Since hiring law firm McGuireWoods to investigate allegations of severe internal dysfunction and animal mistreatment made by more than 100 current and former staff and volunteers in January, the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA has fired two volunteers who voiced concerns about the shelter’s practices and leadership.
When experienced dog walker Louise Finger showed up at the shelter for her shift on February 21, Volunteer Manager Krystyn Dotson and another employee stopped her at the entrance, she says.
“It’s been determined that you’re not permitted to volunteer with us any longer,” one of the employees told Finger, according to an audio recording of the confrontation. When Finger, who volunteered at the SPCA for several decades, asked why, they refused to answer.
Finger’s dismissal came after she expressed concerns to Dotson, according to emails shared with C-VILLE. On February 14, Dotson sent an email to volunteers instructing them to walk all dogs by 6pm for safety reasons. The following day, Finger urged Dotson to allow extra walking time—the shelter, which typically houses 55 to 60 dogs, does not have enough volunteers to safely walk all dogs by 6pm, she said.
In response, Dotson asked Finger on February 18 if she could shadow a new walker during her shift the following day, which Finger declined to do. “With only 3 EDWs signed up, it is not a good time for me to shadow,” wrote Finger, who is among the many former and current staff and volunteers who have penned letters to the shelter’s board of directors sharing concerns.
While the SPCA may fire volunteers “at any time with or without cause or notice,” those who violate guidelines are supposed to be issued verbal and written warnings before being dismissed, per the organization’s volunteer liability waiver.
When asked why Finger was fired, board president Jenn Corbey declined to offer an explanation. “It is inappropriate for CASPCA to discuss specific volunteers or their actions,” she said in an email to C-VILLE.
After Finger’s dismissal, experienced dog walker Sarah Lloyd became worried that more volunteers could be fired for speaking out—she had attended a February 11 protest calling for new shelter leadership. “I was super careful not to break any rules,” she says. However, on March 17, Lloyd received an emailed letter from Richmond-based lawyer Buckley Warden notifying her that she had been dismissed for “repeatedly” violating guidelines, including disclosing donor information and recording employees without their permission.
“I didn’t do any of those,” says Lloyd, who volunteered at the shelter for almost four years.
Regarding the CASPCA’s decision to hire Warden to dismiss Lloyd, “we are a small organization and from time to time rely on external expertise to help us operate,” said Corbey.
In protest against the controversial dismissals, experienced dog walkers Keith Sohr, Emily Sohr, Melinda Clark, and Laura Efford resigned on March 22. Other volunteers have decreased their hours, and are afraid to express concerns, says volunteer Beth Gould.
“[Resigning] was our only power to make our voices heard,” says Emily Sohr, who volunteered at the shelter for 16 years. “Animal welfare does not appear to be the priority.”
Multiple volunteers have also raised concerns about the shelter’s high turnover and vacancies—because there is no behavior manager or dog enrichment specialist on staff, five to 10 dogs with behavioral issues are being warehoused “in a very stressful environment,” according to a volunteer who wishes to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation. Additionally, volunteers accuse leadership of retaliating against volunteers by removing their access to challenging animals, among other measures.
Corbey denied accusations of animal mistreatment, citing a February state inspection that mentioned no evidence of animal cruelty or neglect. Regarding concerns about management, ‘‘McGuireWoods has received all correspondence directed to the CASPCA relevant to their review from former employees, volunteers, and members of the community,” she said.
“We hope to have the results of that review soon,” Corbey continued, “and will take appropriate action based on the findings.”