JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A self-described "Anonymous Whistleblower" wants Jacksonville city leaders to investigate the city's Animal Care and Protective Services.
In a letter sent to the city's ethics office, the person accuses two ACPS employees of falsifying data and using fraudulent reports to maintain the shelter's "no-kill" status.
To be considered a "no-kill" shelter, at least 90 percent of the animals entering the shelter are expected to be saved. The goal is for no adoptable animal to be killed because of lack of space.
DOCUMENT: Anonymous whistleblower letter about ACPS
But the letter says ACPS chief Nikki Harris and shelter manager Jen Walter are doing three things to falsify the euthanasia numbers:
- Intentionally misclassifying animals so they can euthanize them as "not adoptable"
- Improperly euthanizing animals that have a medical problem but would fully recover if given the chance
- Turning away animals because "the shelter is full" when it's not really full, and the animals shouldn't be turned away.
The letter alleges that several people have quit their jobs at the shelter, because they were pressured to reclassify adoptable animals as not adoptable.
"In many cases, animals are listed as unhealthy or untreatable when they are actually treatable and could become adoptable," the letter said. "Caring for sick or injured animals takes more resources, so it's easier for them to just euthanize them and lie about it."
Nicole Brose, at First Coast No More Homeless Pets, finds the accusations hard to believe.
"It's a fantastic organization, national leading agency when it comes to best practices," Brose said. "The chief of Animal Care and Protective Services actually speaks at national conferences and really just has a proven track record, and it's a model agency. We are really proud for them to be our partners, and we're really proud of all the work that they do."
Brose said it would be difficult to falsify the numbers, because her agency works with the Jacksonville Humane Society to monitor euthanization numbers across the county.
"So if an animal does have to be euthanized for extreme aggression or for medical reasons, there's a lot of explanations that go on," Brose said. "Our leaders of those agencies, our directors, actually meet on a regular basis. They number crunch and look at all the reasons animals are dying, and we target all of our efforts, all three of us."
ACPS officials declined to comment about the letter or the allegations and referred News4Jax to the city.
Thomas Cline, inspector general for the city of Jacksonville, said the city has received the letter, but he can't say much about it right now.
"(We're) looking at it and talking to our colleagues in the city about it," Cline said.
Cline wouldn't confirm or deny if there is an active investigation into the allegations but said his office will be assessing to determine if any rules have been broken.
Still, Brose said she's proud to partner with ACPS.
"We really went from one of the worst cities in the country in 2002 to now one of the best," Brose said. "We are so proud for them to be in our community. Without them, a lot more animals would die."