Pet Project

Michael Simonik, 42, wears a long-sleeved, pinstriped shirt with placket buttons at the wrists. His hair is neat. His look is professional. But on the floor of his office at 370 Airport-Pulling Road N., is a water bowl.

It says volumes about the man who three years ago took over as executive director of The Humane Society Naples. With master’s degrees in environmental policy and financial administration, he refers to himself as "the puppy fosterer" and clearly enjoys his job.

Simonik was chosen over other applicants because directors wanted change, and Simonik had a history of changing institutions for the better, says Lindy D’Amico, now vice president of the society’s board of directors.

"He is a shameless promoter, which is exactly what we needed," she says. "He is personable and understands the value of networking. He was able to establish new and re-establish former relationships with other local animal-welfare agencies. We now combine resources and efforts to better serve our community."

Simonik spent his first three months observing the staff and how they interacted with prospective adopters. What he saw was disheartening. The staff "angered almost everyone who walked in the door," Simonik says. "I was in shock."

"Many of the people who worked in the adoption center were not friendly to the public," says Pat Murphy, a veteran volunteer and current board member.

"And there were too many rules," Simonik says. "The restrictions put on adoptions were unrealistic."

The result? Too few happy endings, and too many could-be pets facing death after doing their time in a cage.

Simonik changed the rules. Employees who didn’t like the changes left, and were replaced with people-friendly staff members. "When I first came here, I heard cursing every day," he says. "You’d hear people leaving, shouting, ‘Well, to hell with you, I’ll just go somewhere else.’ You don’t hear that anymore."