A former animal control officer alleges she was fired from her position with the city of Fort Worth after reporting gender-based discrimination and mistreatment of animals.

Kelly Paul filed a federal lawsuit Sept. 24. In the suit, Paul said she worked as an animal control officer from Jan. 17, 2023, to March 1, 2023. From Day 1 of her employment with the city, Paul alleges she was “subjected to lewd, lascivious, and inappropriate comments about women,” and witnessed her supervisor mistreat animals. 

The suit alleges that when Paul reported the conduct to a different supervisor, her training was assigned to another officer, who continued to make discriminatory remarks and asked her to do multiple unsafe activities. The officer tried to make her “perform an unsafe act with a dangerous dog,” Paul said, and he remarked at the time that if she were a man, handling the dog wouldn’t be a problem. 

Subsequently, Paul was transferred to a female officer, who told her she’d been instructed not to train Paul or allow her to do “much of anything.” Shortly thereafter, the suit alleges, Paul was terminated, and male staffers called other city animal shelters to blacklist her from other jobs. 

Paul is asking for both front and back pay, compensation for mental anguish and payment of all costs incurred to pursue this litigation, in addition to a neutral job reference and an injunction prohibiting the city from engaging in discriminatory employment practices.

An attorney representing Paul did not respond to a request for comment. The city declined to comment on the suit’s allegations.

“The case is currently under review by the City Attorney’s Office,” the city’s legal team wrote in a statement. “The City of Fort Worth does not discuss active litigation.”

The suit comes as the city’s animal control is undergoing a series of changes. After the retirement of longtime code compliance director Brandon Bennett, the city hired former Arlington code compliance director Brian Daugherty to take his place in June 2024. 

Daugherty briefed City Council members on animal control operations in an Aug. 20 work session, where he acknowledged the criticism the division has received over the last two years for euthanasia rates. That rate has declined in 2024 compared with 2023, he said, and the division continues to pursue new ways to encourage adoptions and help keep pets in homes. 

He also pointed to internal polling on staffing and morale, which he said indicated rising satisfaction with the work environment over the last three years and fewer people seeking other jobs.

“I really hope everyone understands the challenge that job presents, and to get these results is nothing short of amazing,” he said.