Report: Shelter Director Unpredictable, Explosive
Alternative content
Animal Control Firings
NBC 4 digs deeper into allegations.
NBC 4
County officials vote to fire the director and assistant director of the Franklin County Dog Shelter.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Claims of unpredictable and explosive behavior, favoritism and a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants atmosphere.
Both the director and assistant director of the Franklin County Department of Animal Care and Control were fired Thursday.
The decision was made after a special investigation into the shelter’s daily practices.
NBC 4’s Mike Bowersock dug deeper into the allegations and why county commissioners decided both leaders had to go.
After hours in executive session Thursday, the Franklin County Commissioners voted to fire the leadership of the county animal shelter.
“Animal care and control is a very important department. Today, we voted to remove the director and assistant director of that agency, County Commissioner Paula Brooks said.
Director Lisa Wahoff and Assistant Director Craig Turk were the center of what a report on the department called a “fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants operation.“
NBC 4 were unable to contact Turk, and Wahoff did not answer her door at her home in Grandview Thursday night.
According to the report that interviewed 33 of the department’s 66 employees, the director was unpredictable, explosive and moody.
The report said there was favoritism in dealing with personnel that demoralized the staff and didn’t offer motivation.
There were abrupt and unexplained changes in practices and protocols in which changes were done to catch staff off-guard to prove them wrong, according to the report.
There was severe bullying of some staff and a lack of consequences for violation of work rules for others, the report said.
Ironically, it was Turk who first complained about Wahoff, but both of them were relieved of their jobs.
Brooks said over the next step commissioners would take additional steps and procedures.
It was Turk’s complaints about animal care that led to this investigation, but the report said nothing about poor care of animals—rather poor care of the people who worked with the animals.
For additional information, stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com—Where Accuracy Matters.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail
.
MORE: NBC 4 Local News | Local Crime News
NBC 4 SPORTS: Sports News, Video
NBC 4 POLITICS: Headlines, Interactives & Video
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
I’ld like to be Craig Turk’s lawyer because he’s going to get a big payday at the expense of Franklin County Taxpayers. Turk should just sit back and enjoy his time off and get ready for a big payday courtesy the BIG MISTAKE commissioners made firing him over his boss arrogant and controlling methods. He blew the whistle and they fired him ?? I see big $$$$$$$$$$ in his future (Waste of Taxpayer Money)
It is completely obvious that the two people who commented on this article, especially “Scottishlass78” have never talked with Lisa, been at the Shelter, or rescued a dog. This is a VERY one sided story, as are many of the ones published in the Dispatch. If NBC4 is so hooked on getting “both sides of the story” you should talk with all of the volunteers who have worked tirelessly with Lisa over the years. If it wasn’t for Lisa I wouldn’t have one of my dogs because she was scheduled to be put down because of her age and some very small medical problems. Lisa worked with an area rescue to get her pulled from the Shelter and now she is the best behaved dog in my home. Lisa has always had the best interest of the animals at the forefront of her agenda and was NEVER in it for political or financial gain. Anyone who comments otherwise doesn’t know her or the fantastic work that was being done at the Shelter.
Unfortunately, in America the word “humane” most often refers to the way the majority of animals are put down. No one who really cared about the best interests of animals could work in one of these places, which are not shelters but rather death chambers. Americans tend to think of their animals as disposable items, to be handed over for death once they are no longer cute. Anyone who thinks this is not a widespread problem can do five minutes of research and have their hearts broken by the facts.
This is why we need people in there who are actually for the best interest of the animals, not themselves, and not “choice” people. That is why we call them “humane” societies. There is no room for mismanagement, favoritism, or the like. Those who choose this field are supposed to be in it for the love of animals, not the money, and not the financial benefits. Their benefit should be helping animals in need, I don’t have any empathy for either one of them.
Advertisement