The former Executive Director of the Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan has responded to the recent controversy surrounding her departure from the organization after 13 years at the helm. 
Jill Svoboda responded tonight to a request for her side of the story in the series of releases from the organization’s Board of Directors. She says she wrote a letter of resignation, but did not leave abruptly. Nevertheless, she characterizes the behavior that led to her resignation and that of several others who left with her as being “toxic,” without further explanation regarding that terminology.
Here is what she sent me tonight:
Hello! Jill Svoboda, former executive director of Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan. Thank you for telling our story!
I would like to personally thank the community for their support over the years! Helping us raise over $2.1 million to build the shelter of our dreams! I would also like to thank the top notch staff that I had the pleasure to work beside…you will always be the dream team! I’m proud of you for standing up for what you believe in and saying no to toxic behavior… I can’t wait to see what the future holds for each of the staff members…You deserved better.
On a side note: I did write a resignation letter. I did not leave abruptly. I hope the community continues to ask questions of the board! And please remind the community that it is their shelter, they built it and should ask questions and demand answers!
It was my absolute pleasure to serve my community and I, along with the rest of my staff are heartbroken.” Jill Svoboda
For those who aren’t familiar with the stories leading to this response, you can find those at these links:
- https://www.moodyonthemarket.com/humane-society-sw-michigan-director-abruptly-resigns-shelter-will-close-for-one-week/
- https://www.moodyonthemarket.com/humane-society-swm-board-issues-statement-on-directors-departure-state-of-the-shelter/
The photo accompanying the top of this story on Moody on the Market comes from happier days at the Yeager Family Pet Shelter from the Ribbon Cutting Open House event following completion of the new shelter on M-139 south of St. Joseph. The smaller photo of Jill was taken at the 2nd Annual Charcuterie Festival fundraiser in downtown Stevensville in 2018.
