A former Department of Animal Services official who oversaw shelter management is suing San Diego County over alleged defamation, whistleblower retaliation and sexual harassment.
Rachael Borrelli was fired from her assistant director role in January. The county had placed her on leave last September, as KPBS was preparing to publish a story about Borrelli sending a profane voice message that disparaged shelter dogs and called for more canine euthanasias.
Borrelli’s lawsuit is the latest in a string of controversies involving the Department of Animal Services. A KPBS investigation last year revealed the department’s dog euthanasia rate increased substantially coming out of the pandemic; later reporting revealed how the department buried an audit that pointed to serious problems at county shelters.
Days after the county fired Borrelli, then-director Vaughn Maurice resigned from the department.
Borrelli’s lawsuit alleges a shelter employee in early 2025 had spread rumors that she was hired by the Department of Animal Services after having a sexual relationship with former interim director Steve Lujan. The lawsuit asserts the rumors were false.
Lujan did not respond to a request for comment. Lujan sent an email to county officials last year, according to the lawsuit, calling the rumors “wildly untrue.”
Borrelli claims she filed a complaint against the employee with human resources but was told “to let it go and not pursue legal action for the sake of the department.”
The lawsuit alleges the county failed to adequately investigate the comments and discipline the employee. It also alleges the county failed to inform Borrelli of the time limits for her to seek damages from the county as a result of the incident.
The county declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Borrelli claims the county last September placed her “on administrative leave with full pay and benefits related to ‘pending investigation’ with no other specifics provided.” The lawsuit does not mention the profane voice message that surfaced just before she was put on leave.
The lawsuit alleges the county then “gathered whatever information they could from years past to create a justification to terminate Plaintiff from her employment.” Borrelli claims the county fired her to “shield” itself from liability tied to her previous complaint. Borrelli claims her termination was an act of retaliation.
The lawsuit does not state how much Borrelli is seeking in damages. She filed a claim against the county in January, which served as a precursor to the lawsuit, that demanded $8.5 million for damages, loss of reputation and loss of earnings.
