The leadership of the Horn Lake Animal Shelter saw a drastic overhaul this past Tuesday, as both the director, Glenn Andrews, and the assistant director, Sonia Forgacz, were dismissed from their roles. In an abrupt conclusion to a nearly two-hour-long executive session, Horn Lake's Mayor and Board of Aldermen reached the decision by majority vote, as reported by FOX13 Memphis. The animal shelter had previously been closed over a holiday weekend for thorough cleaning and inspection, but the firings’ circumstances were not immediately disclosed.
Mayor Jimmy Stokes II offered a statement amidst the unfolding situation. "The City of Horn Lake is aware of inquiries regarding recent personnel changes at the Horn Lake Animal Shelter," he said. According to an interview with WREG, Stokes continued, "As this matter involves individual employees, the City is not able to comment on specific personnel decisions." The mayor emphasized the city's dedication to the welfare of the animals at the shelter and the community's service.
Andrews, who has held the director position since July 2023 and has been a champion for the shelter's upgraded facility and fostering program, suspects the reason for his firing is associated with allegations of mishandled funds through an unauthorized PayPal account. However, Andrews asserts all donations were well-documented, telling WREG, "I’m confident that they have seen that everything was documented and accounted for and that’s that. But I think just the uneasiness of it was too much for them and so they made the decision to sever or relationships."
Public response in the wake of the firings has seen an outpouring of support for Andrews and Forgacz. Karissa Clinkenbeard, speaking during the public comment period, expressed her observation of Andrews's positive impact on the shelter, as mentioned in a statement obtained by DeSoto Times Tribune. Andrews is credited with overseeing the design and completion of a new $6 million facility, which is the largest in DeSoto County and opened in June 2025. Residents like Debra Box hailed the shelter staff for their excellent care of the animals, sharing personal tales of positive adoption experiences.
Interim leadership has been installed to handle the shelter's daily operations until permanent replacements are found, with the city discussing further plans for filling the vacancies. Meanwhile, the recent personnel changes have left the community and the shelter at a critical juncture, questioning the impact this will have on the Horn Lake Animal Shelter's future and the animals within its care.
