by Jacqueline Vaughn
Two decades after Jennifer Brehler served in the Army and was deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina-Croatia, the Executive Director of the Humane Society of Sedona (HSS) says she still thinks of the dogs that took refuge at her base camp living quarters.
“I collected food and other comfort items for them,” she says. “We even smuggled one dog into an abandoned building after she gave birth to four puppies when outside temperatures were below freezing.” Several soldiers tried to bring dogs back to the U.S. and ignored orders to dispose of the animals, which were considered vermin. Jennifer grew especially attached to one dog, but when she returned to base from an assignment, she learned that the dogs had been rounded up and killed. “In a country where there had already been so much death, we saw life and companionship in these dogs and to have that destroyed broke our spirits.”
Jennifer Brehler, who started in her current position on May 30th, may be one the only, former military intelligence analyst serving in a civilian animal welfare organization. The Michigan native has a bachelor’s degree in Humane Leadership from Duquesne University, and has held positions in animal welfare organizations in Michigan, North Carolina, and most recently, as San Diego Humane Society’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
Former HSS Executive Director Austin Gates encouraged her to apply and Jennifer welcomed the opportunity to move to an organization that she considered progressive, with a compassionate staff. The September Gala raised a record amount of money, but she quickly credits the hard work of an experienced team. During her first six months, she has preferred to defer to the board on some decisions while finding out more about what Sedona not only wants, but needs. Despite more than 20 years’ experience in animal welfare, she wants to get to know the community and staff before planning big changes or making big promises.
She and her husband have three dogs (two German Shepherds and a tiny senior Terrier blend), four cats (including a three-legged senior), and two parrots. All were homeless shelter animals, and like the Balkan dogs, she recognizes how they influenced her decision to work in animal welfare. Olive, a 30-year-old Patagonian Conure, has been with Brehler the longest. She met the parrot in her first field job as part of a hoarding case where 27 exotic birds were living in a basement in stacked padlocked cages. The birds were malnourished, and since they had no perches, forced to stand in their own filth for years. “This was my first experience with prolonged cruelty like hoarding and it has stayed with me and inspired me to learn more about cruelty and neglect and to assist wherever possible.”
Brehler notes substantive changes in animal welfare since she first started. Shelters are euthanizing fewer animals, and spay and neuter programs have reduced the number of puppies and kittens born each year. Yet this means more pets with complex medical and behavior problems need homes. “Affordable veterinary care is a significant challenge across the country and often results in animals being surrendered to shelters for rehoming, placing the burden of medical costs on the already resource deficient shelters and/or new adoptive families. This why I support programs that address both medical and behavior concerns, not just for adopters, but more importantly, to help keep pets and people together before an animal enters a shelter.”
HSS’s medical and behavior intake includes a complete physical, vaccinations, spay and neuter surgery, and microchips if needed, and establishes an individual care plan. About 65 percent have medical conditions requiring more than basic care, the cost of which is borne by the Emergency Medical Fund.
Several of Brehler’s pets were injured, ill, or orphaned strays considered “unhealthy” by the organizations she worked with at the time, but she looked at each of them as an individual. “They remind me to always look for alternatives when faced with difficult decisions and to take a chance. We can do a disservice to the animals and adopters if we rigidly apply restrictions to adoptions without considering all opportunities.”
While her comments might not sound like someone who has come from a military background, they also sounds refreshing to community members who hope Brehler will bring a new leadership style to an organization that has known five executive directors in less than a decade. Having already faced an extraordinary level of staff turnover in her first six months on the job, Brehler’s approach may be just what HSS needs in the evolving animal welfare field.
