Lauralei Combs, the $121,540-a-year director of Broward County’s animal shelter, has terminated three longtime volunteers who she claims violated a workplace culture agreement requiring them to show mutual respect to her employees.
“I don’t want to get into specifics, but we do have policies and procedures everybody has to follow,” Combs told Florida Bulldog. “It may be more beneficial if they go work with other volunteer organizations.”
The July 19 dismissal of Katia Medina and husband and wife Frank and Marisol Tammero ousted a trio of outspoken volunteers who posted photos and videos of canines allegedly being mistreated at the shelter, a $16.5-million facility at 2400 SW 42nd St. in Fort Lauderdale that opened in 2017.
It’s the latest controversy to engulf Combs, who is under fire for overcrowding at the shelter after a drastic reduction in euthanizations since she was hired 18 months ago.
“She is systematically letting go of volunteers who disclose what is taking place at the shelter,” said Hallandale City Commissioner Michele Lazarow. “It leads me to believe we are back on the road to no transparency. They are getting rid of the people who talk.”
