Community support continues to grow for former Nashville Animal Control Officer Kayla Lackey following her termination, with residents packing city hall and a petition calling for her reinstatement surpassing 500 signatures.
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Support Grows for Fired Nashville Animal Control Officer as Petition Tops 500 Signatures
Lackey says she was fired Thursday after what she described as a seven-minute meeting with city leadership.
Since then, supporters have rallied behind her, speaking during a recent Nashville City Council meeting and circulating a petition urging city leaders to reconsider their decision.
Many residents say Lackey’s impact extended far beyond her official duties.
“I’ve never seen a person so passionate about animals the way Kayla is,” concerned citizen Brittany Cook said. “Our community has loved her for four years. She’s put in literal blood, sweat and tears into the shelter. She truly cares about animals at the end of the day.”
Cook said the community’s concerns aren’t solely about reinstating Lackey, but about recognizing the role she played in caring for Nashville’s animals.
“I truly hope they understand what they’re missing,” Cook said. “At the end of the day, whether she takes the job back is her choice, but I wanted to give her a voice.”
Lackey said her hope is that the situation leads to improvements for future city employees.
“I don’t want this to happen to anybody else in all honesty,” Lackey said. “I’m hoping this is a sign to do better. Even if not for me, do better for the people that will come after me instead of acting like everything is okay and all problems will go away.”
ABC 27 has requested comment from Nashville city officials and submitted an Open Records Request seeking documents related to Lackey’s termination and the city’s investigation.
Under Georgia’s Open Records Act, public agencies generally have three business days to respond to requests for public records.
ABC 27 will continue following the story and provide updates as additional information becomes available.
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