A Deeply Disappointing Shift Away from the Founder's Mission…read more
I have never been employed by Pasado's Safe Haven however I have been closely connected to the organization for well over two decades and have seen it from every angle - caregivers, media, medical staff, leadership, and the board. My long term connection to the organization has given me firsthand visibility into how it functions internally and a lot has changed since it was founded in 1997. What I've witnessed in recent years is a complete departure from the founder's mission and a steady decline in integrity, transparency, and animal cruelty centered work.
Today, Pasado's rarely prioritizes victim animals from cruelty cases, nor does it meaningfully support law enforcement with housing, medical care, evidence integrity, or on-scene support as it did in years past. Instead, the sanctuary now focuses on shelter transfers, which directly contradicts the purpose the organization was built on.
Leadership is top heavy, overpaid, and largely absent. Many employees work remotely with little accountability, while caregivers, the heart of the sanctuary, remain underpaid and overworked. Turnover has been constant, and understaffing directly impacts the care of the animals that call Pasado's home.
The organization's former long term executive director of 9.5 years created a culture of fear, favoritism, and self promotion and this is where the downfall began. Key staff who were essential to the mission were grossly neglected, dismissed, disrespected, or pushed out. Several respected board members resigned due to this director's unethical style and poor leadership behavior, which created a stressful, hostile work environment.
Financial priorities are deeply misaligned. Donor dollars have been spent on unnecessary upgrades, landscaping, branding, and out of state remote employee travel rather than on animal care, staffing, or veterinary support. Public salary data shows significant pay disparities compared to far larger national organizations, something donors would be shocked to learn.
Investigations, once the backbone of Pasado's, have been reduced to a menial role with minimal impact. Today, the sanctuary rarely assists with cruelty cases, despite public messaging that suggests otherwise. The healing barn often sits empty, and the organization is now overly selective when considering intake of actual cruelty victim animals.
The current executive leadership continues the trend of high salaries, low accountability, and minimal on site presence. The organization is more like a corporate office than an animal welfare nonprofit, and the founder's legacy has been overshadowed by internal politics and mismanagement which began with the longstanding executive director mentioned above.
Bottom line: If you are passionate about helping animals, this is not the place for you. The mission has been lost, and the culture no longer reflects the values that once made Pasado's Safe Haven a respected name in animal welfare.