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State Audit Finds Thousands Stolen from Morristown Animal Shelter

Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury

An audit by  the Tennessee State Comptroller's Office reports thousands of dollars in donations and adoption fees were stolen from the Morristown-Hamblen Humane Society between 2009 and 2011.  The audit was requested by Hamblen County Mayor Bill Brittain when an employee of the animal shelter discovered several receipts had been backdated so that they wouldn't appear in daily collection reports.  In all, the comptroller's office believes a total of $51,130 has been stolen.  That money was supposed to be used to operate the shelter, enforce animal control ordinances and conduct cruelty investigations.   The audit suggests a former employee in charge of reconciling receipts is responsible; that employee was fired during the investigation.

The Morristown-Hamblen Humane Society houses approximately 75-80 animals per day.