Demand a Fair and Impartial Review of the Termination of Alex Vacek

Alex Vacek dedicated herself to the animals at Culpeper County Animal Services. Volunteers, rescue partners, adopters, and members of this community witnessed that dedication firsthand.

On August 14, 2026, Alex was terminated from her position.

She has now formally filed a grievance challenging that termination, and Culpeper County has confirmed receipt.

This petition does not replace Alex’s grievance, nor are we asking the public to decide disputed facts.

We are asking Culpeper County to thoroughly and impartially examine them.

Because the documents surrounding Alex’s termination raise questions that deserve answers.

The County cited the private cremations of two deceased shelter dogs as part of its disciplinary action, alleging that the cremations were unauthorized and contrary to shelter procedures.

Yet written statements submitted with Alex’s grievance describe a different history.

A Culpeper Animal Control Officer with more than 20 years of service states that he had never been informed that cremation was prohibited and had personally transported deceased shelter animals for cremation at the direction of previous leadership.

Another employee states that cremation had previously occurred with management approval and describes a conversation concerning one of the dogs in which Alex offered to personally pay for the cremation and the current director allegedly responded that the County would pay for it.

Those accounts deserve to be examined against the County’s own records, policies, and communications.

The County also disciplined Alex over the euthanasia of a dog named Meathead. Alex disputes significant portions of the County’s account, while the County’s own disciplinary paperwork acknowledges that she administered the euthanasia drugs at the direction of her supervising euthanasia technician and states that this was considered in mitigation.

Then there is August 13.

Alex’s termination letter states that while on administrative leave she reported to the shelter and removed three dogs for transport to Pennsylvania.

That account is disputed by the rescue representative who personally picked up those dogs and states that Alex was not at the shelter when they were removed. The County itself states that this allegation was not relied upon as a basis for Alex’s termination.

Still, if an allegation is placed in an official County employment document, it should be accurate and supported by evidence.

What policies actually applied at the time?

If an employee is disciplined for violating an SOP or policy, the County should be able to establish:

What was the policy? When did it take effect? What version existed when the alleged conduct occurred? Was it provided or communicated to employees? Was it consistently enforced? And has it been changed or revised since?

Those questions matter.

Policies should not become moving targets, particularly when someone’s livelihood is on the line.

What are we asking for?

We are asking Culpeper County leadership and the Board of Supervisors to ensure:

Alex receives a fair and impartial grievance process in which all relevant documents, witnesses, conflicting accounts, and evidence are meaningfully considered.
The policies and SOPs cited in her discipline are reviewed, including their effective dates, revision histories, distribution to employees, and consistency of enforcement.
Supervisory authorization and responsibility are examined alongside the actions of subordinate employees.
Any materially inaccurate information in Alex’s employment record is corrected.
If the evidence ultimately shows that her termination was unsupported or improperly administered, appropriate remedies, including reinstatement if warranted, are considered.
This petition does not ask anyone to automatically take Alex’s side.

It asks something far more reasonable:

Look at everything.

Look at the County’s evidence.

Look at Alex’s evidence.

Talk to the witnesses.

Establish which policies actually existed.

Establish who knew what, who authorized what, and when.

Then let the facts determine the outcome.

If Culpeper County’s decision was fair, consistent, and supported by the evidence, an impartial review should withstand scrutiny.

And if it wasn’t, the County should have the integrity to correct it.

Alex has formally entered the grievance process.

Now the community is asking that the process be worthy of our trust.

If you believe this deserves a fair and impartial review, please sign and share.

The grievance is Alex’s voice.
This petition is ours.