There are varying reports of the conduct of animal control officer Jerry Clase and what he may have done or didn't do while taking animals to the county shelter.
In a phone interview Wednesday afternoon, Animal Welfare League Board President Carol Haldewang stated she is at the shelter almost every day.
"If someone sees (abuse) happening then they should have gone to the director right away," said Haldewang, who stated she's never witnessed abuse by anyone.
E-mails have circulated alleging Clase has abused animals he's picked up, and that some of the abuse has taken place at the animal shelter.Haldewang said AWL Director Darla McCammon "has so much love and compassion for animals" that she wouldn't allow abuse to take place.
A former employee of the Animal Welfare League claims she saw Clase abuse an animal at the shelter.
Cheryl Biltz is the mother of Brandon Biltz. Brandon Biltz is the former facility supervisor at the shelter.
As of Wednesday morning, McCammon stated she had not fired Brandon Biltz, but due to his performance issues and not showing up for work Wednesday he would be let go.
Biltz claimed that coming out with allegations would cost him his job.
Biltz's mother said that during her two years as a part-time employee at the shelter she saw Clase abuse animals.
Cheryl Biltz said that her son's situation has nothing to do with her coming forward.
"I should have come forward sooner, I know that," said Cheryl Biltz.
She stated that while at the shelter she and another employee witnessed Clase take a German Shepherd, who had been severely injured when hit by a car, with a rope around its neck and jerk the dog off his truck and drag the dog into the shelter.
Biltz said she should have come forward when that incident, which Biltz said took place in August, occurred.
Biltz said that incident caused her to leave the shelter.
"Enough's enough," said Biltz.
Biltz also said that a dog named "Chance" was walking past Clase and he kicked at the dog prompting the dog to bite him.
In an incident unrelated to Clase, Biltz said she took her concerns to a board member but was reprimanded for doing so by McCammon.
Clase is unable to answer any of the allegations as he's been told not to comment and run everything through County Administrator Ron Robinson. Clase's employment status is in Robinson's control.
According to Robinson, Clase has been employed as the animal control officer for nearly 23 years and since the position's inception.
Robinson said that he recently had a conversation with McCammon in which she brought up a documented case of excessive force toward a pitbull in May.
That pitbull, according to an employee at the AWL, was described as vicious and had been tied to a tree by its former owner for an undetermined period of time.
Robinson also confirmed that McCammon said she would give Clase another chance, but if there was another documented case toward Clase she would recommend his termination.
Robinson is the only one who can hire or fire the animal control officer.
He said he also has contacted Brandon Biltz but has yet to hear back from him as of Wednesday afternoon.
Robinson said he will investigate the situation but as of yet has only been given rumor and heresay and no evidence regarding cruelty toward animals by Clase.
Robinson pointed to a recent case where he received a complaint that Clase had failed to remove horses from a farm near Sidney.
A call was made to veterinarian Dr. Richard Brungardt, according to Robinson, Brungardt checked on the horses and said they weren't being mistreated but needed to be weaned off mares.
Brungardt recently completed a six-year term on the AWL board.
In one e-mail received by the Times-Union, it claims that "the mayor's wife was on this board and she knew about it but nothing was done."
Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins' wife, Deb Wiggins, was on the AWL board until January.
Deb Wiggins said that she came onto the board to set up protocols and procedures including ones for Clase.
"These allegations made are non-evidence based," said Deb Wiggins.
She also questioned the timing of these allegations being made.
"Why has this group of people not appeared in front of the county council or the county commissioners?" said Wiggins.
The county commissioners recently have received e-mails concerning the allegations with Clase and are aware of the situation.
The Times-Union has received several other anonymous and redacted e-mails with allegations toward Clase.
