In 2010, pets found dead in their cages at MAS increased by 40% over 2009. And in 2009, police and the ASPCA said the shelter was starving dogs to death.
- Died in cage, 2009: 255
- Died in cage, 2010: 357
Now keep in mind of course that the webcam photos are only “snapshots in time” (as we are often reminded) and we really don’t know what’s going on at the shelter based upon the webcams.
On a ‘good’ note – at least it appeared that they cleaned the cage after removing the dead body.
Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go find a brick wall to beat my head against for a minute….
Meet you at the bricks because this is killing me inside. How do they go to bed at night??????
I just don’t understand anymore either. To watch it, I don’t care if it’s just a snapshot in time – it is killing me slowly. I literally got sick after hearing that 127 dogs lost their lives due to the distemper outbreak. That is awful. And should have/could have been PREVENTED! I don’t know how they can go to sleep at night OR look at themselves in the mirror. I think I’d inject myself with blue juice if I had to deal with these people for very long. I have much more respect for people like “Shelter Volunteer” who are there all the time trying to enact change while dealing with the insanity!
My goodness doesn’t anyone notice that the animals are not looking well? I thought they have a vet on staff or am I mistaken?
Sure they notice when they’re busy hosing down the cages with the dogs in them. They just don’t care.
They just don’t care . . . and how can you change that? You can educate the uneducated, but you can’t teach compassion to these sick sob’s who clearly don’t give a damn about these animals.
Sorry – my language is usually not like this, but it’s getting hard to watch!
I remember hearing once that you can’t educate stupid. And that goes along with – “stupid is, as stupid does” as far as this goes!
I do have to ask where are the supervisors?
You cannot put compassion into people, but you can change the actual protocols that mandate their care. Don’t yell at me on this one, but there are some animal shelters I just recently researched that are union and not necessarily animal people. This doesn’t make them evil, but it does put the burden on those in charge to implement and enforce the care of the animals.
I have turned a pound around….so I have first hand experience.
Regardless of if they are union employees OR not – shouldn’t make the least bit of difference. When working ANY job the first thing you do is TRAIN the employees. After training them on how to do the work PROPERLY- there are steps and stages for management (the shelter dircetor in this case) where you actually do something called discipline. You start with a verbal warning, then if you have to you go to a written warning, and if they keep it up you put their butt on probation. Then, if during their probationary period they screw up – that’s it they get let go of. Any manager/director follows the same steps in the private AND public sector of employment. Just because you belong to a union does NOT mean that you can not be fired for not doing the job you were hired to do, especially if you fail to do it correctly AFTER being given multiple chances. Pepper does NOT appear to be training his staff correctly, or following up when there are issues. He just seems to let things go on as they have in the past.
While I was working, I had multiple management positions – I was on the floor with those who worked under me. I would never ask anyone to do something that I, myself, wouldn’t do. And while watching the webcams I have seen very little of Pepper in ANY of the screen shots. The few times that I DID actually see him it was while he was helping collect dogs to be killed. I have NEVER once seen him interacting with his employees like they are conversing about ANYTHING. I hardly ever see Pepper on ANY of the webcams. Which makes me question how involved he REALLY is with the day-to-day going ons of the shelter.
While I DO understand that as director there are other duties he needs to perform…he should still be making rounds in the shelter periodically to check on how things are going. If he thinks that just sitting behind his desk in his office is ALL it takes to direct the shelter then he REALLY needs to find a nice private sector job at a desk – maybe in a call center.
MAS needs a new director that is willing and able to do the proper training, follow up on what his employees are doing, and discipline when they are not doing their jobs correctly. It is Pepper’s responsibility to see that the animals aren’t treated like luggage, in addition to making sure that the employees are doing the job they are paid to do correctly. To me – he’s failing on all fronts. Any shelter director is responsible for their staff and the animals in their care.
I am glad to hear that you managed to turn your pound around. That’s great news….I just don’t think Pepper has what it takes to do this job – anywhere.
An inside source tells me that this is less about Unions and training than about a godd ole’ boys’ network that goes right up to the Mayor’s office. Dodgedog, i appreciate all you say, but you are insisting upon things that do not apply hereto. You said you were at Longmont, CO?? Did you used to be in Southampton NY?
Hi Erica
You phrased what I thought I said, but didn’t lay it out step by step. Well outlined on your part!!
I missed the history on this but how on earth did these webcams get started?
There was a raid at the shelter by the SPCA in 2009 – the webcams are a result of that raid…to make the shelter more ‘transparent’ to the general public. It sure has helped let me tell you.
Ideally I think it’s a great idea for every shelter to install something like this. Gives the general public an idea of what goes on in the shelter on a day to day basis. Problem is here we just get to enjoy watching them hose down the dogs, leave the cats in traps/boxes, and see their disdain for the animals in general by the treatment of them.
Meanwhile, over in Nashville:
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110416/NEWS01/110416005/Dozens-of-dogs-cats-find-homes-today-at-Nashville-shelter
It just blows my mind that people are ok with doing this for a living. I mean, there’s desperate, and then there’s apathy. I would feed my family on Burger King and two more jobs before hauling dead animals out after killing them for no reason. God, I am so sick and nauseous after reading this and another post earlier today about some stupid scum bag who left a pit bull pup in a wire cage in his living room for a month without feeding it. He and his girlfriend sat there and watched it starve to death, and when it died, he left it on the sidewalk. Said it was too stressful to feed it cause he could not afford it. Ummm, why did you get it. It was a puppy. If you can’t afford dog food, feed it what you’re eating and give the dog away. What is wrong with people? Where is our world headed?
I saw the picture of that poor puppy. How can you feed your face while an animal is in the same room dying of starvation. Wonder if they licked their plate clean or were there any leftovers to give the poor baby.I just don’t get this mentality, but I hope I never will. When I eat, my dog gets her food also. If I couldn’t afford dog food, I would raid McDonalds trash cans. People throw tons of food away.
they really need a different line just a snap shot time? Really??? That is all we see-hello! and more than one I might add. Thank you Shirley for keeping on this.
This is more like a Concentration Camp for animals and is no excuse. Many pet food stores will give broken bags and dented cans for a tax deduction. Newspapers and radio stations will post animals to adopt and food needed as a Public Service announcement. Of course someone has to do the asking. Volunteers could do this. They need people who are compassionate and qualified to work there, not janitors to dispose of animals like trash.
I wonder…suppose someone with some shelter experience goes to the mayor and says, “Mayor, I can save this city $7,000 AND improve the way MAS functions AND their stats TODAY. Just fire Matt Pepper and give me the job and pay me $85,000 a year.”
Because I’ll tell you what, I strongly suspect that anyone who gives a damn can do much better in that job and would be willing to do it for $85K. And I’ll bet that the city would love to save $7K off the top AND the mayor would love to get credit for turning the shelter away from a slaughter yard and into something that the city can be proud of…
I may not have the ‘experience’ of being a shelter director, but I have plenty of management AND rescue experience. I would JUMP at the chance to take over a shelter like this and turn it around the RIGHT way. I just don’t think MAS staff and FMAS could handle me because I don’t screw around. I love to write people up and firing them is that much easier the more write ups they get!
But that is what’s needed here, Erica. A thorough housecleaning and someone who can manage people, not just PR.
Are you looking for a new gig? Because I’m serious – anyone who thinks they can do better at MAS for $85K, write up a detailed proposal and send it to the mayor.
Time for Memphis to see that there are other options. It doesn’t have to be a slaughter yard for pets. It can actually *shelter* animals and be a force for progress in the community.
Honestly, I was considering going back to school and getting a degree in managing a 501(c)3 charity. I have recently realized that I really, deeply love animals – to the point that I KNOW that I need to work with them. My fiance & I had discussed the possibility of running a pit bull rescue one day, but lately with everything that is going on in shelters across America I was looking into starting a group that would be in place to help shelters, I had never actually considered working so hands-on with animals. (Though I think I would LOVE to. Plus I DO love a challenge.)
BUT – that would actually be a BIG move for me to take. I would really have to think about something like that because it would mean uprooting my family from where generations of my family has lived. And, taking 5 kids states away would be somewhat daunting – from the lack of support point of view. I’d really have to think about that one. Sorry if I am rattling – I guess I’m kinda thinking ‘out loud’…it DOES sound like an interesting idea though.
But do you REALLY think they’d get rid of Pepper? I mean, I wouldn’t be opposed to trying to get a shelter director position…but wouldn’t he have some sort of yearly contract? Do they remove shelter directors randomly like that just because a better offer comes along?
I LOVE the northeast, but I’d be willing to do that, if it meant saving lives.
What are they dying of I wonder? That seems like an awful lot of dogs/cats to lose in a year. Also wondering what caused the upward trend–a 40% increase is a LOT.
I’m just guessing, but maybe they continue starving them . . . much of the staff is the same as the previous director.
A private person can be arrested for cruelty and neglect of animals, so why isn’t Pepper and his staff charged also. The same rules should apply to all. No special privileges. No immunity. If they knew this could happen, I’m sure they would find ways to get food. As for compassion,it has to be gained not ordered. My shelter has Orientation classes including videos of the proper treatment of animals for all employees and volunteers. Maybe Morgana, Erica and I could turn this place around.lol Seriously even volunteers could do a better job, because they are dedicated to help animals.
Why after they were raided and no improvements have been made from the looks of it, and the statistics are terrible, is this place still allowed to operate? There has to be an organization with pull and eyewitnesses who used to work there and would know what info is needed to close them down and allow a no kill shelter to take its place. As one of the earlier post said, offer the job to someone who would appreciate the money, save MDAS some money and turn it into a no kill shelter offering a spay and neuter program that is obviously needed in that area from the looks of it.
According to the ‘powers that be’ at MAS – they HAVE changed and to them it’s enough. Sad, isn’t it?
How can these people work in a horrible situation like this? Is it all about money for them? These people have lost their heart as a human who can think what is right or wrong.
It’s just wrong!!!
These people aren’t working in a horrible situation.
They have CREATED the horrible situation from the way they work.
Well said Ethel.
Well the people “working” in these pictures look like they are concerned with how the floors look to others. Do they even touch or talk with the animals,let alone feed them?
The Nazi death camps are now in America. THe only differece is that it’s our animals that are being killed. The crime is the same; MURDER !!