A part-time trainer at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter has been fired following a new accusation.

Tuncay Adem is now the target of an investigation by the town after learning his certification certificate could be false.

Hempstead Town spokesman Greg Blower told News 12, "The investigation into the certification of the part-time worker has now been completed. Although the certification was not a requirement to hold the position, it was decided to terminate the employee effective immediately."

The certification in question is from the Council for Professional Dog Trainers.

The town provided News 12 with documentation for a report last week as proof of the certification. Dog trainer Carol Burns, who lives in Washington state, says the seven-digit certification number on the certificate that News 12 received is hers.

"When you work so hard to achieve the certification and you had it for this many years and then someone can go on your website and lift your certification and take your name off and put their name on a claim to be a thing they are not - it is disturbing," Burns says.

Burns tells News 12 that she was notified by the Council for Professional Dog Trainers that Adem is not certified and that her certification information had been compromised.

She says the incident should be a warning to the industry because it likely has happened to other trainers and will happen again.

News 12 reached out to Adem but has not heard back.

Adem had been previously under fire for a Facebook post that was deemed threatening by residents.