Thursday, February 11, 2010

2 Top Executives Blow the Whistle on HSSBV

JIM RUESTER, Former Executive Director
Jim Ruester held the highest ranked position an employee could hold at the Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley, the Executive Director. He held that position between approximately January 2007 and August, 2007.

He was concerned about seeing Lynn Hildebrand after hours on a number of occasions at the facility when he stayed late trying to catch up on his work. He frequently saw Hildebrand with a group of women, and occasionally a man, none of which were associated with HSSBV.

Ruester witnessed Hildebrand and her crew take carriers filled with live animals from their vehicles and stack them in the hallways and into the 'euthanasia' room. He heard the animals crying. He said many appeared to be young and adoptable.

Ruester said Hildebrand killed the animals, then he saw her and her crew reload their vehicles with empty carriers. He noticed that the freezer was then filled with dead animals.

He stated his concerns to President Sue Dawson about the constant late night killings, which he said seemed 'excessive'. He also expressed concerns there was no vet present and that strangers were allowed on the premises with controlled drugs after close. He questioned why Hildebrand had access to the building, the drugs and more particularly why so many animals were being killed.

Dawson told him these matters were not his concern and not to worry about it.

But he was concerned and complained again. He was then terminated. He attributes his complaints as the reason why.

Ruester said there is a "killing culture at the Humane Society". He said they know the rescuers and no-kill advocates by name and they think they are fools because they think they can save all the animals. He said that Dawson and Hildebrand believe the only solution to overpopulation is to kill lots of animals. He added that Sue Dawson runs the place with an ironhand and no one is going to change her mind about the killings. He said that the Board is 'inbred', has been there too long, and that there should be fresh blood and a change of the guard.

MARY SHEETS, Former Executive Director
Mary Sheets held the same Executive Director position some time after Ruester left. She stayed for about one year and left approximately 6 months ago. She, like Ruester, expressed grave concern that Lynn Hildebrand was given free access to the building when it was closed in order to bring in truckloads of animals to kill them.
Sheets questioned why so many animals were being killed. She also stated that the animals looked healthy and adoptable.

Sheets addressed her concerns to Sue Dawson, but was told the same thing as Ruester, not to worry about it. When Sheets continued to question the practice, she was fired like Ruester.

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