New board members and volunteers sought for Lake Tahoe Humane Society

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It's been almost one year since the Lake Tahoe Humane Society (LTHS) fired their former Executive Director Niki Congero amid allegations of embezzlement. For months, South Lake Tahoe Police detectives worked through piles of paperwork and film, completing the case for the El Dorado County District Attorney in December. Since then, the case has been in the hands of the DA's office, but nothing has happened yet.

"The District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing the case," the DA's office said in reply to our inquiry. "Additional investigation may be necessary and we are taking all steps to complete the investigation prior to making any filing decision."

While that side of things are out of the hands of the LTHS board of directors, the future of the nonprofit that has been serving the South Lake Tahoe area for 51 years is in their hands.

A meeting in their office Thursday between board members and the public was heated and passionate at times, but civil enough to forge a path to recovery with the community's help.

"It's been a really hard year and we need help from the community," said Board President Lorna Lefler. "The easiest solution would be to close, sell the building and pay everything off."

But that isn't what they wanted to do and have tried to hang in there, but they said they are tired and worn out and need help. Lefler said she made some inquiries to a neighboring bar to see if they'd be interested in buying the building, but they don't want to go in that direction.

The remaining board members have been trying to keep the doors open, but they have been operating in the red and relying on a hard money loan to try paying off debts, many of which were allegedly created when Congero left them in a financial pickle. For several years, long before Congero, LTHS has not brought in enough donations to cover expenses.

There have been some funds coming in through donations from the public, coins from the plastic dogs on counters in town, and some fundraising efforts through the Lake Tahoe Community College International Club and a South Tahoe Middle School car wash, but more is needed.

Most of their funds, after salaries, went to pay veterinarians for spay and neutering of pets in South Lake Tahoe when their owners didn't have the funds to cover them. They have helped pay for other vet bills including surgery. LTHS has been able to pay off about $15,000 in outstanding vet bills and still have about $20,000 to go, according to LTHS Secretary/Treasurer Sue Pritchett.

At one time there were three paid employees at the LTHS, but now there are none after they had to let go their officer manager.

Three years ago LTHS purchased the building they are currently housed in through a bequeath they received. They have trailers, a truck and several pieces of equipment needed for Disaster Animal Response Team (DART). LTHS is a DART, which is a mobile command post capable of monitoring and dispatching emergency services during disasters to provide temporary shelter for animals and front-line veterinary care. A community must have a DART in place to receive funds from FEMA in case of an emergency.

Since the former ED was allegedly able to use funds without anyone on the board catching it, they have instituted some new procedures but realize there is more to be done.

The next steps to keep LTHS going will be a board meeting in the near future, and those interested in joining are invited to submit an application and attend. The date will be announced when set, but is expected in the next two weeks. The current board would like to step down, but cannot until replacements are voted in and ready to go.

Besides new board members, LTHS also needs a contingent of volunteers to help them with fundraising, events, picking up donated animal food, a DART team, office work, paralegal, social media and website help, and yard and building cleaning, and more.

"We need somebody to step up," said Lefler.

To get an application for either volunteering or the board, email info@laketahoehumanesociety.org or call 530.542.2857.