NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — Cynthia Wiemann, the former head of Newton County Animal Services/Animal Control, is suing the county for wrongful termination and requesting to be reinstated to her position.

The lawsuit was filed in September in Newton County Superior Court, records show.

According to Wiemann’s lawsuit, the now-former director of Newton County Animal Services filed a series of concerns and whistleblower complaints with the county over multiple alleged violations of, and noncompliance with, state laws, rules and regulations regarding fraud, waste and/or abuse of resources related to an intergovernmental agreement for providing animal services.

Wiemann’s lawsuit alleges that several cities in Newton County failed to pay the county for services rendered by the Animal Services department.

When Wiemann reported this, the county placed her on administrative leave, then “conducted a sham investigation aimed at her and designed to find pretextual reasons to terminate her” that were not acted upon until after she blew the whistle.

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Then she was fired, “in retaliation for raising these complaints, in violation of the GWA (Georgia Whistleblower Act).”

Wiemann worked for the Newton County Animal Services department as the director from her hiring in February 2018. She raised concerns about the possible violation of law and alleged financial abuse and waste in 2023 with Newton County Manager Harold Cooper, specifically telling him she was worried that cities...

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