CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — City Manager Peter Zanoni has announced the appointment of Dr. Antonio Caldwell as the new Director of Corpus Christi Animal Care Services, effective Monday, May 18.
Dr. Caldwell brings more than 20 years of executive and operational leadership experience in animal care, procurement, budgeting, and organizational management across both public and private sectors.
Most recently, Dr. Caldwell served as Assistant Director of Animal Care Services for the City of San Antonio, where he oversaw daily operations and managed an annual budget of $34 million. In that role, he led a multidisciplinary team of 245 staff members across various functions, including enforcement, field services, marketing, education, communications, veterinary care, volunteer programs, and animal placement.
During his tenure with San Antonio, Dr. Caldwell played a key role in a community-wide initiative to increase adoption and foster care, successfully raising the Live Release Rate from 88% to 93%. He also developed a data-driven “Return to Field” program for community cats, which reduced shelter intake by 20% and lowered operational costs.
His fundraising efforts secured $1.5 million in private grants and corporate sponsorships to fund low-cost spay/neuter clinics in underserved areas of San Antonio.
Before his San Antonio position, Dr. Caldwell served as Deputy Director of Health, Wellness, and Animal Services for the City of Brownsville, where he achieved remarkable improvements in animal welfare outcomes. Under his leadership, the Live Release Rate dramatically increased from 26% to 78% within 18 months.
Dr. Caldwell holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Business Management from California Intercontinental University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from The University of Texas at Dallas.
Most recently, he attained the Certified Animal Welfare Administrator (CAWA) designation from the Association of Animal Welfare Advancement. This prestigious certification is currently held by only approximately 25 individuals in Texas.
The appointment comes as Corpus Christi continues to focus on improving animal welfare services and outcomes in the community.
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