Local supporters of the Northumberland Humane Society want answers from the board after General Manager Shanika Suriya was let go with no stated reason.
Suriya was terminated on November 11, and in that time there has been no word on why she was let go or if someone will step in to fill her position.
The lack of response from the board has left many partners of NHS looking for answers.
Theresa Rickerby, owner of All Creatures Great and Small pet store in Cobourg and an NHS partner, said she is concerned both about the ability of the shelter to communicate with partners and for the welfare of the animals in Suriya’s absence.
She stared a petition to call for a full review into Suriya’s firing, and at the time of publishing it’s gathered 740 signatures.
Rickerby said she was in the process of working on several adoption and fundraising programs with NHS that were being coordinated with Suriya, and no she is unsure of the status of those initiatives.
Rickerby said she won’t be giving any more financial support to NHS until the board provides more information about what the plans for the future are.
Two other NHS partners reached out to voice similar concerns as Rickerby’s, and also said they supported her petition and are also withholding funding.
NHS Board Chair Jason Schmidt confirmed that Suriya had been let go and that it was approved by the board but would not comment further on any staffing decisions.
He noted that some of what was being said was an exaggeration or outright false.
Rickerby said the lack of communication behind the decision has shaken her trust in the organization.
She said this experience will see her asking more questions in the future.
We reached out to Suriya, who confirmed she was let go and said she can’t speak further on the matter under the advisement of a lawyer.
Schmidt said the board will be putting out a release about the situation in the coming days.
Written by Lee McConnell
