Memphis Animal Services director Matthew Pepper no longer answers my e-mails. Could somebody ask him about these two screenshots? Maybe check with Mayor Wharton as well. Hell, ask anybody in Memphis you think might be able to provide an answer. How much longer do they think they can simply ignore, excuse, and cover up this kind of behavior? Let them know people care about these pets and are willing to try and help them if needed.
An ACO hoists a dog on a chokepole up to a second tier kennel. This is animal abuse. If a Memphis resident hung a dog in a noose, this ACO would be the one writing the citation.This incoming dog appears to have wounds in need of immediate veterinary care. The webcams captured the dog being put into a cage. Did the dog receive veterinary treatment?
I sent one as well. Mr. Pepper should keep in mind that his next potential employer will Google his name before hiring. If I were to see this as an example of his “leadership”, I would take a pass on him.
Step up, Matt. Manage your people. Run your shelter properly.
Unfortunately, it appears that Mr Pepper THINKS he is running the shelter properly- that is why he doesn’t accept suggestions or assistance. The first and hardest part of this equation is to ADMIT there is a (well, many) problem – the rest would follow (change)…..But then the question arises- Is Mr Puppet, I mean, Pepper, just the yes-man to Mayor Wharton- is it Wharton calling the shots?
“I never see what has already been done; I only see what NEEDS to be done” – the Buddha. So, Mr. Pepper, whose side are you on – the animals’ or are you Wharton’s whipping boy?
Personally, I think Putknocker, I mean Pepper, is not making things better because he is a hands-off sorta guy.
The problem is not just that catchpoles are being used incorrectly. The problem is that they are being used so often.
I volunteer at an open-intake municipal shelter. We do not get the cream of the crop as far as dropoffs, because people know we give every dog a chance and we have an extremely low PTD rate. Yet with all of these hooligan dogs, in two years I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen our kennel attendants using catchpoles. They should be a last resort, not SOP.
Thanks for that input Joel. I’m not an expert but I see so many dogs at MAS on chokepoles and think to myself “Wanna freak out a scared dog? Come at him with a noose on the end of a long pole.”
Yep. Only thing almost as scary is a rubber hand on the end of a pole – which is why those ‘temp tests’ are such bullshit.
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So I guess we don’t know if the dog in need of treatment has received any or if there is some sort of “second before and second after” explanation for the ACO using the chokepole to lift a dog.
Ignoring the concerns of the public – just another service we provide here at MAS.
Good luck on Pepper trying to write you back on a good day, let alone with all the natural disasters happening there lately. Before it was the flooding and now he will use the tornado as an excuse (theres a watch for one in Memphis and Indianapolis today/Wed).
On another note, I agree that the catchpole is being used way too often. I volunteered at the HSUS in high school and I was actually nervous around the bigger dogs because Ive only been used to my dog who is jack russell size. They NEVER let us use catchpoles, only leashes, and the dogs were NEVER aggressive towards me. They were so excited to get out of the cages that they didnt care what I did. Are these guys just that afraid of dogs?
i bet anything they would tell you its a liability issue – so the organization is safe from being sued by an employee who gets injured; thats not a good excuse but it is a handy one and its overused
I just did a cut and paste – to the mayor and pepper and the board. We aren’t going away and their ignorance only strengthens our resolve!
I sent one as well. Mr. Pepper should keep in mind that his next potential employer will Google his name before hiring. If I were to see this as an example of his “leadership”, I would take a pass on him.
Step up, Matt. Manage your people. Run your shelter properly.
Unfortunately, it appears that Mr Pepper THINKS he is running the shelter properly- that is why he doesn’t accept suggestions or assistance. The first and hardest part of this equation is to ADMIT there is a (well, many) problem – the rest would follow (change)…..But then the question arises- Is Mr Puppet, I mean, Pepper, just the yes-man to Mayor Wharton- is it Wharton calling the shots?
Wharton and Peppers phone numbers are on switchboard!!!
“I never see what has already been done; I only see what NEEDS to be done” – the Buddha. So, Mr. Pepper, whose side are you on – the animals’ or are you Wharton’s whipping boy?
Personally, I think Putknocker, I mean Pepper, is not making things better because he is a hands-off sorta guy.
More likely he is afraid of Janet Hooks who is the actual powerhouse in gov.
Just another putknocker to me.
The problem is not just that catchpoles are being used incorrectly. The problem is that they are being used so often.
I volunteer at an open-intake municipal shelter. We do not get the cream of the crop as far as dropoffs, because people know we give every dog a chance and we have an extremely low PTD rate. Yet with all of these hooligan dogs, in two years I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen our kennel attendants using catchpoles. They should be a last resort, not SOP.
Thanks for that input Joel. I’m not an expert but I see so many dogs at MAS on chokepoles and think to myself “Wanna freak out a scared dog? Come at him with a noose on the end of a long pole.”
Yep. Only thing almost as scary is a rubber hand on the end of a pole – which is why those ‘temp tests’ are such bullshit.
So I guess we don’t know if the dog in need of treatment has received any or if there is some sort of “second before and second after” explanation for the ACO using the chokepole to lift a dog.
Ignoring the concerns of the public – just another service we provide here at MAS.
Good luck on Pepper trying to write you back on a good day, let alone with all the natural disasters happening there lately. Before it was the flooding and now he will use the tornado as an excuse (theres a watch for one in Memphis and Indianapolis today/Wed).
On another note, I agree that the catchpole is being used way too often. I volunteered at the HSUS in high school and I was actually nervous around the bigger dogs because Ive only been used to my dog who is jack russell size. They NEVER let us use catchpoles, only leashes, and the dogs were NEVER aggressive towards me. They were so excited to get out of the cages that they didnt care what I did. Are these guys just that afraid of dogs?
i bet anything they would tell you its a liability issue – so the organization is safe from being sued by an employee who gets injured; thats not a good excuse but it is a handy one and its overused