Press "Enter" to skip to content

Allegations of harassment and mismanagement emerge at Auburn Valley Humane Society under current CEO

Advertisement

By Ava Gonzalez
UW News Lab

Former and current employees of Auburn Valley Humane Society (AVHS) have come forward with allegations of harassment, mismanagement and declining animal care standards under the leadership of President and CEO Phil Morgan, according to interviews with seven current and former employees. 

Advertisement

Multiple staff members, including veterinarians, animal care technicians and administrative personnel, have reported inappropriate behavior and verbal and physical intimidation by Morgan. These allegations, spanning several years, paint a troubling picture of a work environment that led to a recent mass exodus of experienced staff under Morgan’s leadership.

AVHS Board of Directors Chair Alexis Singletary denied these allegations through emailed statements via a representative.

Nine shelter employees resigned all at once in November, according to interviews with current and former employees. The exodus was covered in a recent report by KIRO 7. Since then, all shelter employees except upper management have quit, taken leave, or are seeking other jobs, according to Emilia Duncan, AVHS Communication Coordinator.

Morgan acknowledged the resignations and said via his representative that the resignations were due to staff members disagreeing with policy changes at the organization. He did not explain which policies were at the source of the disagreement.

Advertisement

The AVHS board investigated the accusations, they said.

“We have addressed staff concerns the Board was made aware of by hiring an independent outside investigator when appropriate and reviewing the results with Mr. Morgan, including curative measures to improve communication and management,” Singletary said via a PR representative. She noted that the board created a new COO position equivalent to Morgan’s in November and that their independent investigator found no evidence that Morgan broke the law.

On December 17, 2024, three additional staff members beyond the nine that already quit walked out of AVHS. “Things are going well,” Morgan said via email two days later. “AVHS is a thriving and growing organization supported by professional and dedicated staff and volunteers.”

Advertisement

“Staff has faced much adversity in the last couple of months,” an anonymous former employee said. “The staff at AVHS believe in our mission statement, which is why it is so heartbreaking for many to truly know and see what’s going on behind the scenes.”

Morgan’s career in animal welfare has been characterized by controversy. In 2021, AVHS settled a class action lawsuit after refusing to return an emotional support dog due to unpaid fees. The shelter also faced public outrage for adopting out a hospitalized owner’s German Shepherd mix.

Before joining AVHS, Morgan had several departures from previous roles under contested circumstances, including leaving the Escondido Humane Society in April 2005 at the request of its board members. Subsequently, he held a brief five-month tenure as executive director at Second Chance Center for Animals in Flagstaff, Arizona, ending in November 2005, according to The Spokesman-Review. His contract as executive director of Kootenai Humane Society in Idaho was unexpectedly terminated in 2010, and he resigned from his position as Director of Animal Control in Pinellas County, Florida, in 2012 amid a human rights investigation into inappropriate behavior.

One person, who requested anonymity due to fear for their job, said Morgan made it clear to the staff that his “iron-clad” contract made his position at AVHS secure.

Duncan recounted that the morning after a board meeting — later revealed to be AVHS’s final discussion of Morgan’s internal investigation — Morgan entered the shelter cheerfully declaring, “I won.”

Through his representative, Morgan stated that he needed to consult with HR before providing a comment on his statements that day and declined to respond to clarification questions.

On the morning of February 18, 2023, Morgan discharged a taser in front of customers, including children, and wrapped his arm around current Auburn Valley Humane Society employee Sarah Shier’s neck without warning or consent, she said. The incident is recorded in security video provided to reporters (screenshot from the video below shows Morgan discharging the taser in his left hand).

Screenshot from video shows Phil Morgan discharging a taser in his left hand in the AVHS lobby.

“You can see in the video I jumped and grabbed my chest and immediately started walking away,” Shier, the current Director of Public Services at Auburn Valley Humane Society, said when recalling the incident. “Then he followed me and tried to grab my arm to show me how to directly put the taser on someone. I pulled my arm back and walked behind the desk area when he put his arm around my neck.”

Shier reported the incident to HR, but said there was no personal follow-up from the board and Morgan kept his job. Through his representative, Morgan stated that he needed to consult with HR before providing a comment on the matter.

Animal care technician Jessica Barnum, who was recently hired at AVHS, described an encounter with Morgan in one of the building’s isolation units.

She stated that she rushed to the isolation unit because a dog escaped its kennel and Morgan unexpectedly “pressed himself up behind” her as she was struggling to open the door in front of her. “Phil spoke in my ear to take a step back and I couldn’t because he was quite literally fully pressed to me and I had to shove myself into the wall beside me in order to get away from him,” she said. Two other sources, who wished to remain anonymous due to fear for their jobs, corroborated the incident.

Barnum reported the incident to the board. Morgan declined to comment on the incident.

Former and current employees also expressed concerns about Morgan’s attitudes towards animal handling and his insufficient qualifications for the responsibilities he’s taken on after the mass staff exodus in December.

According to Duncan, Morgan stated a preference for euthanizing animals rather than using grant money to cover impound fees for low-income pet owners. About a week later, Morgan reportedly instructed staff to euthanize healthy 3.5 week-old neonate kittens, according to Kelsey Lansciardi, a former Licensed Veterinary Technician at AVHS, who held the conversation with him. Jet Stachowski, a former animal care technician, recalled Morgan saying another time, “puppies and kittens are just dollar signs.”

The source also said that the shelter’s policy requires three people to approve euthanasia decisions, but Morgan tried to change it so only his approval would be necessary. When Stachowski approached Morgan with concerns about his wanting to expedite the euthanasia process, he shrugged it off, she said. A source, who wishes to remain anonymous due to risk to their job, confirmed this account, stating Morgan indeed dismissed the staff’s concerns.

Morgan also showed unpredictable management behaviors, which included inconsistent instructions that led to an environment where employees felt like they were “walking on eggshells,” Stachowski and another anonymous source said.

The staff exodus left the shelter without both a DEA license-holding DVM and a Lead Veterinarian, a position responsible for performing surgeries and medical care, managing the foster program, and overseeing both kennel and medical staff. Without a veterinarian of proper licensure, all controlled drugs including those necessary to perform spay and neuter surgeries had to be transferred off-site, creating significant delays in surgeries, medical care, and adoptions of animals.

Morgan said that the shelter is fully staffed in animal care and medical areas, apart from the lead veterinarian position, but an experienced veterinarian of record is overseeing medical care and the team.

Some sources continue to be concerned about Morgan’s oversight of animal care. During Barnum’s initial training with Morgan on using a catch pole, a tool designed to safely move animals that consists of a long pole with a wire loop that tightens around an animal’s neck for restraint, Morgan quipped that if Barnum couldn’t catch them, “worse comes to worse, you can use the pole to beat it to death.”

Stachowski, who uses they/them pronouns, described a decline in animal care standards following the resignation of the Director of Vet Medicine and Lead Veterinarian in December. They said staff now act without proper medical authorization and with inadequate documentation. Shelter cleaning standards have diminished, Stachowski said, a statement that’s been corroborated by multiple sources.

“I was put in a position where I was making decisions that I wasn’t comfortable making about animal welfare, things that I previously would have gone to my supervisor about,” Stachowski said. “I’m kind of aware of how these things work, but I’m not medically trained. Then the new vet techs coming to me to ask those questions didn’t make me feel confident in who was replacing our previous team.”

Former employees expressed concerns about Morgan’s lack of formal veterinary or medical qualifications. They also worried about new hires being trained by Morgan, who, despite having years of experience heading shelters, is not a licensed veterinarian.

BreeAnn Sherrod, a former veterinary assistant, described finding piles of feces and urine puddles in the kennel of a five-month-old puppy after Morgan’s cleanup. She said she often felt obligated to follow him to properly sanitize neglected areas, as open drain covers and a lack of hosing frequently left the animals in unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

This lack of attention to detail extended to other critical aspects, like the use of kennel equipment. For instance, a guillotine door can separate a kennel into two sections, allowing staff to clean one side while keeping dogs on the other. Multiple sources reported instances where Morgan allegedly left guillotine doors down and trapped dogs overnight without food or water and has failed to update medical charts tracking their feeding, treatment, and care on multiple occasions.

Through his representative, Morgan stated that AVHS sanitation standards have not declined. He noted that while puppies experiencing diarrhea had their kennels cleaned multiple times daily, photos taken shortly after an incident could give a misleading impression of their overall care.

But staff noted repeated incidents of Morgan’s lack of care with sanitation.

When Barnum joined the shelter in late October, there was a Panleukopenia outbreak among the shelter’s feline population. Barnum saw staff moving around the facility in contaminated gear from the isolation unit because Morgan had not educated them about the risk of cross contamination. After she brought this to Morgan’s attention, Barnum was removed from these responsibilities. An anonymous source stated that Morgan hadn’t been regularly wearing gloves when handling animals in the contamination unit himself.

This pattern of dismissing concerns was characteristic of Morgan’s leadership style, according to multiple reports from former employees.

Duncan reported that Morgan repeatedly touched them inappropriately and scared them and their coworkers by sneaking up behind them. When asking him to stop proved ineffective, documents show they reported it to HR. The board later found no evidence of illegal action.

“It feels really horrible to not be heard, and I am disappointed, not only by the lack of response from the board, but by the complete lack of planning and allowance of things to deteriorate,” Sherrod said.

Employees who remain at the shelter say they feel ethically compromised.

“I have not felt proud of the work I’ve done because of who I am working under,” said an anonymous source who works at AVHS. “It is disheartening to see the board fail to acknowledge the hardship shelter workers and animals have faced under his leadership.”<

University of Washington’s News Lab (COM 362) gives advanced Journalism and Public Interest Communication students an opportunity to build a dynamic clip portfolio by working with client news outlets and other organizations in the greater Seattle area.



Advertisement
More from AuburnMore posts in Auburn »
More from FeaturedMore posts in Featured »
More from Featured PostMore posts in Featured Post »
More from NewsMore posts in News »
More from Non-profitMore posts in Non-profit »
Advertisement

8 Comments

  1. Dusty Lynn Dusty Lynn January 27, 2025

    Wow, the level of protection men have in our animal welfare/non profit/government community is wild. Phil Morgan, David Loewe, Stuart Early, Gene Mueller, and Christopher Ross have all been different flavors of the same harmful disgusting behavior. And they’ve all been protected, had access to benefits, a high salary, and unchecked power until it got so bad that it’s almost unbelievable. They are all feared by previous staff who faced their harassment and can only talk about it behind closed doors. We see you. A literal photo and video evidence of physically assaulting an employee and showing off a weapon in public is acceptable?! I’ll make it my mission to comment on this article every six months for eternity to keep it in circulation. Phil Morgan should never have a job working in leadership or with animals again. What does accountability look like here? Firing him and taking away his benefits is a good start. Compensation for those harmed is another. Never having a job in this field or as a manager sounds good too. I sincerely feel badly for his daughters and hope they are safe.

    • Angelisa Angelisa January 28, 2025

      Write a review on their business page. It’s more effective.

  2. Angie D Angie D January 28, 2025

    I’m completely blown away by this .. didn’t think this was possible in Washington as we hold such high standards compared to other states .. he sounds worse than some of the stories I’ve heard regarding directors of city shelters in California.. and this is tolerated by a Humane Society??? Shame on whoever hired him without checking his background.. he sounds like a narcissist who likes to be in charge .. and obviously cares nothing about animals or people for that matter.. the descriptions of some of the things he’s done are unbelievably disturbing ..if whoever reads this has the ability to do so…please remove him… to put it bluntly… Fire his ass.. AND make sure he DOES NOT work in animal welfare ever again!! Only the most compassionate people should lead Humane Society’s.. I’m beyond disgusted…

    • david kramer david kramer January 28, 2025

      i absolutely agree,well put and exactly whats needed,except i believe some well deserved prison time is warranted

  3. david kramer david kramer January 28, 2025

    these people like this man leading by intimidation the compassionate people who dedicate their time and experience should obviously be removed and prosecuted as well as should the same people obviously a part of the larger corrupt system who for selfish reasons protect,cover up and lie for these inhumane deviant lead protectors of helpless animals that can’t fend for themselves and feel pain and degradation,and torments those that work to do whats required by moral standards and the law, thankfully god sees all this and eventually they will be held accountable,everyone involved

  4. Jess Jess January 28, 2025

    It’s hard to believe that AVHS could be so negligent as to not even google this man or check his references before hiring him. These articles linked in this story show a documented history of sexual abuse, and animal cruelty for money. He needs to be barred from working with animals for life. It seems like there could be cases or a class action for workplace sexual harassment as well. AVHS needs to understand that this man is a huge liability and an inevitable risk to their entire operation. Whatever blood money he is bringing in just isnt worth it. It seems completely misaligned with the intentions or ethics of AVHS.

  5. Jane Doe Jane Doe January 28, 2025

    How is this man not in jail!? This sounds like a failure on all levels including law enforcement!
    I got my dog there a year ago, I’m glad I did before this psycho killed him, jfc. I hope the people hea assaulted get compensation and that freak locked away indefinitely. what a hazard to society!

  6. Laura Murphy Laura Murphy January 30, 2025

    First, I have to say WA state as a whole is not great when it comes to animal welfare compared to other states. They allow stores to sell puppies and the shelters are bursting with unwanted pets.
    The problems are many but it seems obvious to not hire a male with no experience in the animal field.
    Why ARE men running shelters when it’s women who are really doing the work?
    Fire this toxic male.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com