill” policy. Shelters with a 90% save-rate or higher are considered no-kill.

Comparable suburban rescues have routinely met that goal in recent years. Montco attributes its higher kill rate to its policy of being an “open-door” facility that turns no animal away, even those with severe medical or behavioral issues.

There is no national standard for how animal shelters should calculate their “save-rate,” or the percentage of animals that leave the shelter alive. Many shelters do not count owner-requested euthanasia, a public service that allows pet owners to humanely put down elderly or sick animals.

Montco’s saverate lowers to 75% when accounting for those cases, representing “one of the largest lifesaving gaps” in Pennsylvania, according to Best Friends Animal Society, a Utah-based animal welfare nonprofit that tracks save-rates nationwide.

Staff and volunteers said euthanasia recommendations are often controversial at the shelter. Managers often recommend euthanizing dogs that showed no red flags to other staff members and volunteers. Decisions are often made unilaterally by managers, whistle-blowers alleged, with little input from staff and volunteers. The shelter’s record-keeping often fails to document the reasons for the euthanasia. (Davies acknowledged disagreements among staff, but defended his and other managers’ ability to make the right call.)

Carmen Ronio, 79, started working at the Montco SPCA in 1972 and took the reins as executive director around 2000. He also holds a vice president seat on the 11-person board of directors.

Staff and volunteers blame Ronio and the board for the shelter’s problems. Rick Matelsky, former executive director of Providence Animal Shelter in Delaware County, said Ronio runs the shelter “like it’s back in the ‘60s, which is to bring animals in, hold them for three days, and then euthanize.”

Ronio declined to be interviewed. He makes more than $250,000 a year, according to federal nonprofit filings. In 2022, his salary accounted for nearly 10% of the shelter’s expenses.

Most modern shelters have prioritized adoption programming and community engagement, efforts that animal welfare experts said are necessary to improve outcomes for animals.

But unlike most shelters, the Montco SPCA does not have a foster program for adult dogs and cats that places them in temporary homes. It does not hold regular adoption events, or partner with other animal rescues and shelters.

(Davies, the shelter operations manager, said such programs have not been needed to keep adoptions flowing.)

SPCAs operate independently, and no national or state umbrella organization provides oversight.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture offers one of few accountability checks for shelters. State dog wardens from the department conduct regular kennel inspections and can revoke licenses when shelters do not meet state standards. The agency has refused or revoked 19 kennel licenses in the past three years, according to annual reports.

Montco SPCA has passed all of its recent inspections, though a Department of Agriculture spokesperson said the agency is investigating “multiple complaints” it has received from shelter volunteers in recent weeks.

More than 1,000 people recently signed a new online petition, “Save the Animals, Change the Management!,” calling for an overhaul of shelter leadership.