A top candidate to replace San Antonio Animal Care Services' retired director faced a criminal investigation over accusations that he wrongfully euthanized dogs and falsified records, according to documents obtained by the Current.
Montgomery County Animal Care Services Executive Director Aaron Johnson, who was eventually cleared of those allegations, applied to lead the city's beleaguered ACS department in January 2024. He remains one of two candidates still under consideration for that job, city officials confirmed.
In a statement to the Current, Johnson said both a grand jury and his county's district attorney found that he had no criminal liability.
"[The District Attorney] also noted that the heightened scrutiny these investigations often receive is sometimes unwarranted — a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with in this case," Johnson said via email.
San Antonio engaged in a high-profile search for a new ACS director over recent months after the department came under fire amid a series of grisly dog attacks and public complaints that it was chronically underfunded and short-staffed.
The city contracted executive hiring agency Affion Public to search for a new director, and city officials conducted in-person interviews at the Henry B. González Convention Center in May and June. However, San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh said in a July 1 statement that he wasn't ready to make a hire and extended the search.
At that point, the city appointed an interim director from its own ranks.
Despite the accusations Johnson faced in Montgomery County, which includes the northern Houston suburbs, he's one of only two people from a pool for 74 applicants to still be under consideration as a potential director of San Antonio ACS, according to emails obtained by the Current. The most recent of those is dated July 2 — the day after Walsh announced that the city needed to push back its hiring plans.
Administrative leave
Johnson, along with Montgomery County ACS Assistant Director Mark Wysocki, were put on administrative leave with pay in September 2018 after a veterinarian at the county's no-kill shelter alleged the duo illegally euthanized 70 animals confiscated from a hoarder north of Houston, the Conroe-Montgomery County Patch reports.
Eric Yollick, an attorney in Montgomery County, alleged in a Fox 26 Houston report that the animals were euthanized without an evaluation by the shelter's senior veterinarian, who left the facility because he was "upset about what was going on."
Due to the vet's absence, Johnson and Wysocki falsified records to put the animals down, Yollick told the TV station. He also suggested the pair may have doctored the paperwork to inflate the shelter's live-release rate.
Johnson and Wysocki were reinstated in October 2018 following a criminal investigation by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Montgomery County District Attorney's Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to media reports.
"As part of their investigation, the Grand Jury reviewed every recent allegation of criminal conduct against the shelter employees," Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon told the Patch. "They found no criminal liability."
Johnson was among those who applied to replace outgoing San Antonio ACS Director Shannon Sims amid a firestorm of controversy surrounding the department. Sims was initially set to retire in June, but he was pushed out early after lambasting his critics in an acerbic speech, calling them "social media terrorists."
In his July 1 statement, City Manager Walsh promised San Antonio would continue searching for a top-notch candidate to lead ACS forward.
"The ideal candidate will strengthen and foster relationships with the animal care community, our partners and stakeholders; champion a healthy and thriving workforce; and support the placement of pets for life with a focus on enforcement," Walsh said. "The process will continue until the best candidate is found."
However, San Antonio Assistant Director of Communications Brian Chasnoff told the Current this week that two candidates who applied before Walsh's July 1 statement are still under consideration and Johnson is among them.
Chasnoff declined comment on the 2018 criminal investigation of Johnson.
July 2 email
Even though Walsh said the city had decided not to hire any of its slate of applicants as of July 1, San Antonio Deputy Director of Human Resources Krystal Strong emailed Johnson on July 2 to inform him that he was still under consideration.
As of that time, Johnson was the only potential candidate to be informed that they were still under consideration for the job, emails show.
"Although the recruitment process is ongoing, you have not been removed from consideration," Strong wrote to Johnson. "In regards to the current state of the hiring process, the recruitment of this position remains a priority of the City and our City Manager. However, we are beginning our annual budget process, which is our busiest time of year and may impact our anticipated timeline."
The three other finalists who made it to a round of in-person interviews included Arlington, Texas Animal Services Manager Ashley Woolnough, Pearland Animal Services Manager John Fischer and Monica Dangler, director of Tucson, Arizona's Pima Animal Care Center.
Dangler was apologetically notified in July 2 form email that San Antonio had ended its search for an ACS director.
"On behalf of the city of San Antonio, I am writing to extend our sincere apologies for the lack of communication to you yesterday regarding the status of our Animal Care Services Director recruitment," Dangler's email from San Antonio's Human Resources department read.
"Candidate experience is very important to the City of San Antonio, and you should have been informed through official channels before anyone else and we recognize that this was not an ideal experience for you," the message continued.
Despite HR's email to Dangler, Chasnoff informed to the Current that she is, in fact, still being considered to lead ACS.
"The hiring process for the City's new ACS Director is ongoing," Chasnoff wrote in a statement he amended twice since the Current first reached out to him Wednesday. "Aaron Johnson and Monica Dangler remain under consideration while we continue to recruit for this critical position."
Johnson also initially received a rejection email on July 2, but he was notified nearly 7 hours later that he was still being considered for the role.
The city paid for rooms for Johnson, Dangler, Woolnough and Fischer at the Grand Hyatt downtown for their in-person interviews earlier this year, according to city emails.
However, Johnson was the only candidate invited back a week later for a final June 7 interview at City Hall, correspondence shows. That time, the city booked a room for him at the Hotel Valencia River Walk, and he was scheduled for a tour of city animal-care facilities and a meeting with Walsh.
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Montgomery County Animal Care Services Executive Director Aaron Johnson, who was eventually cleared of those allegations, applied to lead the city's beleaguered ACS department in January 2024. He remains one of two candidates still under consideration for that job, city officials confirmed.
In a statement to the Current, Johnson said both a grand jury and his county's district attorney found that he had no criminal liability.
"[The District Attorney] also noted that the heightened scrutiny these investigations often receive is sometimes unwarranted — a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with in this case," Johnson said via email.
San Antonio engaged in a high-profile search for a new ACS director over recent months after the department came under fire amid a series of grisly dog attacks and public complaints that it was chronically underfunded and short-staffed.
The city contracted executive hiring agency Affion Public to search for a new director, and city officials conducted in-person interviews at the Henry B. González Convention Center in May and June. However, San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh said in a July 1 statement that he wasn't ready to make a hire and extended the search.
At that point, the city appointed an interim director from its own ranks.
Despite the accusations Johnson faced in Montgomery County, which includes the northern Houston suburbs, he's one of only two people from a pool for 74 applicants to still be under consideration as a potential director of San Antonio ACS, according to emails obtained by the Current. The most recent of those is dated July 2 — the day after Walsh announced that the city needed to push back its hiring plans.
Administrative leave
Johnson, along with Montgomery County ACS Assistant Director Mark Wysocki, were put on administrative leave with pay in September 2018 after a veterinarian at the county's no-kill shelter alleged the duo illegally euthanized 70 animals confiscated from a hoarder north of Houston, the Conroe-Montgomery County Patch reports.
Eric Yollick, an attorney in Montgomery County, alleged in a Fox 26 Houston report that the animals were euthanized without an evaluation by the shelter's senior veterinarian, who left the facility because he was "upset about what was going on."
Due to the vet's absence, Johnson and Wysocki falsified records to put the animals down, Yollick told the TV station. He also suggested the pair may have doctored the paperwork to inflate the shelter's live-release rate.
Johnson and Wysocki were reinstated in October 2018 following a criminal investigation by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Montgomery County District Attorney's Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, according to media reports.
"As part of their investigation, the Grand Jury reviewed every recent allegation of criminal conduct against the shelter employees," Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon told the Patch. "They found no criminal liability."
Johnson was among those who applied to replace outgoing San Antonio ACS Director Shannon Sims amid a firestorm of controversy surrounding the department. Sims was initially set to retire in June, but he was pushed out early after lambasting his critics in an acerbic speech, calling them "social media terrorists."
In his July 1 statement, City Manager Walsh promised San Antonio would continue searching for a top-notch candidate to lead ACS forward.
"The ideal candidate will strengthen and foster relationships with the animal care community, our partners and stakeholders; champion a healthy and thriving workforce; and support the placement of pets for life with a focus on enforcement," Walsh said. "The process will continue until the best candidate is found."
However, San Antonio Assistant Director of Communications Brian Chasnoff told the Current this week that two candidates who applied before Walsh's July 1 statement are still under consideration and Johnson is among them.
Chasnoff declined comment on the 2018 criminal investigation of Johnson.
July 2 email
Even though Walsh said the city had decided not to hire any of its slate of applicants as of July 1, San Antonio Deputy Director of Human Resources Krystal Strong emailed Johnson on July 2 to inform him that he was still under consideration.
As of that time, Johnson was the only potential candidate to be informed that they were still under consideration for the job, emails show.
"Although the recruitment process is ongoing, you have not been removed from consideration," Strong wrote to Johnson. "In regards to the current state of the hiring process, the recruitment of this position remains a priority of the City and our City Manager. However, we are beginning our annual budget process, which is our busiest time of year and may impact our anticipated timeline."
The three other finalists who made it to a round of in-person interviews included Arlington, Texas Animal Services Manager Ashley Woolnough, Pearland Animal Services Manager John Fischer and Monica Dangler, director of Tucson, Arizona's Pima Animal Care Center.
Dangler was apologetically notified in July 2 form email that San Antonio had ended its search for an ACS director.
"On behalf of the city of San Antonio, I am writing to extend our sincere apologies for the lack of communication to you yesterday regarding the status of our Animal Care Services Director recruitment," Dangler's email from San Antonio's Human Resources department read.
"Candidate experience is very important to the City of San Antonio, and you should have been informed through official channels before anyone else and we recognize that this was not an ideal experience for you," the message continued.
Despite HR's email to Dangler, Chasnoff informed to the Current that she is, in fact, still being considered to lead ACS.
"The hiring process for the City's new ACS Director is ongoing," Chasnoff wrote in a statement he amended twice since the Current first reached out to him Wednesday. "Aaron Johnson and Monica Dangler remain under consideration while we continue to recruit for this critical position."
Johnson also initially received a rejection email on July 2, but he was notified nearly 7 hours later that he was still being considered for the role.
The city paid for rooms for Johnson, Dangler, Woolnough and Fischer at the Grand Hyatt downtown for their in-person interviews earlier this year, according to city emails.
However, Johnson was the only candidate invited back a week later for a final June 7 interview at City Hall, correspondence shows. That time, the city booked a room for him at the Hotel Valencia River Walk, and he was scheduled for a tour of city animal-care facilities and a meeting with Walsh.
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