Ryan lely/Sonoma Valley Sun
Susan Simons with her dogs (l to r) Sammy, Billie and Molly. The dogs are all adoptees from Pets Lifeline.
Susan Simons, executive director of Pets Lifeline, resigned on Thursday after 11 years of tireless work on behalf of the needy animals of Sonoma.
“The work has taken its toll on me physically and emotionally, and now the state of my health is interfering with my giving all that I normally could,” Simons said in a prepared statement, “To resign from Pets Lifeline is leaving a huge hole in my heart.”
To many, Pets Lifeline and Susan Simons have seemed synonymous. “She basically was Pets Lifeline,” said Phoebe Broderick, a volunteer and fundraiser during some of the organization’s challenging years. “We wouldn’t be what we are without Susan. She’s given so much of her life. She’s an amazing woman, a dear, dear person. She is truly loved.”
“Susan put everything into saving the shelter from going under a couple of times,” said PLL board president, Tom Cygnar. “There were always battles finding money to make the shelter work. She did a tremendous job.” He mentioned her creativity in thinking of new ways to bring in money and keep the place going so that the animals always had a chance. “She was an advocate for the pets in Sonoma. She was creative, always looking at legislation and different things within the community to try to protect the pets and make sure they were well taken care of.”
Broderick seconded Cygnar’s praise. “I want everyone to know that the animals are well taken care of. We might hurt for financial reasons, but the animals are first and foremost.”
George Bradley, PLL treasurer, said, “I’ve never met anyone so steadfast in her principles as they relate to animals. If I’m ever on a fence with an issue, she would be the first person to call.” He added that Simons’ passion for animals’ well-being led her to build an organization over the years that saw to their welfare beyond simple adoption. “She’s brought [PLL] from being just a backyard effort at spay-and-neuter to what many would consider a real community asset. It’s essential to our community,” said Bradley.
While the resignation may come as a surprise to those who see Simons and PLL as inseparable, Cygnar offered a comforting thought. “When people give everything they’ve got, from the top of their heads to the tips of their toes, as Susan did,” he said, “there’s a point where they just say, ‘It’s time.’”
As to the organization’s future plans, Cygnar said, “We have big shoes to fill and the board has decided to take the process slowly. The current staff is very capable of maintaining and doing the job and we’re looking at not hiring till the first week in August.”
