East County News ServiceApril 7, 2026 (San Diego County) — San Diego County is stabilizing the leadership of the Department of Animal Services, appointing a new Director and a new Deputy Director to steer the agency through a period of transition after an investigative series last year by journalists at KPBS uncovered serious issues within the department.
The county announced today that Dr. Brieana Sarvis has been named the Director of Animal Services and Kendra King is Animal Services’ new Deputy Director.
A familiar face within the department, Dr. Sarvis joined the County as Chief Veterinarian in 2025 and has served as Acting Director since February. Her promotion marks a pivot toward a medically led, welfare-focused administration.
King has been with the Humane Society of Ventura County, where she spent over a decade specializing in field operations and humane investigations.
The double appointment starts a new era for Animal Services, which saw its top two seats vacated earlier this year following a series of investigative reports by KPBS.
Last September, the department’s assistant director, Rachael Borrelli, went on leave as KPBS released a leaked, profanity-laced voice message, in which she disparaged shelter animals, saying, “I’m so sick of us keeping (expletive) dogs that aren’t going to get adopted” rather than euthanizing them.
In January of this year, the county confirmed she was no longer employed with Animal Services. Then in February, previous Animal Services Director Vaughn Maurice stepped down.
Under their tenure, the department faced intense criticism from volunteers and advocates regarding skyrocketing euthanasia rates and questionable record-keeping practices, KPBS found.
The new leadership team appears selected specifically to rebuild trust.
Beyond their professional credentials, both Sarvis and King are deeply embedded in the local animal community.
Sarvis and her family care for a menagerie of goats, chickens, ponies, cats, dogs and rabbits. She is also an avid gardener, though she told the County Communications Office that the goats sometimes win the race to the vegetables.
King, who has family ties to Fallbrook, is an active horsewoman with a horse named Levi, and lives with her two dogs, Gus and Nyx.
With the leadership transition complete, the department is refocused on its core mandate of 24-hours-a-day rescues; investigating animal cruelty; enforcing state and local welfare laws; community support for owners who can no longer care for their pets; and public education on the benefits of licensing and humane restraint.