Shelter director in Utah County fired over euthanasia errors

SPANISH FORK — The director of the South Utah Valley Animal Shelter has been fired over recent employee errors that have resulted in mistaken euthanasia of six dogs.

The decision to fire Shirley Bybee was made Monday evening in a closed-doors meeting of the board that oversees the South Utah Valley Animal Services Special Service District, which operates the shelter.

Bybee was informed of the board's decision this morning and is no longer at the shelter, said John Borget, Provo's representative on the special service district board.

Former director Mike Morgan has been named interim director until a permanent replacement is hired. At the request of the board, Morgan returned earlier this month to assist Bybee in training employees and finding ways to improve procedures.

"It's been a tough period, and it was a real difficult decision," Borget said. "In an effort to improve conditions and operations at the shelter, we felt we needed to make a change."

Bybee had been the Spanish Fork shelter's director since Feb. 2, when south Utah County cities participating in the special service district took over operations from Utah County.

Bybee and the shelter had come under fire in recent months over three cases of mistaken euthanasia in the past five months.

The most recent incident occurred June 12, when a dog being held for owners who were out of town erroneously was euthanized.

An April case of mistaken euthanasia led to an investigation by the Orem Department of Public Safety. Bybee and her staff were cleared of wrongdoing in that case and allowed to keep their jobs, but the board acknowledged the need for improved staff training.

In February, four dogs scheduled to be given to an Orem-based rescue group were euthanized.

In addition to changing directors, the board will increase staffing at the shelter. The budget for fiscal year 2006-07 approved Thursday includes $47,600 to increase staffing. That funding boost allows for a second full-time animal technician and a fourth part-time attendant, and increases all part-time employees' hours from 20 to 25.

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