TOLEDO, Ohio — A former Lucas County Canine Care & Control volunteer said the county commissioners' unanimous decision on Tuesday to terminate the county's dog warden after several complaints of poor treatment of staff and animals was "a bit of shock because I think it's been a long time coming."
Sherri Littin said she's witnessed the tension between volunteers and staff members online and watched it get worse when a video she obtained through a records request showed a staff member appearing to hit dogs and spray them with water in the LC4 kennels surfaced.
"It got nasty," Littin said of the tension between staff and volunteers after the video surfaced. "To me it showed another time where Kelly has no control of her staff down there."
WTOL 11 contacted a number publicly listed as Sears' on Tuesday but did not receive comment from her.
Michael Hart, the chief of staff and director of governmental affairs for the Board of Lucas County Commissioners, will serve as interim chief dog warden and acting director of LC4.
Littin feels Lucas County Commissioners made the right decision by terminating Sears.
Former volunteer Randy Fahringer feels differently, though.
"I felt really bad for her and sad that that was the outcome. It came kind of fast," Fahringer said.
Fahringer admitted he did not interact with Sears much, but enjoyed certain programs he said she brought, like vaccine drives.
"I hope that the next director is passionate about the facility, about the dogs that come in, and will put them forward and the public forward," Fahringer said.
Multiple volunteers told WTOL 11 they want the LC4 volunteer program to return, too, after commissioners axed it last month due to tension between volunteers and staff.
"This is just the first step," Littin said. "I think now that she's (Sears) gone, they need to find another director that can move LC4 forward."
Littin added that she feels 11 Investigates' coverage of the issues at LC4 is part of why change is being seen in the organization.
"Kind of lit the fire that need to happen," she said.
Construction on a new $35 million LC4 facility at 1301 Monroe Street is set to be complete next year, according to county commissioners.