In response to an e-mail from a concerned citizen about the city’s intention to kill the webcams, Bobby White had this to say:
From: Bobby.White@memphistn.gov
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2011 9:40 AMHello ma’am,
Thank you for your interest. I’m not sure if you are familiar with the number of “false alarms” that have come from pictures captured by these webcams which I might add shoot images every 15 seconds. The pictures captured by these webcams and the narratives associated with these images by individuals who have neither contacted us or sought to get answers on what these pictures actually portrayed have been used to mount negative email campaigns against the shelter and the employees. There have been images circulating of a cats being poked while they are in the cage by the ends of metal poles; in fact the image shows a shelter worker opening the secured, back area of a cage to place a feral cat into it while the cat’s cage was cleaned. We have even recently seen photos circulating of dogfighting at the shelter when the security camera plainly showed one pit bull attacking another one and two employees trying to pull them apart.
I mention this only to offer some perspective.
We are working hard and will continue to do so. Thanks again for your concern.
He only wants to offer some perspective. Let us all perspect, shall we?
Cat (in labor at the time these images were taken) being poked with a pole. Repeatedly. And clearly not a secured cage being opened:
By all means, please show us the video footage documenting what appears to be blatant abuse of this poor cat. We’ll add it to the collection of horrors.
The photo of the dogfight that was captured on the webcam is reflective of the negligence, incompetence and cruelty that is clearly apparent on the security camera footage – which we never would have seen without the webcam shot so thank you for making our case for us. (By the way, when is the mayor going to address the incompetence and cruelty evident in the video?)
Forgive me for feeling less than reassured by the comment that you will continue doing what you’ve been doing. Like, that’s the problem.
There are none so blind as those who will not see. The Mayor does not wish to see the problems at MAS. The Mayor would very much like it all to go away and he (for some reason) thinks it will go away when they move to the new facility and don’t have webcams. What he doesn’t seem to realize is that he cannot hide this festering wound that is MAS. The only way to deal with it is to open it up, expose it to the air, and flush it clean…
Did he say, “opening up the back of the cage to put the cat into it?” What back of the cage? There’s no back door in those cages. Does HE believe that?
Now THAT is a diplomat: someone to tell you to go to hell & you’re happy to be on your way. Bobby White wash is trying to polish a turd; you can’t make it shine & it still stinks.
Let me put this in perspective. I see Memphis shelter staff poking pregnant Charlotte with a stick. Poking for 9 minutes. It was on a Sunday. She had her babies on Monday and was rescued because of YesBiscuit on Tuesday. We all have been watching her progress through this blog ever since. This is not a “false alarm.”
The webcam shots of the two dogs fighting showed just that, two dogs fighting. This is not a “false alarm.”
Every shelter in this country needs webcams, especially Memphis.
I don’t understand how anyone could say that monitoring the animal rooms is a problem. The problem is that the camera is taking a picture every 15 seconds. GET RID of the camera that takes still pictures and PUT IN A VIDEO. Problems solved!!!
this being the man that told us at a advisory board meeting that ” we wouldn’t want you there anyway?”
If I were local, I would file a FOI request for every 24 hours of video from the security cameras at the new place…
I’m so sick of the mayor. can we put him in a cage and poke him with a stick?
I’ve got to quit commenting….THIS TOWN, THE MAYOR, JANET HOOKS, AND MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS SIMPLY DO NOT CARE! Most of Memphis does not know….as a example, at a city council meeting, council woman Barbara Swerengen Ware, asked because she did not know what spay and neuter meant….this was the night of the vote. No homework was done before the meeting!Shows she knew nothing about why we were there or about dogs or cats. Wharton and the rest of his cronies think they will continue to outsmart the voting public and they probably can.
Barbara Swerengen Ware also said during a budget meeting during discussion of building a new shelter that we needed a new community center instead of a shelter. Someone pointed out we have over 20 community centers and only one old shelter. Her response: “Well, dogs don’t pay taxes.”
Well she’s got ya there! Kids don’t pay taxes either so why are we putting a roof over orphans’ heads and giving them medical care and food and stuff? All on the promise that they’ll grow up to be taxpayers? I don’t think so. Get me Ms. Swerengen on the line pronto!
Those in control…Well, the callousness, corruption and cronyism will catch up with them. It will. Power is an aphrodisiac….they think they are untouchable. The ignorance and arrogance in the constant “defense” of this travestry called MAS only reveals how ill-prepared this city’s leadership is in dealing with any kind of problem. Imagine this downtown Memphis think tank in dealing with the ongoing problems of Memphis. But in time ….justice will be served to those who continue to turn their head to the cruelty and criminality at hand.
I’m sure that response didn’t address any of the senders questions.
If they want to take out the cameras we cannot let them get away with it! We need some caring volunteers that would be willing to go monitor what these idiots are doing. If i lived closer and didnt have young kids to tend to i would do it myself. They will continue to abuse even more if no one is there to see it.
I just wrote a rather snotty letter explaining the idea of public opinion, and lashing oneself to a sinking raft. Also told him that before offering an explanation he should see said footage so he doesn’t sound like quite such an idiot and that removal of the cameras would only cement the fact that they were in support of the whole horror show that is MAS. What a waste of flesh.they are. Thanks again Yes Biscuit!
Thank you, Adrienne! That hit the spot.
To me if they don’t have or want cameras or video cam in the new shelter, it tells me they are hiding something. MAS definity needs the cameras. These are God’s children they are killing. And God will pay them back for their cruelty. The arrogance of those people in Memphis. I thought they couldn’t hire a crimal (or felon, whatever) for a city job. There is probably lots of people who would like a city job that have a clean slate. But no…they hire their cronies. (You don’t tell on me, I won’t tell on you) So corrupt.