Submitted by the ladies of Meows and BowWows, who write:
This is Pound Cake. He was surrendered to MAS on 4/15/2011. He is 2 years old and already neutered and micro-chipped. He is ready to go home the same day if he is adopted. His ID # is 225025. Please consider adopting him.
Memphis Animal Services
3456 Tchulahoma Road
Memphis, TN 38118
Phone: (901) 362-5310
TTY: (901) 576-6501
When calling the shelter regarding Poundcake, please refer to ID # 225025.
This shelter’s kill rate is 77%.
Thank you Meows and BowWows for trying to help save this cat!
Since the kitty photos on the Meows and BowWows site are better than this one, did the shelter take this photo? Or did a rescue volunteer? If a volunteer, are they not allowed to take the cat from its cage for photos? I have read in several places that pets photographed behind bars don’t get adopted as well as pets with better photos and not shown in jail.
One of our volunteers took this picture on the fly when we were at the shelter last Friday picking up several other “death row” cats. Yes, we usually strive for better pictures, but since this cat had only about 24 hours left (per what the shelter representative said on the phone) we decided to post it as is.
I tried posting this kitty on the Friends of Memphis Animal Shelter FB page and the posting was deleted several times. They said I had an “agenda”. Damn straight I do – to get the cat adopted before he is euthanized (WITHOUT ANESTHESIA, the MAS way!)
Finally, the shelter volunteers took some better pictures or the two orange cats I had posted and reposted them on their FB page. They still would not let me comment on how urgent the situation of the cats was. Thankfully, several individuals got also involved, calling various rescues and looking for foster homes. Another rescue was able to find a foster homes for these cats and has sent someone to pick them up. Keep your fingers crossed.
Please keep in mind that the volunteer who takes photos of the dogs and cats during the week is allergic to cats and cannot touch them. She does the best she can. When we have additional folks at the shelter we will remove the cats from thir cages for photos.
Villy,
Unfortunately I recently had to put my precious cat to sleep. My vet who performed the task did not administer sedation. She left the world very peaceful and painlessly. Years ago when we had to put our elderly dog to sleep, our vet did not use sedation.
I may see where a non-complacent animal would benefit from sedation, but I’m unsure of why sedation should be administered.
KC,
Please keep in mind that most pets in high kill shelters such as MAS are not elderly pets who are medically hopeless and being euthanized in the arms of their loving owner. They are healthy pets (or pets with treatable conditions), scared, in a strange environment, highly stressed, and possibly being dragged by a choke pole to the kill room. Once in the kill room, they are made to watch other pets being killed and to look at a growing pile of dead bodies. The two scenarios you are comparing couldn’t be more different.
My understanding is that the liquid they inject STINGS which is why they usually use sedation. I know that any animal I have had to put to sleep was ALWAYS sedated before the actual injection. Even in a calm atmosphere (my vet makes an individual appointment, AFTER hours, she gives you and your pet as much time as you need and has a blanket and warm heating pads and everything.= she will also come to the house.), I know that I am usually so upset myself although trying hard to exhibit calmness, and that ANY animal I have ever had somehow instinctively knows something is going on and gets nervous. The sedation was crucial to a kind, painless goodbye.
I’m
Pleased to report that Pound Cake was adopted last night. :)
YAY! Thanks for letting us know Jennifer. I guess Pound Cake didn’t need those delete-happy FB “Friends” to share his info after all. Happy rest of your life kitteh!
I would also point out that I was informed by a shelter main office person that these cats had little time to live. After making my posts clear about that on the Friends of Memphis Animal Services website, I was asked to call Tracy Dunlap who wanted to know who I talked to and when… suggesting that these cars were not in danger of being euthanized at that time. Excuse my French.. but that is complete bullshit. Those cats were in danger, and someone by the grace of God at the main office was willing to tell me the truth after running their ID numbers. I’m tired of them sugar coating the fact that they are practically an extermination camp. I am a citizen that sure doesn’t take kindly to getting lied to. That’s what happened yesterday.
The statistics speak for themselves: 77% of pets at MAS are killed. To say that any pets are NOT in danger of being killed there is obviously false. You can’t sugar coat a 77% kill rate. I am continually baffled as to why MAS has this urgent need to kill pets when there are so many empty cages viewable on the webcams. Even if every cage in the shelter that isn’t visible on the webcams is full (I don’t know), they still have plenty of space.
What is even worse is that they are trying to keep the animals there to be killed when there are other alternatives available. IF those at MAS really cared – they would take EVERY opportunity to get those animals out of MAS…by rescue, adoption, or returning them to their owners. The fact that Tracy Dunlap was trying to insist that the cats were in no danger – says a lot about the person. Remember John Cox’s little ‘speech’ at the last meeting? That entire ‘character’ talk he gave. Yep, we sure are seeing the character of those at MAS by them trying to keep all the animals there to be killed. Did any of these people work for/with HSUS or PETA at any time – because they sure do liek killing animals!
Glad they were saved and so glad to hear Pound Cake was adopted!!
Jennifer, How typical!!! Please send an email to Matthew Pepper, Mayor Wharton, Janet Hooks, LaSonya Hall and let them know of your experience- how the right hand never knows what the left hand is doing! Document who you spoke to, date and time…..It is totally a concentration camp at MAS!!! Thank goodness Pound Cake got adopted.
And of course, “Friends” of MAS FB page post (is it just my imagination but do you get the feeling they really don’t want to help those, inquiring on FB, to adopt the animals at MAS?) :
Adoptable Pets
Here is a glimpse of the wonderful pets that are available for adoption at the Memphis Animal Shelter. We are working our best to post as many pets as possible, but due to limited manpower and the turnover frequency at the shelter, it is hard to keep this completely up-to-date. If you are interested in adding a new pet to your family, please come visit all the wonderful pets at the shelter.
May I add- they have the CHAMELEON SOFTWARE – takes less time and more accurate – when will someone learn to use it properly so the public doesn’t have to deal with the attitude from “Friends?”
Would you be happy if FMAS decided to listen to all of y’alls caddy comments and not post any adoptable pet at the shelter? Anything they do is not good enough for y’all. The only way I knew to adopt my precious pet was from their FB page. Before they began posting their was no “marketing” of pets. Since following them I’ve seen a bunch of pets adopted by people who typically buy pets out of the paper. It takes all types of “marketing” to help get pets adopted so why not support their effort and just say it’s good they are doing what they can to help but other methods to supplement their efforts are needed. I bet they would agree.
And I understand why they delete negative comments, because it’s people like y’all who turn people away from rescue. They are appealing to non-rescue people who don’t want to hear about the negativity and fights between rescue and quite frankly the reality of shelter life. Because their audience loves their pets and animals but aren’t animal activist. They are appealing to everyday people, call them closed-minded but they aren’t going to be holding up posters at an animal rights protest. That’s why the majority of people think FMAS is doing a wonderful job. And that’s disappointing for y’all to hear that they are successfully targeting people who otherwise would purchase their pets from the newspaper.
Go ahead and criticize me…that’s all y’all like to do.
Christine –
I hope you take this in the manner intended. Not criticism – but constructive discussion. You may be ok with them ONLY using FB to get pets adopted…it’s not enough. Most rescues use PetFinder – as well as other people I know that are actively searching for a new addition to their family.
And how dare you say all we do is make caddy comments! Since following them I have watched them hand pick who gets to live vs. who is going to be killed. Since following them I have watched animals die one after the other, day after day. You ok with that?
While you are right – it DOES take many methods of marketing to save the animals…so in all fairness JUST using FB is NOT enough. AND, as for the FMAS FB page – they don’t care about people trying to show them alternative methods and more ways to ‘market’ the animals…those are the comments that FMAS deletes. So maybe if FMAS was willing to listen to IDEAS and SUGGESTIONS on alternative means of “marketing’ then they are supporting MAS in their killing. Sad really when you think of it. I have no faith in the lot of them.
The deleting you are speaking of is NOT just negative comments – but positive suggestion on things that can work to change the path this shelter is on. They have deleted suggestions to use PetFinder, train & use proper cleaning/vaccination protocols. Yeah – they REALLY care.
Villy, are you with Meows & Bow Wows? I just sent them an email with a question about how to help a pregnant semi-feral cat that lives at my office park (SIGH). If not, let me know how to get in touch with you or someone who does cats please? I hate for her to have those kittens out in the elements. Poor momma.
ramblinrose, TNR is another program that MAS should be doing and they seem to ignore. I just sent you a reply from Meows & BowWows.
Christine Says:
April 20, 2011 at 1:33 pm
______________________
Caddy comments. Oh screw. I just bit my tongue off.
It took me a minute to figure out, too. And then I was like, “Uh…oh. Dear.”
On a positive note, I see that the number of dogs on MAS’s Petfinder page is up to 20! No cats, of course, but it’s 13 more dogs than were there last week…
20 dogs – and are at least 60% of them Pitbulls? No, I didn’t think so.
Oh please. Criticize me now for my spell check changing catty to caddy.
Gee, I hate it when that happens. Sometimes my spellcheck changes “Friends” to KILLING APOLOGIST STALKERS and I’m like d’oh!
So would you prefer them to stop posting pets completely? It’s a yes or no question.
Christine, Since this may be your first visit to the blog, let me reiterate something I’ve said many times already. I would like to see the shelter use their software to upload photos and info on every pet they have to PetHarbor. Taxpayers paid for the Chameleon software and MAS lets it sit there, only partially used. Beyond that, if any volunteers want to crosspost specific pets to other sites or sit there tapping the delete key all day on Facebook, that’s their choice. I support anyone working to make Memphis a no kill community and save all the healthy/treatable pets at MAS.
So your answer is “no.”
However, you say you “support” anyone working to make Memphis a no-kill community. You aren’t supporting.
I don’t agree with everything a group does but I’m not going to belittle their efforts even if they are small.
Christine – what the hell is there to support? Besides the killing? Should we just sit back and say – well FMAS is using FB and still we see a 77% kill rate.
Obvioulsy – YOU are enabling the shelter by supporting them acting in this manner. I would completely support them – IF they listed every animal, started working with more rescues, disciplined employees for improper behavior, and put the animals first – that is why they are there after all!
Geez, what do you WANT from these people??? You want them to list ALL of their adoptable animals? As if they’re all worthy of an equal chance of getting seen, adopted, and out of MAS alive?
Stop being such a hater! Just support them in their paltry efforts to be good enough for the select few who will survive today and not end up in the freezer unseen, unnamed, and never had a chance, ok? Sheesh.
Mikken- OMG! I almost jumped through the computer to get you – then I realized you were being totally sarcastic – yeah, gosh forbid they should use CHAMELEON SOFTWARE that would upload all of the pics ….just another “control” move on their part….double sheesh!
I have never seen anything like these MAS Friends people. I truly do not understand it. Are they just friends of Pepper or the mayor or whatever? Because they sure don’t seem to be friends to the shelter animals.
Anyway, I got two responses to my email concerning MAS (I used the list of emails you provided–thank you). One very sympathetic woman on the advisory board and another person who said he agrees with me but the mayor is the only person who can do anything? Ugh, I don’t know. Keep up the good work.
I hadn’t either. What weirdos for spending any free time they have at the shelter helping the public find their lost pet or getting pets adopted. I wish they would just play on their computer and criticize people instead of rolling up their sleeves and being the very few people who will attempt to try to stomach the reality of shelter life in a city where parents don’t give a rip about their kids much less pets.
What crappy VOLUNTEERS!
If, by commenting here, I am “just playing on the computer,” then aren’t you doing the same damn thing?
The reality of shelter life does. not. have. to. be. that. way! If you don’t like it, then join us in pressuring the administration for change; don’t apologize for the atrocities.
Christine,
On behalf of FMAS and all of MAS volunteers, I thank you for your kind words! I work a full time job which requires 70% traveling and spend my Saturdays at the shelter (and away from valuable time with my husband)socializing puppies and kittens, bathing poop covered puppies, walking dogs, loving on terrified dogs/cats, and trying to get as many animals adopted as possible. It warms my heart to know that there are some people out there that truly appreciate what the volunteers are doing!
Christine,
I agree that people should not waste time when they could be helping the animals.
Just like the “Friend” who drove across town 30 – 45 minutes, went to a persons place of employment, demanded to see his boss, demanded that he be fired, drove back across town 30-45 minutes and returned to “help” the animals. All in all around two wasted hours that could have been spent uploading photos to PetHarbor.
All that wasted time just because a guy asked about a dog and was not receiving an answer after phone calls and emails to the friends.
MAS volunteers are good but the “Friends” seem to be rather power crazed.
Did you attend the MAS board meeting? The “friends” sat in the back of the room and hooted and laughed and made cracks about anyone voicing a concern about the shelter.
Many rescues are scared of the “friends”.
They know that they will not be allowed to pull from the shelter if they anger a “friend”.
Look, I’ll bet good money that there are some really splendid people at FMAS. People who truly care about animals and getting them into homes.
And hey, if you think that the sunshine and butterflies approach works best with John Q. Petowner, then go for it and more power to you.
What I object to is the perpetuating self-delusion that the situation at MAS actually IS sunshine and butterflies. You don’t want to know about the moms and puppies taken straight to kill because they’re “unadoptable owner surrenders”. You don’t want to know that Matt Pepper is more interested in self-promotion than disease control. You make excuses for the abuse because “the staff really cares and they work so hard!” Yes, they poke pregnant cats with sticks because they care. They leave cats in cages on the floor with no food, water, or litter box overnight because they care. And yes, they work hard – but their procedures are so poor as to be ineffective and cruel.
FMAS has its share of power at the shelter. USE your power to be a force for good! Call Matt Pepper out on his fecklessness. Stop telling ME how much he cares about little whimpering puppies and start telling HIM that he needs to change how the kennels are cleaned (WITHOUT dogs in them). Tell him that you want EVERY ADOPTABLE ANIMAL up on PetHarbor TODAY. Tell him to get on top of his paid staff about handling animals properly instead of treating them like *things*.
As long as you accept the culture of killing and abuse/neglect that happens at MAS, you’re complicit in it.
You want real sunshine and butterflies? You have to move to make it happen. Because Matt Pepper sure as hell isn’t going to do it for you.
Perfect.
and by EVERY ADOPTABLE ANIMAL mikken means from the stray area also. Not just the ones Pepper states are the adoptable animals.
77 out of every 100 killed.
There is no justification.