LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Politics and public relations placed above people and pets.
That's among the allegations that took center stage at Wednesday's Las Vegas City Council meeting where a packed house implored elected officials to make what they called long overdue change at the embattled Animal Foundation.
Political gamesmanship was in full swing Wednesday morning as Animal Foundation Chief Executive Officer Hilarie Grey, who's referred to herself in the past as a political operative, was texting select councilmembers during the meeting.
We should note that texts with elected officials are public records.
Sources who shared the text messages with 13 Investigates show Grey repeatedly texted one councilmember who said the city should leave the Animal Foundation alone.
"To provide any requirements on them is unreasonable, in my opinion," said Ward 1 Councilman Brian Knudsen as he defended the shelter's work in the Las Vegas community.
Nevada Secretary of State records show Councilman Knudsen received a $2,000 campaign contribution from one of the Animal Foundation's board members.
Knudsen said while everyone cares about animals, the city needs to prioritize its actions for other populations living in poor conditions.
"I would also just want to point out that for our humans out there, these conditions are true for children and for seniors as well."
Local business owner Amy Helt took issue with what many perceived as the council's failure to hold Animal Foundation leadership accountable.
Helt asked, "Who answers to who? Because it's starting to look like the council answers to the board of the Animal Foundation. I'd like to think that that's not true but we have to look at what's happening. You are the leaders. They answer to you. They work for us."
13 Investigates obtained photos of texts that Councilman Knudsen exchanged with Hilarie Grey during the meeting.
In one message, he tells her "Stay strong. Sorry this is happening."
That in the face of a mountain of criticism over conditions many say amount to neglect, even cruel treatment of both animals and staff.
Shelter leadership were accused of keeping problems secret, lack of transparency with the public and elected officials, personal attacks on critics, and firing staff who speak out.
When 18 audience members properly gave their minute of public comment to former Animal Foundation Chief Operating Officer James Pumphrey, an outspoken shelter critic, Grey texted Councilman Knudsen, "He shouldn't be able to speak for 20 minutes, effectively giving a presentation."
She also texted Knudsen that Pumphrey was "Fired for cause" and that "He did horrible things."
We at 13 Investigates have asked the Hilarie Grey for comment on Pumphey's departure multiple times. She's said she cannot comment on personnel matters.
Nevada SPCA Executive Director Lori Heeren worked with Grey when Grey was a volunteer board member at that shelter. In the council meeting today, Heeren said, "I have been tight-lipped about the Animal Foundation's management up to this point to concentrate on our own organization's work. When Ms. Grey, who was on our board of directors, called me at the end of December last year to tell me she was the new CEO of the Animal Foundation, and she thought she got the job because of her political contacts and the turnaround at Nevada SPCA, my team and I were very surprised that she was the board's choice."
Critics say the time has come for truth and accountability.
One woman who spoke during public comment said, "Anyone who has made complaints, anyone who has showed their photos and made complaints to the higher ups: Tim, Hilarie, Vanessa, or whoever else is in charge on the board, they are--they're silenced. They're told to keep their mouth shut. They're told to delete the evidence, and then they just quit. So now you have nobody taking care of the animals who actually cares about the animals. So we need change and we need truth."
Truth continued to be called into question after board member Matthew Silverman questioned the experience a former volunteer shared with 13 Action News about healthy kittens being euthanized at the shelter.
"It's very heart wrenching and horrible to have to hear all of the bad things that people are saying when they don't speak about all the good things," Silverman said. "We don't euthanize kittens like they're talking about. We know that those are not our practices."
Former Animal Foundation Admissions Supervisor Kendra Segovia contradicted that.
She recently quit with seven other members of her team in protest over poor conditions for animals and staff.
Segovia said after the meeting, "I was taken aback by Hilarie and the board member, a board member who I at least haven't seen once at the Animal Foundation. Also the part where he said, 'we don't euthanize kittens...' I've personally walked a litter of kittens to the euthanasia room, so that was a complete lie. And I think we've all walked a couple of kittens to the euthanasia room. So, I don't know if he was lying or if they're lying to him about certain things."
Wherever the truth lies, there was at least some agreement that it's time for better oversight.
The council voted unanimously to hire an independent firm to audit the Animal Foundation's finances.
Mayor Pro Tem Stavros Anthony called for even more, saying, "I'm not sure why we don't have a City of Las Vegas council person to sit on that board, and maybe the county."
He called for Foundation board meetings to be open to the public, and for more stringent requirements for shelter leadership.
"When it comes to the executive director for the Animal Foundation, I don't know how that person is chosen but a couple of comments on that. I think there should be some kind of minimum qualifications, just like any job."
Qualifications including actual experience operating an animal shelter, which the current CEO does not have.
"We can't just keep turning a blind eye to these problems and hope they go away," said Ward 2 Councilwoman Victoria Seaman. "We need to bring about real, lasting change, whether it is a revised contract that gives us accountability, expanding our relationship with other nonprofit organizations, or looking at our own facility, whatever the answer is that provides us with a safe and effective animal care facility."
13 Investigates made a records request for all text messages Hilarie Grey exchanged with council members during the meeting.
We also reached out to Grey and Councilman Knudsen for comment about their text conversation, but they have not replied.
