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The Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSA) took decisive action on Thursday, October 5, by firing CEO Steve Farley and accepting the resignation of Chief Philanthropy Officer Christian Gonzalez in the wake of a controversial animal transfer.
Over 300 small animals had been moved from the San Diego Humane Society to HSSA the previous month, prompting public outcry. HSSA Board Chairman Robert Garcia acknowledged that the organization had lost the community's trust and committed to doing better. He stated, "We have a lot of work to do."
The initial request for assistance came from the Humane Society of San Diego, involving rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. Most of these animals were transferred to a private family-run group in Maricopa County under Trevor Jones's leadership.
However, this group lacked proper record-keeping, and Jones reported that 254 animals had been placed. Subsequently, HSSA was asked to take some animals back.
Concerns about this situation were raised by an HSSA employee and several animal rights groups, leading to an ongoing investigation by an external organization hired by HSSA.
The investigation found that the rescue in Maricopa County lacked the necessary licensing.
In response, Steve Farley, the former CEO, expressed gratitude for his time with HSSA in a statement, but he distanced himself from the animal transport controversy, emphasizing that he had no involvement in the transportation or placement of the animals. He provided a detailed report but was still let go by the board.
Farley praised HSSA's compassion and commitment to animal welfare during his tenure and expressed confidence in the organization's continued impact.