KYLE, Texas — Hays County residents are calling for more transparency from the PAWS Shelter of Central Texas after the nonprofit nearly closed last fall due to financial troubles.
PAWS Board President Greg Sabatini said the organization is now in a stronger position. He attributed the previous financial crisis to leadership turnover, rising operating costs, and limited fundraising efforts.
“We spent more than we made over the course of the previous two years resulting in us probably being about $400,000 in the negative,” Sabatini said. The shelter would have needed $200,000 quickly to remain open.
Following news of the potential closure, community donations and volunteer support raised nearly $500,000 to keep the shelter operational.
Despite the rebound, former board member Cody Bradstreet and other volunteers and donors remain concerned about the shelter’s transparency. Bradstreet said she was surprised by the financial troubles, noting that the shelter appeared stable when she left the board in 2023, with nearly $1 million in cash and investments and no debt.
The group formed the PAWS Transparency & Recovery Group to request public financial statements, board meeting minutes, and a current list of board members. They also asked that board members resign, citing doubts about the current board’s ability to manage the shelter’s finances. Bradstreet said the group filed a formal complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Office in November and is awaiting a response.
Sabatini said resigning would not help and that the board has implemented a turnaround plan. Measures include reducing unnecessary expenses, increasing board hours, hiring a full-time staff member for grants and fundraising, and planning fundraising events and larger campaigns.
“We’ve definitely reduced the costs by spending less on superfluous items, asking more for donations. We have reduced the overtime. We have increased the number of board hours,” Sabatini said. “I would hope that we can leave the organization…in a better situation than we were in three or four months ago, and everyone is committed.”
The shelter continues to operate while both the board and the transparency group work to address concerns over financial management and accountability.