NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – A second volunteer at Nassau County Animal Services shelter said her time helping animals has come to a disappointing end.
Kylie Champa said her volunteer agreement was terminated just days after another volunteer, Lexus Harrison, faced the same fate. Both women believe their terminations are tied to speaking out about what they described as troubling conditions inside the shelter.
“We regret to inform you that NCAS is terminating your volunteer agreement,” Champa read aloud from the email she received on Monday.
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The message came from a staff member with the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners, which oversees the shelter.
The email came after Champa posted online and spoke publicly to News4JAX about what she and other former volunteers described as unsanitary conditions at the facility, including animals living in their own waste.
“I was told that I was spreading misinformation about the shelter on my personal social media,” Champa said.
According to an email from the county sent to Champa, it said the statements she made online, like saying visitors can’t go to the kennels and look at adoptable dogs, are “inaccurate.”
It also mentioned how she violated the Volunteer Policies and Procedures, specifically this portion:
RESPONSIBILITY AND DEDICATION TO NCAS
Volunteers must understand our policies, in and out of the Shelter. Volunteers must have a serious concern for animal welfare and be able to support our mission and goals.
Volunteers are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner with the animals, coworkers and the public. Volunteers are expected to present themselves in such a way as to reflect favorably on NCAS, consistent with the goals and objectives, policies and procedures.
“I was telling the truth,” Champa said.
Champa’s termination comes days after Lexus Harrison was terminated.
“Feels like you’re being banned from seeing your family,” Harrison said.
Harrison said other volunteers want to speak out like she and Champa, but are afraid.
“We have messages, texts, that are afraid to come forward in fear that they will retaliate and take either their positions away from them or take their foster animals,” Harrison said.
News4JAX reached out to the Board of County Commissioners, who are over the shelter, asking about volunteers being terminated twice — over the weekend and on Wednesday night.
We received this response:
Ms. Lexus was offered an opportunity to discuss both her concerns and ours in person, and she had declined.
The second volunteer had previously been sent an email with very specific examples of concerns we had. When those activities continued, she was sent another email with new and additional issues, with the notification of termination of the volunteer agreement.
Brandy Carvalho | Director of Strategic Advancement Nassau County, FL | Board of County Commissioners
The now former volunteers said their only reason for coming forward was to bring attention to conditions at the shelter and for the county to do something about it.