Ongoing at the Humane Society: Leadership Upheaval, Staff Exodus, and Mounting Allegations Rock Jefferson County Shelter
In the week since the Beacon first reported on the situation at the Humane Society, communication has revolved around the denial of allegations even as more people leave the organization.
News by Rachael Nutting
PORT TOWNSEND, WA — A follow-up investigation into the deepening turmoil at the Humane Society of Jefferson County WA (HSJCWA), reveals board restructuring, a detailed “casualty” list of departed staff and volunteers and starkly conflicting accounts of animal welfare and financial transparency under Executive Director Jen Dupree.
A change in leadership
The HSJCWA Board of Directors underwent a significant and swift restructuring following its January 19 board meeting, signaling a major shift in governance amid escalating internal and community concerns. The board now has two fewer members than before, with Tony Hillman as the new Board President.
A growing list of departures
Multiple sources within the organization have provided a detailed "casualty list" of experienced staff and dedicated volunteers who have been terminated or left since hiring their current Executive Director.
Long-term Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) Devon LeDenican was fired. Veterinary assistant Jessica Conley, a vocal critic, was also fired. Shelter worker Heather Bell resigned soon after Dupree’s arrival, with part-time LVT Emerald Peargin quitting in protest of Dupree. After her trained staff were terminated, Dr. Kraft, the six-year staff veterinarian, requested a leave of absence. Subsequently, shelter worker Sira quit the following day, though the HSJCWA website still lists her as employed. Another shelter worker, Alexis, resigned over misrepresented duties and poor management.
The unrest extended to volunteers and leadership. Volunteer Pam Hicks was fired for speaking out about mismanagement two weeks ago. Board members and volunteers Barbara Zingg and Phyllis Becker were allegedly suspended for communicating with staff the following week. Additionally, original board member Ellen Heinemann was reportedly voted out.
Former board member Barbara Zingg, a retired veterinarian and veterinary professor, said the allegations "closely align with what I observed firsthand," citing a "clear deterioration in the overall atmosphere at the shelter" associated with leadership changes. She began volunteering at HSJCWA in 2022, and said she worked “closely with Jessica Conley and Pamela Hicks, both of whom were exceptionally hardworking, highly competent, and deeply committed to animal welfare. Hearing about their termination was deeply disturbing.”
Ellen Heineman, a volunteer since 2012 and a longtime board member until this month, expressed deep concern for the Humane Society of Jefferson County (HSJC), stating she has "never been as saddened" about the shelter in her decades of involvement. Her history with HSJC dates back to the late 1990s when it operated under the sheriff's office. Heineman voiced strong belief in the accounts of former employees and Dr. Kraft, describing them as exceptionally dedicated, and cited the exclusion of the staff veterinarian and their animal welfare concerns as particularly egregious.
She regrets not challenging board decisions more forcefully, specifically regarding the underutilization of LVT LeDenican after her accident, and the hiring of external HR, administrative, and bookkeeping services for a small staff. According to Heineman, several veteran volunteers are now stepping back until Director Dupree is out of the picture and the community atmosphere returns. She also raised concerns about erasing the shelter's past, noting that pre-pandemic adoption numbers were roughly 50 animals higher per year than current figures, despite a historically smaller staff and budget.
Former volunteer Pamela Hicks, stated that two of the board members, Barbara Zingg and Phyllis Becker, were dismissed for listening to and advocating for staff under Dupree’s management. “Why would two board members be dismissed? These board members actually did some work at the shelter.”
The Board's response and Dupree's defense
Faced with a whistleblower complaint and public allegations, the board declined to comment directly. Instead, on January 22, they posted a statement on Facebook, announcing they have "initiated the process of engaging an independent third-party investigator to conduct a thorough review."
Dupree issued a lengthy public statement on January 24, 2026, calling recent media allegations "divisive and inaccurate rhetoric" and "demonstrably false." She invited the community to live-stream tours of the facility, soon to be scheduled.
Key points from Dupree's defense include:
· Animal Neglect Allegations: She admitted maggots were found on a blanket in an empty outdoor kennel—an oversight she called unacceptable—but denied any animal was housed with maggots. She unequivocally denied allegations that kittens were forgotten or starved.
· Veterinary Care: Dupree stated that Dr. Ginny Johnson serves as the interim Veterinarian of Record and that animals receive care through local clinics when Johnson is using the shelter's surgical trailer for Pet Helpers, a community program.
· Financial Transparency: She claimed she is not HSJCWA’s first paid Executive Director, urging the public to review publicly available IRS Form 990 filings on their website. (Their financial page on their website has been heavily updated since our last article on January 10.)
Financial records dispute Dupree's claim
A review of HSJCWA's IRS Form 990 filings on ProPublica, a nonprofit watchdog site, shows that Jen Dupree is, in fact, the first reported officer of the organization to receive compensation in all available records dating back to 2011. In the FY2024 filing, Dupree received $71,583 in executive compensation. For every previous year, the "Executive Compensation" field is listed as $0 for all officers and directors. Non-profits are required to report “reportable” executive compensation to the IRS on their 990 filings, adding perplexity to Dupree’s reported income.
Staff accounts detail animal welfare concerns
Former LVT Devon LeDenican provided an email exchange with then-Board President Pam Kolacy from August 2025. LeDenican described an incident where a dog was straining to urinate, a potentially life-threatening emergency. She wrote that Dupree, via a manager, denied a veterinary evaluation "unless it is life or death." Kolacy's response acknowledged the concern but stated she was "not in a position to second-guess the ED" and advised "avoiding drama is probably best."
Greg, the name of the canine that had maggots in his bedding, was kept in an outdoor kennel due to “being difficult” for managers, explained former staff member Jessica Conley. While Greg was out on a walk, Conley discovered the maggots and mold while she was cleaning his space. LeDenican was also present, as evidenced in a video Conley shared. “Greg did sleep on maggots,” said Conley.
Regarding the kittens Dupree said were never forgotten, LeDenican gave a detailed account of two "boney" kittens that had lost significant weight, were "shut down and quiet," and were initially denied outside veterinary care. They were eventually treated in-house after a foster raised alarms. LeDenican was made aware of the kittens' condition by Phyllis Becker, former volunteer and board member, around August 15, when she “checked the computer to see the kittens had been there for a week.” The kittens were later named Professor Purrington and Purrito. This attestation corroborates with Conley. Photographs taken of the shelter’s computer show that current Operations Manager, Amanda McQuade, did the intake of these kittens on July 29, 2025.
A toxic workplace culture
Former relief LVT Emerald Peargin, in a resignation letter, described a "disrespectful" and unsafe culture. She recounted an incident where Dr. Kraft was pulled into a meeting about her "attitude" while an animal was under anesthesia and waiting for surgery, which Peargin called a severe breach of medical protocol. She also reported systemic issues with post-operative pain medications not being properly administered to animals. She wrote, “Disrespect—I thought I had worked in the worst culture/environment when I worked for an incredibly busy ER on graveyard shift, but sadly, Jefferson County [shelter] takes the cake.” Peargin arrived at the shelter after the initial kitten incident, but recalled their poor condition when she later assisted in their spay/neuter surgeries.
Former shelter worker Heather Bell described Dupree as "very cold," more concerned with "image and having control rather than the animals," and creating an atmosphere where staff felt "belittled and taken for granted." Bell continued, “The ‘team meetings’ she had were the only times I would see her show up at the shelter at all for days at a time—and we never knew when she would show back up. The rest of the time she was reportedly working from home and allowing her friend Kaitlyn to do the same. . .”
The DEA and law enforcement involvement
Former staff said Dr. Kraft had police escort her to the facility after allegedly being locked out of the veterinary trailer and her electronic access had been restricted. A requested Jefferson County Sheriff's incident report from January 12, 2026, details that Dr. Kraft required a law enforcement escort to retrieve controlled substances from the shelter. This report took place just four days after she requested a leave of absence on January 8, due to no longer having trained assistants.
The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) requires licensed veterinarians to maintain detailed records of controlled substance medication and submitting of data on a regular schedule, as explained in WAC 246-470-035. Dr. Kraft was legally obligated to report to the DEA on January 10th, according to the quarterly schedule of the WA state legislature. The DEA advised her to call law enforcement to escort her to the property to retrieve the medications and have them dispose of the medications.
Dupree has not responded to repeated requests for comment.
Dr. Kraft, the DVM on leave, shared the following:
“A little over two weeks ago I requested a meeting with the HSJC Board of Directors (BOD) to present evidence to them of failure to provide competent shelter staff care for the animals, violations of certain WA State laws pertaining to the practice of veterinary medicine, and failure to provide adequate conditions and staff support for the HSJC Veterinary Department as per current veterinary standards and capacities for the previous ten months, resulting in suboptimal health care for the shelter animals, on the part of current HSJC administration, after failing to achieve satisfactory resolution from repeated entreaties to that administration.
I was denied a meeting with the BOD, and advised that my only route of communication would be by filing a whistleblower complaint to the president of the BOD, who also denied my request for additional board members to be present at that meeting. During the meeting I was not given sufficient time to present all my evidence. As of today, I have not been contacted by anyone conducting an investigation into my concerns. I have been in communication with the WA State Department of Health Veterinary Board of Governors, and that communication is ongoing, so cannot discuss in detail at this time.”
A community awaits answers
The Humane Society of Jefferson County WA is still at a crossroads. The newly configured board has promised an independent investigation, while the executive director has launched a public relations campaign inviting transparency.
However, the sheer number of departed experienced personnel, the grave animal welfare allegations from licensed veterinary professionals, the disputed financial claims, and the involvement of the DEA and sheriff's office present a crisis of confidence. The community, donors and volunteers are left to reconcile two starkly different narratives: one of proactive management and misinformation, and another of a toxic environment leading to an exodus of caregivers and potential suffering for the animals the shelter is sworn to protect.
The outcome of the board's promised investigation will be critical in determining the future of this essential community institution.
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This article is based on internal documents, public financial records, requested police reports, and firsthand/public accounts from former staff and volunteers of the Humane Society of Jefferson County WA. The Beacon has still not received a response from HSJCWA representatives.
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