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Veterinarian sues humane society
Tennessee veterinarian says she was fired for speaking out about overcrowding.
A veterinarian in Memphis, Tenn., says she was fired by the local humane society for complaining about overcrowding at the shelter and incidents of an unlicensed employee performing euthanasias. Now Dr. Rebecca Coleman is suing the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County for $750,000 in wages and an additional $100,000 in emotional distress.
Dr. Coleman alleges that the humane society was holding too many animals, and that led to sickness and eventual euthanasia of many cats and dogs. She also alleges that an unlicensed humane society employee performed euthanasia on shelter animals and the employee's own animals-a trio of ferrets.
The society's executive director, Ginger Morgan, denies the accusations. Morgan says that Dr. Coleman was laid off for monetary reasons and that any improper use of euthanasia drugs at the shelter was Dr. Coleman's responsibility. "The responsibility for those drugs was hers and hers only. She purchased the safe the drugs were kept in, and she had the keys to the safe"? Morgan says in a story published in a local newspaper.
