When police were attempting to locate fired Memphis ACO Demetria Hogan in order to arrest her for cruelty in connection with the “disappearance” of Kapone, she was allegedly tipped off that police were waiting for her at the pound. So instead of taking the dog she had on her truck at the time – a 9 year old Lab mix called Max – to MAS, she apparently drove around for a couple of hours until police left. Max died during this time. Per a necropsy report, his death was non-accidental heat stroke. Before anyone files this away as a needless tragedy, take a look at how Max likely suffered in Ms. Hogan’s care:
The initial symptoms of heat stroke in dogs are characterized by unanticipated restlessness. They include physical signs such as excessive or fluctuating panting, which may start, stop and then start again. Other physical signs are excessive drooling (hypersalivation), foaming at the mouth, dry tacky gums and labored or difficult breathing (dyspnea). Among common behavioral changes are agitation, whining, barking and other signs of anxiety. As the dog’s core body temperature becomes dangerously elevated (called hyperthermia), the initial signs normally progress to include vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, lack of muscular coordination (ataxia), very red gums and uncontrolled tremors. In the end stages of heat stroke, a dog will become listless, dull, weak and recumbent. It may try to move to cool places but be unable to rise, will have increased difficulty breathing and ultimately will have seizures, collapse, lapse into a coma and die.
I know that’s difficult to read but I don’t want Max’s death to be brushed aside lightly. That poor dog suffered a prolonged, agonizing death which was 100% preventable and allegedly occurred because Ms. Hogan was attempting to evade arrest on other animal cruelty charges.
Max was someone’s pet. Police are reportedly investigating his death. I hope they are able to determine who it was that allegedly warned Ms. Hogan about the police waiting to arrest her and that appropriate action is taken. The environment in which this needless death occurred is one which alarms me. This is the same environment which Mayor Wharton and the city continually defend and promote. Had enough yet Memphis taxpayers?
So, IF appropriate action ,against Hogan ,was taken IMMEDIATELY, Max would have been back home with his family….. what a beautiful dog Max was – RIP! This is just so very sad!!!
It’s people like Hogan that makes me more angry than anything else. She belongs in jail where she can abuse those around her, which is what I’m sure she’ll be doing. She doesn’t even belong on the same planet as the rest of us. She has lost her privelige of being a part of the human race. She is more not human than human. Hogan gets the award as the worst, lowest of the low and a few other words I can’t say.
You’re right. That was VERY hard to read. I hope Ms. Hogan suffers in a jail cell with no A/C for a very long time.
Ditto!
Double Ditto!
Quadruple ditto!
What a beautiful dog, and what an unnecessary and cruel death.
Somewhere, somehow, these people will reap what they sow. It may not be right away, but I believe we all have to ultimately answer for our actions.
RIP Max. You deserved so much better.
My best guess is that, the person that warned Hogan, is the same person(s) that have aided Hogan in selling pitbulls out the back door! They wouldn’t hire anyone with a criminal history to work with children, why hire them to work with animals?
The Mayor needs to change policy to PROTECT the INNOCENT! Not continued protection of criminals!!! Hire rescue people for these jobs! They actually have the animals best interests at heart!
Max did not deserve a horrific death at the hands of the monster Demetria Hogan. Poor sweet baby. Memphis is in real trouble with their school system too. Kids won’t even be able to go to school this fall due to lack of $ from the city. The Mayor needs to be investigated and ousted from office. There is something fishy going on in city government in Memphis.
Hopefully, Kapone and Max will bring about big changes in the way MAS treats the pets they take in and also the way the Mayor addresses these important issues in the future.
RIP Max and Come Home Kapone
Just when is enough enough? How many animals have to die horrendous deaths at the hands of people like Hogan? Max certainly did not have to suffer and die at the hands of that woman had she turned herself in immediately. Now the question remains, WHERE IS KAPONE? She knows what she did with him. She should sit in jail until she confesses all. The people of Memphis and most certainly the animals of Memphis deserve a whole lot better than the pit of hell known as MAS.
My heart hurts for the families that have lost their cherished dogs. May justice be theirs. RIP Max. Kapone, may you come home soon.
So senseless.. Bless you Max.. And all the others that crossed paths with this heartless woman!
I think the person who tipped her off to the police being there needs to be charged. At least for interfering with a police investigation. They allowed her to continue her illegal behavior and kill a innocent dog. A dog they new was possibly hurt and in pain. They contributed to this cruelty.
I agree, whoever tipped the scumbag off should be charged with aiding and abetting a criminal. As well as interfering with a criminal investigation. Run free at the Rainbow Bridge, Max, you won’t ever have to see the monster Demetria again. She will be burning in hell and won’t every even come close to the rainbow bridge.
R.I.P Max….God will not tolerate the abuse of his children or animals. In Jesus Name, Amen
Amen Amen. In the name of the Lord.
I agree – they should figure out who tipped off that scum bag and punish them – more than likely, they’re connected to animal cruelty in some way. Of course, I know what I would like to happen to both of these scum bags!
SATAN WANTS DEMETRIA HOGAN BACK
WE WANT TO KNOW WHERE KAPONE IS
WE WANT JUSTICE FOR MAX
Whoever owns that dog should file a lawsuit against the city. That is unforgivable.
I’ve seen 2 dogs die of heat stroke- it’s as horrendous as it sounds. Even the THOUGHT of heat stroke makes me physically ill.
I’m just sick thinking of poor Max dying this way. I mean- he could’ve been suffering from heat stroke when Hogan picked him up (that happened at my shelter- ACO called out for a dog that was hit by a car- turns out he had just run himself into heat stroke and collapsed by the side of the road- both the good samaritan and the ACO assumed HBC), but her not bringing him in for emergency help sure as shit didn’t save him. He may have died anyway, but with emergency care he at least wouldn’t have been alone
This isn’t the first time a dog has died of heat stroke in a Shelby Co./MAS van. It happened last summer, too–
http://www.abc24.com/mostpopular/story/Dog-Dies-After-Spending-3-Hours-In-Hot-Animal/5jlbrWenLEmMPlCqxU1jPw.cspx
So you would think the shelter would equip the vans with water and give the ACOs some training in emergency first aid for heat stroke so the dog survives until he gets to the vet.
How many dogs will die needlessly because MAS refuses to do even this much?
I’d like to see them find the person that alerted her as well. A criminal investigation should be able to get cell phone and text records, then charge that person with impeding an ongoing investigation.
The Media needs to be all over this. I know they were involved with Kapone, but they need to do a follow up story as well. This will put even more HEAT on this place to straighten up!
Who hired Hogan, the wonderfully compassionate caregiver? It sounds like the hiring person should be dismissed immediately.
I would hope that they are considering “obstruction” charges for the person who warned Demetria Hogan, and perhaps “accomplice” charges in the death of Max. Does anyone know if the charges against Hogan have been upgraded from misdemeanor Animal Cruelty to felony animal cruelty? The misdemeanor charges she was initially charged with are a joke.
There may not be legal charges to be brought against whomever tipped her off that the police were waiting for her, but the shelter knows who did it and it is their responsibility to take action and FIRE THAT PERSON IMMEDIATELY.
Of course, if they had taken immediate action with the Kapone investigation, this other tragedy would never have happened. How many animals suffered at Ms. Hogan’s hands in those passing weeks?
How long before anyone is held accountable for their actions (or in Matthew Pepper’s case, inactions)?
If the shelter knows who did it, then THEY as an org. were obstructing a police investigation and assisting a possible fugitive. Arrest the damned lot of them.
quite a few people tipped her off.
Birds of a feather . . .
If several people tipped her off I hope they are all identified and charged as No Kill Memphis wrote above.
I may not live in Memphis, but I do pat taxes and I have had enough.
I need the owner of the page to contact me asap please.
What a sad and needless death. Poor Max, you will not be forgotten.
I read an article today from a newspaper in California that was talking about how shelters across the country are ‘circling the wagons’ and becoming more secretive as the public is demanding accountability in how they are treating animals. Memphis made the edition and they had plenty to say…none of it was good. The police seem to be ‘investigating’ all of these incidents, but I wonder how hard they are seeking answers. There seems to be way too much leniency in all of this.
The same article addresses a shelter in Texas that needs to be a model. And the advice given to the public? DON’T GIVE UP! That’s what the shelters want us to do and are banking on the fact that we will. But REAL change has come when the public keeps pushing, keeps questioning, and keeps putting the pressure on these shelters to change their policies and procedures.
I pray that some answers are forthcoming from Memphis PD sooner, rather than later. However, I wonder if there will be any answers at all when everything is said and done. After all, it is one city department investigating another one. How aggressive will they be?
R.I.P. Max.
I read the same article, Debbie.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/07/20/petscol072011.DTL
Hogan should face a court for her actions, but the management of the Memphis “shelter” should be facing the families of Kapone and Max to explain why their incompetence should be tolerated for another second.
I don’t understand why Max’s owner was counseled to file a civil suit against Ms. Hogan. To my mind (and I’m not a lawyer), she should be suing the city for allowing Ms. Hogan to continue on her duties with autonomy after MAS learned Kapone had “disappeared” and Ms. Hogan had no reasonable explanation for this.
TOTALLY Agree!!
Didnt I read that Hogan was fired in an article around here? She may not have gone to jail, but was fired though. There is so much stuff regarding MAS on here that I cant keep it straight anymore. Anyway, poor Max. RIP beautiful boy. So much needles killing comes from that shelter that it always baffles me.
Just because this woman knew that police were there does not mean that those who told her should be charged. Perhaps she was even called to come in from her rounds because police were there. It was HER decision to delay this. And don’t those vehicles have A/C?? If not, then the shelter should be charged with cruelty for not having A/C in the holding part of their vehicles!
My understanding is that the AC trucks have air conditioning for the dogs but it only works well when driving. Sitting at a light, it doesn’t work that well. And of course, if the vehicle is parked and shut off, it doesn’t work at all. This is how it was explained to me as far as air conditioning units that run off the vehicle’s engine (rely on the engine for power). If someone has different info, please share.
I don’t think it’s an either/or situation here – plenty of blame to go around. It would be good to know exactly WHAT those at the shelter told her. Hogan is, of course, responsible and if there is not decent A/C on the trucks, well that’s another issue. I’d bet my next SS check that those “buddies” of Hogan’s told her to stay away because the police were there with a warrant. They haven’t exactly been outstanding in their conduct to this point.
Bottom line is a beautiful family pet is dead and it didn’t necessarily have to happen. AND it wasn’t an accident.
Rst in peace, Max. May your journey out of this earthly existence erase the pain and torture you suffered at the hands of an Ape, and may you skip with unbounded joy over the Rainbow. Your story and your life will not have been in vain as long as I draw breath.