A former Arizona lawmaker has been fired as CEO of an animal welfare group after dozens of small animals ended up unaccounted for.
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona on Thursday announced the termination of CEO Steve Farley. Farley, a former Democratic candidate for governor and Tucson mayor, served in the state Senate from 2013-2019.
Officials with the San Diego Humane Society transported more than 300 rabbits, guinea pigs and other small animals to Tucson in August. The San Diego branch began to question the animals’ whereabouts after noticing no social media promotion for adopting them. The animals were given to a private animal rescue operator was not properly licensed.
Farley says he had no direct involvement in the transport and placement of the animals. He was with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona since February 2020.