I was just looking through some photos from Austin Pets Alive’s rescue operation involving the pets from the Bastrop shelter. I couldn’t help but draw some comparisons in my mind to the webcam screenshots from the Memphis pound that I look at regularly.
In Memphis, I see workers taking dogs from cages like this:
At the Austin rescue, I see this:
In Memphis, I see dogs locked away in the stray area asking for human attention and affection, but receiving none:
At the Austin rescue, I see this:
In Memphis, I regularly see trained professional animal handlers who appear to be unwilling to provide the most basic comfort for a dog in need: human touch.
In Austin, if a dog needs a shoulder, he’s got one (even if it’s 2 a.m.):
In Memphis, I see hundreds of dogs behind closed doors with no one advocating for their right to live. MAS kills them daily by the dozens:
At the Austin rescue, I see numerous volunteers sitting on the concrete in the middle of the night just to provide comfort for the Bastrop shelter’s dogs:
Thank you Austin Pets Alive for leading by example. Let’s help them get these pets vetted and adopted.
gggggooOoOOOOOOOO AUSTIN! MEMPHIS: (bleeeeeep) FAIL.
It just never ends… again I’m speechless and just sick to my stomach.
I agree…sick to my stomach is the best description of how I feel seeing those poor dogs not being loved & those stupid workers treating them like that! What are they thinking?! & how do they think its ok to do that?! No heart!!! i dont care what they tell you in training!!! Show the dogs you care!!!
It’s wonderful to see shelter pets treated with compassion, kindness, and respect. All these are sadly lacking in Memphis. It does not have to remain that way. Memphis can change if Memphis wants to. Step up and make the change!
It is nauseating to see the animals at MAS treated with contempt and hatred. They are nothing to these workers, who are detached, uncaring, and unfeeling. You can see if on their faces anytime the camera catches them looking at any animal. Actions say it all. The animals are nothing but disposable objects to them, certainly not living, breathing, loving creatures. The workers don’t care about them, so they don’t care what happens to them. MEMPHIS HAS TO CHANGE!
Has there been any reply from the Tennessee AG?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a MAS worker caught on camera smiling, let alone pet a dog, or snuggle a cat.
Could it be due to one or more of the options below:
a. hate their job
b. are too tired to smile
c. don’t even like animals
d. have bad teeth
If I can’t laugh I will have to cry.
I saw this video the other day of two Birmingham AC officers transferring two dogs they had fostered after the tornado.
The animals of Memphis deserve guys like this…
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2430185632937
I’m glad to see someone posting a video from FB. FaceBook is a wonderful networking tool.
Demographics.
Shelter zipcodes Memphis 38118 Austin 78703
Compare them here http://zipskinny.com/zipcompare.php
Probably need to throw in some more Austin zipcodes because of the land area but I think the results will be close to the same.
Most people have to sidestep the real root causes of the issue because of political correctness but the tide is turning due to our current economic and political situation. If you are a public figure that has influence over other peoples welfare and in this case animal welfare and make ignorant statements or are not effective doing your job for your constituents you are going to be called to answer for it and the politically correct protections that you enjoyed in previous years are going away. We are coming to realize that voting along racial, class or party lines has not served the people well.
I really like that zipcode compare tool!! It is nice and while you can compare Memphis to Austin with stats and demographics. Keep in mind that these really are 2 completely different cities, histories, attitudes everything. (I grew up in Memphis, moved to Austin for a while, then back to Memphis) Honestly you can drive 1 block and see million dollar houses and the next block you will see boarded up shacks. Memphis is a unique town in every way possible.
I do believe that a program like “Austin Pets Alive” would be awesome here in Memphis!! I would love to work with one, I would be willing to put myself out there and help lead one. But it would need to be tweaked to work with citizens here. Just Sayin’
Austin has a slogan “Keep Austin Weird” and that works for Austin,bc Austin is Weird (in a good cheeky way) Memphis doesn’t want to be weird, I can’t really can’t put my finger on what we want to “be” but it’s definitely different not weird.
Shirley, I really must object to your words, calling 98-99% of the ‘animal handlers’ at MAS, “professionally trained” is just, … uh, not right. Unless their trainer was a 1) complete f*^#ing tool, or 2) a sadistic dumbass. Now, Pepper is certainly a jagoff of epic jerkitude, and likely fits 1 & 2, also, so perhaps that explains past practices. What about the current JiC – Jerk in Charge? Is he also willing to be known as both 1 & 2?
I think I’ve seen it once or twice (the smile, NOT showing any compassion for the animals), but it was usually while a dog was laying terrified on the floor and it appeared they were laughing about it. That’s infuriating!
Well…that reply seems out of place! LOL I hit reply on the email to the right post (above from Joan in response to an earlier post I made), but then it posted as a reply here. Oh well… =)
I don’t think anyone knows what is wrong with the “folks” that work or volunteer at MAS. If you ever have the misfortune of entering MAS…you will feel unwelcome, out of place and as if you are interupting a private discussion. There is NOT ONE THING WELCOMING about MAS. Matt Pepper cannot be blamed for “training or educating” the employees. He can be blamed for being a “yes man” and he can be blamed for not bucking the powers that be…but educating the employees, the volunteers, or having any imaginative adoption ideas, working well with fosters and rescues….He CANNOT be blamed. It seems that the status quo has been acceptable for so long…it’s kind of like a city that is resigned “to we cannot do anyting about it.” It can be changed and I believe it is not long in coming! It will be such a glorious day when that happens
The definition of insanity (loosely put) is continuing to do the same thing over and over, expecting different results. They need somebody down there who is willing to try it a different way. Obviously THIS way does not work and never did. That will be a glorious day, indeed! =)
It really pisses me off seeing that first pic especially of that dog all sprowled out due to the fact that the idiot on the other end of the pole didnt treat it with respect and love…It also really pisses me off when I see people like this working in a clinic with animals…who the hell hires these kind of people? Only one thing comes to mind and that is that the people who run the place dont care about the animals either…there should be a new law made to where background checks are done on people who wanna work in animal shelters and some education and testing to see how fit they are to care for animals….I am so pisssssssssseeeddd offffffffffff about the way these dogs have no love and compassion for these humans…SHAME ON YOU HUMANS
Sorry about the spelling at the end….I meant to say I am so pissed off about the way these dogs have no love and compassion FROM these humans
But aren’t these employees all chosen from the program for ex-prisoners derserving a second chance or something like that?
Background checks won’t matter here. This should be run by volunteers.
There is only one Second Chance employee working at the shelter now.
why dont some one do something and close it down how would they feel if some one did that to them? they wouldent so why should we let them get away with this someone in that area needs to step up for the sake of them poor animals. if i was there i would be all over this.
weRhappypetz@yahoo.com
Do you People not have anything Better to do than watch a Webcam all day??? Guess not cause you People keep Posting Pictures from another state that you are not even in. People Get a Life..Worry about your Own City for once…
thank You for your Life advice..my Own City appreciates The shout out!!!
JoJo.. do you work at this shelter?
Is there anything we can do?! Like flood them w/emails &/or calls??
yes. flood the city with emails demanding that the city hire an administrator who will employ the “No Kill Equation.” i have applied for the position of administrator of the memphis animal shelter, and believe that the “No Kill Equation” will work to save our animals. i am certain that memphis will rally around a compassionate and competent administrator and give our animals the care they deserve.
Let’s just add yet another city to the mix. I don’t live in NY, but their animal control facility is severely lacking, as well. There’s an effort to make NYC a leader in animal care. Manhattan is a disgrace, as well! Here’s a petition we can all sign, as well as find out what is being done to change things there: http://www.mbpo.org/paws/
It’s wonderful to see shelter pets treated with compassion, kindness, and respect.