Nonprofit ousted from Tri-Cities Animal Shelter after 4 dogs, 30 cats found sick

The city of Pasco this week canceled its contract with the nonprofit running the Tri-Cities Animal Shelter after dozens of animals were found sick or malnourished.

The Benton-Franklin Humane Society has agreed to operate the shelter, with the help of volunteers from other animal rescue groups, while city officials decide what will happen next.

Less than a year after Neo’s Nation Animal Foundation took over running the shelter, it’s lost its contract, spending is being questioned and its chief financial officer is charged with felony theft and money laundering.

Thursday’s raid at the shelter at 1312 S. 18th Ave. was prompted by complaints to the city about problems at the site, according to a Friday news release.

City staff made an unannounced visit to inspect the property and found some conditions concerning enough that they returned with Pasco police officers and a search warrant.

Officers and veterinary-trained staff searched the shelter for several hours starting at 9:15 a.m. Thursday.

They found four dogs in the main building and 30 cats in an outbuilding that needed immediate treatment, said city officials.

The animals, along with 10 to 20 more cats found in the outbuilding, were removed from the facility.

The Humane Society took over care of the animals with help from Silver Cloud Cat Sanctuary, Tumbleweed Cat Rescue and Mikey’s Chance Canine Rescue.

No one was arrested in connection with the seizure, and police are continuing to investigate, said officials.

For now, the Humane Society, which runs a private shelter in Kennewick, will manage the Pasco shelter as well, and take care of the more than 200 animals that remain there.

They’ll also be determining the “long-term employment for shelter staff,” city officials said.

Animal control and shelter care employees, along with volunteers are being kept and are now under the supervision of the Humane Society.

“The city of Pasco, our partner communities, and the Tri-City Animal Control Authority would like to express appreciation for the community members who work and volunteer to serve the animals before, during, and continuing through this challenging time,” Pasco officials said in a news release. “Special thanks to the Benton-Franklin Humane Society for stepping in to continue operations for the animals and community.”

Foundation ousted

Pasco officials had the new contract ready on Thursday immediately after ending their agreement with Neo’s Nation.

Howard, the foundation’s president, was seen packing up her car Thursday as police were searching the buildings.

She stepped into the director’s position in January 2021 after spending 14 years working at the shelter, starting as kennel staff and working for the last seven years as the animal control officer.

The foundation bears the name of a former Doberman named Neo, that Howard had a special connection with.

The group’s secretary/treasurer and chief financial officer was Julie Chambers, a Kennewick chiropractor.

Chambers and Howard formed the nonprofit late last year and won the $875,000 annual contract to operate the shelter and provide animal control for Richland, Pasco and Kennewick.

The three cities split the cost of the contract, each paying about $24,000 a month.

Neo’s took over in January for Chicle Animal Foundation and was the third nonprofit to manage the shelter in the past three years.

Four months later, the foundation received a $545,000 donation from the estate of a retired railroad engineer. But a few weeks later, Chambers is accused of embezzling $300,000 to buy a home in Richland. She was charged with two felonies earlier this month.

New shelter

Despite the turmoil, city officials say the troubles will not stop the construction on a new animal shelter, said Zach Ratkai, Pasco’s administrative and community services director.

The three cities have agreed to spend $6 million to replace the aging buildings. Construction is expected to start in the spring.

Calls for a new facility date back to at least 2011, and the three cities agreed to work on a replacement after a 2016 study confirmed the need.

The main 7,000-square-foot metal building dates to the ’50s. And two outbuildings were added in the ‘70s. Past directors have pointed out that the buildings have been a struggle to maintain.

It was operated as a Human Society shelter until animal control services took over 20 years ago.

A community effort, led by volunteer Julie Webb’s #NothingFancyJustFunctional Facebook group, helped get the reconstruction effort going.

This story was originally published November 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.