AWL Director Responds To Allegations
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
The e-mail states that on several occassions Clase has abused animals he's taken into the Animal Welfare League.
AWL Director Darla McCammon said she has one documented case of excessive force used by Clase and that she brought it to the attention of Clase's boss, County Administrator Ron Robinson.
McCammon said she can't hire or fire Clase but could influence the decision and that if there was another documented case of excessive force used by Clase, she would ask for his termination.
"Ron and I talked and we decided he deserved another chance under my watch," said McCammon, citing there was no documentation of abuse claims on file for Clase when she arrived as the AWL's director in 2009.
McCammon took issue with claims that she was allowing Clase to abuse animals.
The documented incident involving Clase occurred in May, according to McCammon.
At that time, an AWL employee told McCammon that while Clase was dealing with "a vicious pitbull" he was more forceful than he needed to be.
The e-mail claims that, among other things, he "repeatedly kicked (a puppy) to death with his pointy cowboy boots inside of the shelter."
The e-mail also claims that Clase shot a dog to death that escaped the shelter after he brought it there.
McCammon said the claims being made should be investigated but that she has never been informed of any such incidents.
McCammon also took issue with the comments of her facility supervisor Brandon Biltz to a media outlet.
"When all this began to came out I asked about these incidents," said McCammon. "And he said nothing at the time."
McCammon said Biltz had been written up several times and this morning after the media report came out he failed to show up to work.
"I haven't fired him," said McCammon.
She also dismissed the claim that his "whistleblowing" would lead to his termination but rather, it was his job performance.
"It breaks my heart because it makes it look like I don't care about these animals, and anybody who knows me knows I do," said McCammon. "Unless people step up and say 'I saw this' then what can I do? It's still innocent until proven guilty."
McCammon cited her shelter's adopting out 172 animals, according to a PetPoint system, as opposed to the state average of about 75.
The e-mail also alleges that the Animal Welfare League Board was aware of these allegations "but the county has tied their hands".
The e-mail alleges that Clase takes pure breed dogs he picks up and sells them for money.
None of the claims at the shelter have any documentation said McCammon.
The Times-Union called board president Carol Haldewang, but she was traveling at the time and was unavailable for comment as of this morning.
The Times-Union also contacted Robinson who was out of the office at a county event as well as Clase who didn't return a call to the Times-Union as of press time.[[In-content Ad]]
The e-mail states that on several occassions Clase has abused animals he's taken into the Animal Welfare League.
AWL Director Darla McCammon said she has one documented case of excessive force used by Clase and that she brought it to the attention of Clase's boss, County Administrator Ron Robinson.
McCammon said she can't hire or fire Clase but could influence the decision and that if there was another documented case of excessive force used by Clase, she would ask for his termination.
"Ron and I talked and we decided he deserved another chance under my watch," said McCammon, citing there was no documentation of abuse claims on file for Clase when she arrived as the AWL's director in 2009.
McCammon took issue with claims that she was allowing Clase to abuse animals.
The documented incident involving Clase occurred in May, according to McCammon.
At that time, an AWL employee told McCammon that while Clase was dealing with "a vicious pitbull" he was more forceful than he needed to be.
The e-mail claims that, among other things, he "repeatedly kicked (a puppy) to death with his pointy cowboy boots inside of the shelter."
The e-mail also claims that Clase shot a dog to death that escaped the shelter after he brought it there.
McCammon said the claims being made should be investigated but that she has never been informed of any such incidents.
McCammon also took issue with the comments of her facility supervisor Brandon Biltz to a media outlet.
"When all this began to came out I asked about these incidents," said McCammon. "And he said nothing at the time."
McCammon said Biltz had been written up several times and this morning after the media report came out he failed to show up to work.
"I haven't fired him," said McCammon.
She also dismissed the claim that his "whistleblowing" would lead to his termination but rather, it was his job performance.
"It breaks my heart because it makes it look like I don't care about these animals, and anybody who knows me knows I do," said McCammon. "Unless people step up and say 'I saw this' then what can I do? It's still innocent until proven guilty."
McCammon cited her shelter's adopting out 172 animals, according to a PetPoint system, as opposed to the state average of about 75.
The e-mail also alleges that the Animal Welfare League Board was aware of these allegations "but the county has tied their hands".
The e-mail alleges that Clase takes pure breed dogs he picks up and sells them for money.
None of the claims at the shelter have any documentation said McCammon.
The Times-Union called board president Carol Haldewang, but she was traveling at the time and was unavailable for comment as of this morning.
The Times-Union also contacted Robinson who was out of the office at a county event as well as Clase who didn't return a call to the Times-Union as of press time.[[In-content Ad]]
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