On or around December 3, 2024, Articles of Amendment were completed and signed by Deb Saldowski and Mary Stafford, purporting to remove Tracie Steger from her position as President and as a Board member, and also removing Kaitlyn Bishop from the Board. These actions would constitute clear violations of the organization's Bylaws. Furthermore, Katie Bass was added to the Board at this time, which would also be an invalid action as she was not officially a Board member as of December 1, 2024, and no board meeting was announced to add her prior to December 3, 2024.

Given the five (5) members on the Board as of December 1st, the exclusion of two (2) members (Tracie Steger and Kaitlyn Bishop) from any vote means that only three (3) out of five (5) members participated, representing a mere 60% vote. This falls short of the required ¾ majority. Furthermore, no formal board meeting was properly convened for these votes, and the mandatory ten (10) day notice for the proposed actions was not provided.

On December 8, 2024, Kaitlyn Bishop received a text message, which contained a letter of removal from the Board of Directors for Paw Warriors. Again without a meeting, without a formal vote, without the requisite ten (10) days' notice for the proposed action. The stated reason for Kaitlyn's removal was an alleged violation of the Bylaws regarding a minimum of ten (10) hours of on-site work per month, a claim that is demonstrably false as Kaitlyn consistently dedicated significantly more time to the rescue.

Compounding these irregularities, on December 6, 2024, Deb Sadlowski  and Mary Stafford signed and submitted documentation to the State of Florida, falsely indicating the removal of Tracie Steger and Kaitlyn Bishop from the Board of Directors. This action occurred before the purported vote to illegally remove Kaitlyn Bishop on December 8, 2024.

The removal letter itself bore the signatures of Mary Stafford, Deb Sadlowski, Mel McBride, and Katie Bass. Kaitlyn Bishop, a sitting board member at the time, was not included as a signatory. Furthermore, as Tracie Steger's removal did not adhere to the Bylaws, her participation in any vote regarding board membership was improperly excluded. Katie Bass's inclusion as a signatory is also questionable, given her reported prior resignation and the lack of a properly convened board meeting to reinstate her prior to these actions.

Based on the available information, the purported removal of Kaitlyn Bishop on December 8, 2024, was also based on a 60% vote, failing to meet the required ¾ majority.

Following the apparent unauthorized change reflected on the Department of State website, Deb Sadlowski allegedly utilized this updated status to assert authority over Paw Warriors' affairs, despite having been a board member for a mere 2.5 weeks of the organization's 13-year history.

Furthermore, despite Kaitlyn Bishop's dedication and significant contributions to Paw Warriors over twelve years, particularly her expertise with medically needy and feral cats and TNR efforts, the new board members reportedly dismissed her immediately, in violation of the organization's Bylaws.

The purported justifications for Tracie Steger's removal, including unsubstantiated allegations of animal neglect, financial impropriety, criminal activity, and personal instability, have never been reported to the appropriate authorities for official investigation. Despite accusations of animal neglect and abuse, Animal Control, the relevant authority, has not been contacted to conduct an investigation. Notably, Paw Warriors has consistently passed numerous inspections by Animal Control and the Sheriff's Department over the past seven years, without any citations or findings to support these malicious claims. Similarly, allegations of financial misconduct have not been reported to the IRS or the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Claims of substance abuse have not been substantiated by any professional medical assessment. Allegations of property damage have not resulted in any calls to law enforcement. The repeated use of Tracie Steger's mugshot by the rogue board disregards the fact that the underlying case was dropped by the State Attorney with no plea or verdict.

The eviction of Tracie Steger from her home and her separation from the animals she dedicated her life to saving raise serious ethical and legal questions regarding the motives and actions of the current board.

Since the initiation of this apparent hostile takeover on December 1, 2024, the individuals involved have reportedly engaged in a sustained campaign of hostility, resulting in the destruction, theft, and disposal of Tracie Steger's personal belongings.

All actions and communications related to these events have been documented and preserved. Legal counsel specializing in non-profit organization litigation has been retained, and the documented violations of the Bylaws and the potentially fraudulent reporting to state agencies have been reported to the appropriate authorities, with the expectation of a thorough investigation and appropriate legal action.

Despite these efforts, as of the date of this correspondence, the wheels of justice turn slowly and no apparent action has been taken by the relevant authorities to address these illegal actions or the significant harm caused. Tracie Steger remains deeply concerned for the welfare of the animals and the future of the rescue she founded. There is a growing apprehension that the justice system may fail to hold the responsible parties accountable. Furthermore, concerns exist regarding the rogue Board potentially transferring the valuable rescue property to another entity or its utilization for purposes other than its intended mission. It is crucial to note that a significant portion of this property was personally owned by Tracie Steger and deeded to the rescue, while the remaining portion was acquired through community fundraising efforts dedicated to the animals' well-being.

Faced with the apparent lack of immediate legal recourse, Tracie Steger has made the difficult decision to pursue other avenues to fight for the rescue she built.

Tracie, as founder, and the dedicated volunteers of Paw Warriors had consistently sought assistance in managing the demanding responsibilities of caring for a large number of animals and maintaining the rescue property. Compassion fatigue resulting from the intense and often traumatic work had affected the founder, leading to encouragement from board members and volunteers to take time to heal. During this period, increased responsibilities fell upon others, which proved overwhelming for some, leading to the departure of several long-term, dedicated individuals amidst the challenges of being impacted by two consecutive hurricanes.

Paw Warriors, built through the tireless efforts of Tracie Steger and countless others, had grown into a unique sanctuary. The intention behind the restructuring of the Board of Directors was to aid in recovery from storm damage, to focus on fundraising for non-urgent medical needs, and to address property maintenance and management. The goal was to introduce additional energy, skills, and compassion to alleviate the overwhelming demands on the founder and to enhance the care and quality of life for the animals.

While some progress has reportedly been made for the animals' sake since December, the underlying motivations and intentions of the rogue Board of Directors have become increasingly apparent. Their public conduct and repeated actions of intimidation, disregard, disrespect, incompetence, and manipulative defamation appear to be driven by a desire for personal revenge and retaliation against the founder and her loyal supporters, individuals who have consistently demonstrated their compassion, knowledge, and dedication to the animals.