SEATTLE -- The King County Council moved ahead on shutting-down the Animal Control Department on Monday after it heard what auditors said they found.

The audit of King County's Animal Control Department blames mismanagement for a handful of problems at the two county-run shelters.

According to auditors, daily rounds at the facilities weren't consistent or comprehensive and the condition of animals wasn't consistently recorded, leading to delays in care.

"The management system for our shelter is completely inadequate and if we continue on in the same way, there's no excuse for it," said Julia Patterson of the King County Council.

Animal Control officials said the problems outlined in the audit are due to a lack of funding, even though they made numerous budget requests of the council.

"We fully admit there are all sorts of improvements that could be made with greater resources and we'd be happy to work with them if we had the resources, but sadly, King County doesn't," said Christine Lange of King County Animal Control.

After the audit was presented, Patterson announced new legislation that follows King County Executive Kurt Triplett's lead to do away with animal services in the county.

Facing a $56 million budget shortfall, Triplett proposed eliminating animal programs last month.

"We don't believe the county should be in the business, if you will, of sheltering animals anymore and this audit really emboldened us to move forward with this legislation," Patterson said.

If approved, animal service could be halted as early as April 1 next year.

That would leave 32 cities that contract with the county for animal control, on their own. The county's facility in Kent will already close on Sunday because of the threat of winter flooding from the Green River.

Workers are trying to find homes for the animals.

The Humane Society may be a potential solution for those 32 cities with no animal control.