Chief Tyler calls meeting to form an advisory board… Spells out rules of conduct for animal shelter volunteers

Florence Police Chief Ron Tyler

FLORENCE – Florence Police, Chief Ron Tyler  laid out a foundation for rules of conduct of the volunteers at the Animal Shelter with Animal Shelter personnel and representatives of two area animal rescue organizations. The meeting was held Thursday. This organization was established by Tyler in response to a recent dust up between the Shelter and one of its volunteers, Debbie Rappuhn, who was banned for 30 days.

At the meeting, held at the Florence Police Station, policies and protocols were discussed that will insure the safety of animal shelter volunteers as well as to clarify roles and expectations of volunteers. Attending the advisory board meeting Thurday were representatives from two volunteer groups HASRA and PAWS, Veterinarian Dr. Brandon Fisher, and Vinny Grosso animal shelter supervisor. Due to the emotional nature of the establishment of this board the president of HASRA, Debbie Rappuhn did not attend, as advised by her lawyers Elizabeth Messer and Robert Goonce. Among the topics in the organizational document include employee and volunteer structure, a detailed code of conduct, volunteer daily operations, liability and orientation training.

 One of the top concerns expressed by Chief Tyler is keeping a good working relationship with area volunteers. “There has been some frustration in the past” Tyler said “and I have spoken to animal shelters as far as Washington, and they have the same problems we do.” In order to insure that relationship, Tyler put together this volunteer code of conduct to firmly express the most effective means operating the Florence/Lauderdale Animal Shelter. “It is through this public and private partnership between the shelter staff and volunteers ( that will make this partnership run smoothly).”

Dr. Brandon Fisher – Animal Shelter Board Veterinarian

Dan Summy – Member of the PAWS Board of Directors

As part of the volunteer code of conduct which was authored by Tyler, section F is Public Statements-Media Interviews. Section F states “Employees and/or volunteers, in their capacity as such, or when representing the FLAS (Florence Lauderdale Animal Shelter), are not permitted to make public comments critical of the shelter’s administration, local elected officials, or local veterinarians. Comments on matters that are an employee or volunteer’s responsibility or directly under his/her control control are permissible if in accordance with this policy. Any media requests for an interview made to a shelter employee or volunteer must first be approved by one of the shelter supervisors.”

“As partners I would rather discuss this behind closed doors, than just air out dirty laundry to the public” Tyler said in response to section F, “If this is a partnership we are going to form, I don’t want to be shaking hands with one hand and having the other bitten.”

The remaining topics discussed were the volunteer’s daily operation tasks where about it has been decided that volunteers may choose to aid operations in any of the following capacities.

Florence Animal Shelter Supervisor Vinny Grosso

Puppy Room/Cat Room , volunteers may assist staff in maintaining the cleanliness and comfort of puppies, cats and kittens. The Kennel Area, assisting with all dogs by assisting staff in maintaining comfort and cleanliness in the adoption and stray areas. As well as laundry and documentation work being in high demand by the FLAS. There are also a myriad of other task volunteers may choose to help with.

Liability Waivers and Orientation training was of high concern, and this revised section was created in order to keep the physical safety of volunteers a top priority.

Elisabeth South – Treasurer of HASRA
Roberts Goonce – Attorney to Debbie Rappuhn
Terri Whalen – President of PAWS

Hours in which volunteers may operate was the next topic on the agenda, Volunteers are permitted to work Monday through Friday 8 am until 5 pm, Saturdays 9 am until 1 pm, and Sundays 9 am until 12 pm.

The section most discussed by Tyler was the acceptance of donations. While other volunteer/rescue organizations may have donation boxes in the animal shelter, all donations to other organization will be kept separate from the animal shelter’s and will be dealt with by the respective organizations. In the past, donations intermingled and caused many of the current problems between FLAS and an animal rescue group.

To look at the previous story on this matter click HERE