Tri cities animals shelter post raid

Tri-cities Animal Shelter Management Foundation is currently under pressure from recent charges filed against their director Rebecca Howard and Justin Hernandez who worked on the board of directors working directly for Rebecca, who are facing charges of 6 felonies and 42 Gross misdemeanors of animal cruelty charges.

Events occurred after Neo’s National Animal Foundation took over management in January of 2021. Rebecca had worked for the shelter for more than a decade before the change in management. Summer of 2021 is when employees started speaking out about animal abuse and neglect at outside clinics. A dog would be removed from the shelter a couple weeks after arrival due to mistreatment and being severely malnourished and later that dog would die from kidney failure. The dog would be the main evidence against the shelter. On Nov. 11, 2021, A police raid with a warrant was arranged and when the building was inspected many malnourished and infected animals were found in the laundry room, during the raid an outhouse was found and, when questioned, employees said only Rebecca and Justin had access to it. When searched, they found the place infested with rats, crates stacked on top of each other containing cats and most had eye and respiratory infections. Police would later find out Justin was in charge of all medical decisions.  If convicted, both can face up to 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each of their felony charges of first-degree animal abuse, plus an extra 364 days along with a $5,000 fine for the 14 misdemeanor charges of second-degree animal abuse. Neo’s Nation can also face $500,000 fines for first-degree animal abuse and $250,000 for each of the misdemeanors if convicted. Rebecca had extensive experience at the shelter and years of volunteering but when TCAS (Tri-Cities Animal Shelter) went under management from Neo’s nation “Financial improprieties” occurred Rebecca and Justin, both elected themselves $25,000 bonuses without any other board members present. Justin was found to have no veterinary license and had no proper training to treat animals even claiming he had the permit in email, but he lacked the education and credentials and appeared to be an unregistered assistant which by law can not perform medical treatment on animals unless a licensed veterinarian is present. Rebecca and Justin never met the sanitation standards That Neo’s nation promised and ultimately 15 animal control officers, shelter employees, and volunteers quit their positions. Both Rebecca and Justin put the kittens in the outhouse alongside other animals to “hide them” from potential adopters but also hid them from Dr. Wilson who was the veterinarian that would visit to help treat animals but was not allowed near the outhouse, which intern had the animals neglected from the proper treatment that they deserved many animals went through tremendous pain and some died under Rebecca and Justin’s care. All they had to say was sorry, but these people shouldn’t be allowed back in society how can people be so cruel to helpless animals due to their laziness. But The shelter is much better off without them, and the animals can be cared for.