ASHEVILLE — The founder and president of Brother Wolf Animal Rescue has stepped down 12 years after cashing in her retirement savings to start the state's largest "no-kill organization."

Denise Bitz will vacate her role as president of Brother Wolf's board beginning early next month. In a statement announcing the change, the organization called the move a "planned, mutual decision" between Bitz and other board members, allowing the outgoing president to devote herself more thoroughly to "her passion in vegan advocacy."

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Bitz said Wednesday that she plans to volunteer with several area nonprofits working toward "total animal liberation."

“But for money — you know, because I have to eat — I’m going through the process of getting my nursing license back, and I hope to work for a plant-based physician in town,” she said.

Bitz was working as a trauma nurse for Mission Hospital when she started Brother Wolf, and she let her license lapse while working for the organization.

Brother Wolf board member Dustin Rhodes said Bitz approached the board about resigning in December and has helped with the transition.

"Of course it was shocking when she came to us because she founded the organization," Rhodes said. "We can't imagine Brother Wolf without Denise, but she had given it a lot of thought before she came to us, and she's made this a lot less stressful than it would've been otherwise."

Rhodes stressed that Bitz was "absolutely, positively not fired."

At the end of January, Leah Craig Fieser will take over as Brother Wolf's executive director. Fieser has worked previously with the Friends of the Western North Carolina Nature Center and Brother Wolf, where she served as event director from 2015 to 2017.

Fieser, Rhodes said, is the "dream candidate" of Brother Wolf's five-member board.

"Everyone on the board will tell you we couldn't be more excited that Leah Craig is taking on this role," he said.

Fieser has worked with several other WNC nonprofits.

“This is where I always saw myself eventually," Fieser said Tuesday. "I've been involved in nonprofit organizations and animal welfare for the past decade. I feel so honored I get to do that at a place like Brother Wolf in a community like Asheville.”

Brother Wolf started 12 years ago

In 2007, Bitz emptied her $42,000 retirement savings in order to start Brother Wolf, a response to what she deemed the appalling kill rate of other shelters. That year, the Buncombe County animal shelter euthanized more than 60 percent of the dogs and cats it took in, the Citizen Times previously reported.

Brother Wolf has grown significantly since then. In 2017 — the last year for which the nonprofits' filings are available — the shelter took in $3.2 million, a sizable increase over the prior year's $1.7 million in contributions. During 2008, Brother Wolf's first full year, the organization received about $65,000 in contributions.

Bitz' organization is now capable of caring for hundreds of animals — from dogs and cats to ferrets and pigs — simultaneously with its extensive foster network spread across Western North Carolina.

Though the organization has grown rapidly and played an important role in raising the "save rate" of other animal shelters in the area, Brother Wolf hasn't been without problems.

Volunteer turnover and complaints coupled with public pressure regarding a plan to close Brother Wolf's adoption center — a plan that has since been tabled — have made news within the last few years.

Additionally, Brother Wolf's executive director Paul Berry left his post in late July under circumstances Rhodes said he couldn't comment on. After Berry's departure, Bitz had to resume her role as director while serving as board president.

When Fieser takes over for Bitz as executive director, she will not be taking Bitz' role as board president, Rhodes said. Though Fieser will be involved with the board, Rhodes said that the organization plans to create an independent board — one without paid staff in voting roles — once Bitz leaves.

Bitz will no longer serve on Brother Wolf's board once her resignation goes into effect in early February.

"I think it's really healthy for leadership turnover in an organization," Bitz said. "It's good for the founder to away and give other ideas and perspectives a chance."