People sometimes send hate mail to Paws Along the River Executive Director Karen Kolos.

Recently, an unknown group created a petition calling for her firing and invited media to cover it.

On the other side are letters from community leaders publicly vouching for her.

The petition gathered hundreds of signatures. The Times Observer looked over the signatures. Some were full, recognizable names of local people. Some were single names. Many were from outside of Pennsylvania. Some were from countries in Europe.

In an undated, unsigned letter provided to the Times Observer by Kolos, herself, there are very serious accusations.

Kolos said it was circulated to county businesses.

In the letter, which indicates it was paid for by the “Committee to Protect Animals in Warren PA,” the anonymous writer accuses Kolos of receiving “substantial income” from selling animals for everything from dissection to live experiments and pet food fillers to snuff films.

The writer also suggests that Kolos pays off local law enforcement.

The letter goes into detail about what happens to animals in snuff films. It does not indicate the writer’s source of information nor any evidence that Kolos is involved in any of the alleged activities.

In response to the “hate letter from an anonymous source,” Bob Sokolski of Whirley Drinkworks!, who describes himself as “a friend and supporter of our Humane Society for many years” wrote and signed a letter.

“The letter is filled with lies and hate sufficient to make anyone who also received the letter gasp and wonder why someone would work so hard to be so cruel,” Sokolski said. “My opinion is… the sender is a coward who has not identified him or herself.”

Sokolski said he had been to the shelter and gift shop recently. “The animals are obviously being treated very well,” he said. “I have always found Karen Kolos to be a very hard-working and dedicated director.”