The ASPCA Field Investigations and Response (FIR) Team frequently responds to natural disasters, including major events like Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008, and is commonly called upon by state and municipal governments and other animal welfare partners to lend expertise during large-scale animal rescue operations.
The Investigations Division responds to situations involving animals that have been neglected and/or abused. As experts in our field, they assist in all aspects of the criminal investigation and provide expert testimony as needed.
In 2011 alone, the ASPCA has assisted more than 20,000 animals throughout the country who were affected by natural disasters, including the tornado response in Joplin, Missouri, and severe flooding in Memphis; Caruthersville, Missouri; and several communities in upstate New York following Hurricane Irene.
Here’s a look at the people who lead the FIR Team’s efforts.
Tim Rickey
Senior Director
Tim Rickey heads up the the ASPCA’s Field Investigations and Response Team. Under Rickey’s leadership, the team responds to natural disasters as well as animal rescue operations throughout the country. From hurricanes and floods to dog fighting raids and other large-scale animal cruelty cases, the team works tirelessly with local law enforcement and animal welfare agencies to rescue animals from life-threatening situations and provide them with the essential care they need.
Rickey’s 20-year career has been devoted to animal welfare issues, first as an animal caretaker at the Joplin (Missouri) Humane Society and as an animal control officer for 11 years at Joplin Animal Control. He joined the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO) in 2002 as a statewide animal cruelty investigator, where he had previously been the director of the Animal Cruelty Task Force and Disaster Response team. Rickey is regarded as a national expert in disaster response.
While with HSMO, Rickey led the largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history in July 2009, covering eight states and seizing more than 500 dogs in one day. As a result of his invaluable contributions, Rickey was one of four recipients of the ASPCA’s “Law Enforcement Officer” of the Year award, presented at the ASPCA’s Humane Awards Luncheon in October 2009.
Rickey attended the University of Missouri-Columbia’s National Cruelty Investigation School. He is a frequent instructor on such topics as Blood Sports, Puppy Mills and Animal Hoarding . He earned diplomas in Veterinary Technology, as well as Wildlife, Forestry and Conservation, from Thompson Learning Institute.
A Joplin native, Rickey and his wife, Teresa, and their two daughters live near St. Louis, where they tend to their own menagerie, which includes 2 cats, four dogs, three horses, four goats and 17 chickens—all rescues.
Kathryn Destreza
Investigations Director
Kathryn Destreza is responsible for overseeing and coordinating investigations within the Field Investigations and Response team. She previously served as Southeast Regional Director for the team.
In 2010, Destreza led one of the largest cockfighting cases in Florida’s history. In addition to leading large-scale animal cruelty investigations in her region, she has also been a key player in establishing Canine CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), the nation’s first dog fighting DNA database.
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Destreza served over 17 years as the Animal Services Director and Director of Humane Law Enforcement for the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. where she led the largest animal rescue operation in history during Hurricane Katrina.
Destreza has taught various courses on animal cruelty, blood sports and disaster preparedness, and has led presentations on animal cruelty at several professional veterinary conferences.
Prior to her work in animal welfare, Destreza served as an engineer with the U.S. Navy. She now lives in New Orleans with her three dogs and two cats
Dr. Dick Green
Director of Disaster Response
Dr. Dick Green is responsible for leading the efforts of the Disaster Response department, which covers natural and man-made disasters, as well as animal rescue operations. He will also oversee the ASPCA’s internal disaster readiness program and develop partnerships with national and local agencies to enhance the organization’s disaster response capabilities.
Dr. Green joined the ASPCA from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), where he served as emergency response manager of disasters. During his time at IFAW, Dr. Green established and chaired the National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition (NARSC) in early 2006, following Hurricane Katrina. NARSC is comprised of 13 animal welfare groups, including the ASPCA, and is the first coalition in the nation that is dedicated to working with all levels of government and non-government agencies on major human-animal emergency issues.
Dr. Green is a frequent speaker on such topics as best practices in animal evacuations, relief and recovery efforts. He has a doctorate in education from Brigham Young University, and was an assistant professor at Gonzaga University and the University of Puget Sound.
Dr. Rhonda Windham, MVB
Medical Director
Dr. Rhonda Windham is responsible for expanding and developing medical and emergency protocols for deployments, recruiting and training medical staff, developing standardized medical and sheltering supplies and resources, and collaborating with outside agencies.
Previously, Dr. Windham was one of two forensic veterinarians at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, where she helped oversee the medical management of primarily cats and dogs where a criminal investigation was being pursued, and the mentoring and educating of veterinary interns/externs about forensic veterinary medicine.
Dr. Windham is a member of the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association and has written multiple articles for veterinary technicians.
She graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a bachelor of science in animal science, concentrating in veterinary medicine. She received her veterinary degree from the School of Veterinary Medicine at University College Dublin (Ireland).
She lives in New York City with her Irish cat, Mini-Mu, and New York City cat, Miao-Io.
Joel Lopez
Senior Operations Manager
Joel Lopez is responsible for overseeing operations, including logistics and planning, as well as providing leadership in the field for natural and man-made disasters as part of the field response team. Additionally, he oversees the department’s Shelter Partnership Program, which allows the ASPCA to quickly establish an animal placement program with various national and local agencies to provide a second chance for animals rescued from overcrowded facilities and cruel situations.
In addition to working on operations, Lopez has been a key player in establishing emergency distribution centers during disaster response operations where supplies, provided by PetSmart Charities, Inc., are distributed to various communities in need.
Prior to joining the Field Investigations and Response team, Lopez served as an administrative and outreach manager for the ASPCA’s Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic (MSNC), where he directed grassroots outreach efforts for MSNC services through community partnerships, grassroots efforts and events.
Lopez began his animal rescue career as a volunteer for the ASPCA Disaster Response team in 2008. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his two rescue dogs, Molly and Charlie.
Terry Mills
Animal Fighting Specialist
Terry Mills joined the ASPCA in October 2010 to lead the new Blood Sports division of the Field Investigations and Response team. The division is dedicated to providing training to law enforcement and investigating blood sports, such as dog fighting and cockfighting, across the country.
Mills is widely known in the animal welfare community for his work on the federal dog fighting raid in 2009, which covered eight states and resulted in more than 100 arrests and the seizure of more than 500 dogs in one day.
Shortly after joining the ASPCA, Mills assisted in one of Florida’s largest cockfighting cases. In 2011, Mills worked with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and a United States Attorney’s Office to assist in the rescue and forensic evidence collection of 41 dogs associated with dog fighting in Halifax, Virginia.
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Mills spent more than 30 years with the Missouri State Highway Patrol, where he investigated major crimes.
Mills also leads training workshops across the country on animal fighting.
Jeff Eyre
Northeast Regional Director
Jeff Eyre investigates and responds to situations involving animal victims of natural disasters and animal cruelty cases within the Northeast region. He works with local law enforcement and animal welfare agencies to rescue animals from life-threatening situations and provide them with the essential care they need.
In addition to leading large-scale animal cruelty investigations in his region, Eyre represented the ASPCA as a member of the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti, created to address the needs of animals in Haiti following the January 12 earthquake.
Eyre has more than 30 years of experience in animal welfare and cruelty investigation at the local, state and federal level. Additionally, he has worked in various aspects of law enforcement in New York State, including as a uniformed police officer, criminal investigator, animal handler, mounted patrol officer and evidence technician.
Eyre has also led training workshops for law enforcement officials, animal welfare professionals and veterinarians on animal cruelty investigation, animal handling and large-scale animal cases.
Kyle Held
Midwest Regional Director
Kyle Held investigates and responds to situations involving animal victims of natural disasters and animal cruelty cases within the Midwest region.
In addition to leading large-scale disaster response operations in his region, Held has successfully led large-scale animal cruelty investigations from Ohio to Arkansas.
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Held served as a statewide animal cruelty investigator for 11 years at the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO). Early in his career, Held worked at various veterinary hospitals, and later owned a horse training and boarding facility in Washington. He frequently provides workshops on blood sports and animal handling courses for law enforcement officials, animal welfare professionals and veterinarians.
Held resides in Jackson, Missouri, with his wife and son, along with three dogs, two horses, a bird, a three-foot python and nine cats—including a 12-pound Persian named Clyde, who was rescued from a hoarding case in St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania.
Adam Leath
Southeast Regional Director
Based at the Veterinary Medical Center at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Adam Leath investigates and responds to situations involving animal victims of natural disasters and animal cruelty cases in the Southeast region.
Leath was most recently the operations manager for Lee County Domestic Animal Services in Fort Myers, Florida, where he oversaw the prosecution of all criminal and civil violations of state and local ordinances relating to animals. In addition, he was instrumental in establishing a working relationship with Florida’s 20th Judicial Circuit to help increase penalties for felony animal cruelty crimes, spearheading training for animal control officers, and helping lead Lee County’s Hoarding Task Force.
Leath started his career in animal welfare in 2003 at the University of Tennessee’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and later worked as a veterinary technician in Knoxville. He holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Tennessee.
Allison Cardona
Program Development Specialist
Allison Cardona joined the ASPCA in 2003. She is responsible for overseeing program development and special projects, including the development of standard operating procedures for ASPCA deployments, as well as responding to natural and man-made disasters as part of the field response team. Additionally, she manages the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty grants program.
Cardona represented the ASPCA as part of New York City Office of Emergency Management’s Animal Planning Task Force to aid in the emergency sheltering of animals in anticipation of Hurricane Irene.
Cardona is also a member of the Empire State Animal Rescue Team, a New York State disaster response organization. She worked on recovery and relief efforts for animals affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, as well as Gustav and Ike in 2008.
Cardona was born in Buffalo, New York, and now lives in New York City with her Pit Bull, Turkey, and cat, Rita.
Bonnie Dean
Shelter Operations Manager
Bonnie Dean joined the ASPCA in October 2010. She’s responsible for overseeing the sheltering of animals rescued during investigations and disaster response operations, as well as responding to natural and man-made disasters.
Prior to joining the ASPCA, Dean served four years as a statewide animal cruelty investigator at the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO), where she led large-scale animal cruelty investigations in the south-central region of the state. Dean is a licensed veterinary technician with more than 15 years’ experience, and she worked as a licensed veterinary technician at HSMO’s Veterinary Medicine Center before transitioning into animal cruelty investigations.
Dean is an expert in disaster response and contributed to the HSMO’s recovery efforts following Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav and Ike, major floods in Iowa and multiple disasters in Missouri including ice storms, floods and tornadoes.
Dean resides in Sullivan, Missouri, with her daughter and two dogs: Pie, who was rescued in the largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history, and Kazi.
Jessica Rushin
Partnership Manager
Jessica Rushin is responsible for the strategic development of FIR’s Partnership Program and response partners. Response partners are shelters and other agencies across the United States that partner with FIR to place cruelty victims and provide on-the-ground support during FIR operations. As a member of the operations team, Jesse also participates in the planning of deployments and provides leadership in the field.
Rushin has been part of the ASPCA since 2007. Jesse previously served as a valuable leader in the Client Services team working out of the Midwest ASPCA office, overseeing programs related to the Spay/Neuter Program in NYC, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and the ASPCA Pet Nutrition and Science Advisory Service. During her time with Client Services, Rushin volunteered as an ASPCA Disaster Response Team member.
Rushin shares her home with Brutus, a hound mix; Rudie, a Min Pin mix; and three cats: Fudgie, Danzig and Claudio.
Richard Danner
Transport and Equipment Assistant
Richard Danner’s responsibilities include the transport of cruelty and disaster victims to shelters where they will have a second chance at a happy life. Richard began at the ASPCA as a consultant driver and officially joined the team in March 2011.
Danner also manages animal rescue equipment and the sizeable FIR fleet. Before coming to the ASPCA, Richard performed animal transport and vehicle maintenance in the animal welfare industry for several years. During that time, he helped transport dogs from puppy mills in Canada to the U.S. Before joining the ASPCA team, Danner drove a semi-trailer truck for 30 years.