Humane Society of Southern Arizona names interim CEO amid controversy

The Humane Society of Southern Arizona has named Beth Morrison as interim CEO after its previous executive, Steve Farley, was ousted as part of an ongoing investigation.

Morrison, who has 25 years of experience in nonprofits leadership, will oversee operations of HSSA starting Oct. 23 during what officials call a critical time of transition after the investigation found at least 250 small animals transferred from San Diego were turned over to an unlicensed rescue group.

“Beth is the right person to work closely with our board, staff, volunteers and donors to restructure HSSA and ensure it fulfills its mission of making certain that animals entrusted to HSSA receive the best care possible and find loving, forever homes,” said Board Chair Robert Garcia.

Garcia confirmed Morrison will not take over the role permanently. “There is no plan for Ms. Morrison to be the permanent CEO. Ms. Morrison’s tenure is going to be somewhere around six months,” he said at a news conference Monday.

Morrison’s background includes managing youth and family shelter organizations in Tucson and sexual violence shelter agencies in Michigan.

Her appointment comes as HSSA grapples with the fallout after approximately 318 small animals, including mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and more, were transferred from the San Diego Humane Society to Tucson in August.

Those animals eventually ended up at a private rescue organization in Maricopa County that, HSSA officials said they later learned, lacked proper licensing.

Although nearly 60 animals were returned from the private rescue organization to HSSA in early September, nearly 250 other animals are unaccounted for. The controversy resulted in the firing of CEO Farley and resignation of HSSA chief operating officer Christian Gonzales.

Garcia said at Monday’s news conference that a joint investigation between the Humane Society organizations of Tucson and San Diego has included contact with the owners of the private rescue organization in Maricopa County in hopes of learning the fate of the small animals.

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“They continue to maintain that the animals were adopted out to families. And of course, we have not been able to ... validate that or confirm it otherwise,” Garcia said.

The joint investigation is a marked turn from the tone between the organizations last month, when SDHS threatened legal action against HSSA in lieu of more information about the transfer of the small animals.

“Our relationship with San Diego Humane is we are unified in our mission and in our goals,” Garcia said during the press conference.

Garcia said the relationship between HSSA and the private rescue organization in Maricopa County goes back “at least five years,” but that he was unable to say how it initially came about.

“There had been transfers that occurred. ... My understanding is that it involved turtles, birds, other reptiles, there was one instance in which there were seven or eight rabbits,” he said.

Garcia also addressed questions about any financial fallout the nonprofit HSSA has seen since news broke about the controversy.

Although Garcia said he couldn’t give a precise dollar amount, “I can definitely confirm that the events that have transpired are having a negative effect on donations. And we hope that by the steps that we’re taking (we will be able) to earn the trust of the community again so that they continue to support us and support the animals.”