Multiple Auburn Valley Humane Society employees tell council CEO created ‘‘toxic’’ workplace; city schedules meeting with agency board

Several current and former employees of Auburn Valley Humane Society (AVHS) told the Auburn City Council on Feb. 3 that the shelter’s chief executive officer, Philip Morgan, created a ‘‘toxic’’ workplace and that the organization is struggling to provide veterinary and shelter services.

Jennifer Haskins, a shelter employee for more than four years, told the council she reported repeated misconduct to human resources, the AVHS board and an independent investigator. “The organization has lost the trust of many of its employees, resulting in a mass exodus,” Haskins said. She described unwanted physical contact, racial slurs used in conversation and instructions that she characterized as coaching illegal hiring practices.

The reports continued through the public comment period. Emily Madison, who said she has worked at AVHS for three years and has 11 years of animal-welfare experience, told the council that “all of the shelter, vet care staff and vet staff left the organization due to concerns with the CEO,” and that about 20 employees left in recent months, including six veterinarians. “We don’t have any paid veterinarians on staff anymore,” Madison said, adding that finding shelter-experienced veterinarians is difficult amid a national shortage.

Several other employees recounted incidents they said they had reported to HR and the board. Sarah Shire described an incident in February 2023 in which she said Morgan discharged a Taser in the shelter lobby, followed her and placed her in a choke hold. “This was a physical and forceful act that crossed all professional and personal boundaries,” Shire said. Shire said she repeatedly contacted HR about the episode and that she felt the board’s follow-up was inadequate.

Jessica Jones, who said she left AVHS on Jan. 15, described supervisors pressuring staff to accept wild animals even though, she said, the city contract limits the shelter to companion animals. “If a good Samaritan brings wildlife to us and we say no, that’s bad publicity,” she said reporting a comment she attributed to Morgan. Jones said she had reviewed the contract language and did not see authorization to accept wildlife.

Dr. Erin Donovan, a veterinarian who said she has worked with Northwest Bay and Neuter Center and the shelter, said she stopped working full time because of what she described as a decline in medicine and staff morale. “Phil Morgan has said he didn’t care if there was a vet at Auburn Valley Humane Society or not,” Donovan said, and added that board members told staff “everything is just fine.”

Several commenters urged the city to take steps to ensure animal care and staff safety. The council’s mayor, Nancy Backus, said she and City Attorney Jason Whalen have a meeting scheduled Friday with the board chair and vice chair of AVHS to discuss the concerns and that she would bring video evidence of the comments made during the Feb. 3 meeting. “We have limited oversight, very limited. We have a contract with the agency,” Backus said, adding the city would raise the points with the board.

Council members who heard the comments did not take formal action at the meeting. The testimony noted operational issues (staff departures and lack of veterinarians), alleged employee mistreatment, and alleged unsafe physical conduct by the CEO; speakers said they had reported those issues to HR and to the board.

The council meeting record shows the city will meet the week of Feb. 3 with AVHS board leadership. The mayor described the city’s role as bounded by the terms of its contract with the agency and said follow-up would proceed through that meeting.

Ending: The council did not vote on any direct remedies at the meeting; the mayor and city attorney scheduled the follow-up meeting with AVHS board leadership for Friday and said they would share the video record of tonight’s public comments with that board.