MAS is currently killing dogs who exhibit symptoms of an upper respiratory illness which is treatable with 14 days of antibiotics. Per MAS vet Rebecca Coleman, the dogs “just need a couple of weeks to recover and they’re back to normal and doing fine”. The body count so far:
Twenty dogs have already been put down, another seven could be too.
As tragic as that is, MAS volunteer “Friends” and staff seem to be hiding their pain. On the “Friends” FB page, the pound’s only meaningful online presence, they are giddy about moving to the new building – the one with no webcams visible to the public:
And in the spot where they like to leave visual messages to webcam watchers (like stuffed monkeys and biscuits), they’ve got this hilarious shot staged:
In some cases, I’m not sure if they are hiding their pain or just plain hiding. This dog appears to be unable to walk and was brought in at 4pm yesterday:
The beautiful dog was placed on this cart:
and left there…
all alone…
I hope the dog wasn’t in terrible pain. What justification could there be for forcing this dog to wait, unattended like this?
Later, another dog came in while a TV news crew was in the lobby.
That dog was not left alone but attended to right away:
These 4 pups were brought in and tied to the pole in the lobby yesterday morning:
They were left tied to that pole while a TV news crew came and went. An hour later, the pups were still there:
Finally, they were carried to the kill room:
But yes, by all means MAS “Friends” and staff, carry on as usual while dogs are being needlessly killed all around you. As the saying goes, do what you’re good at. I’ll be right here.
This makes me ill. I wish the people dropping those poor pups off knew what fate they were taking them to……
Are you sure that people don’t know what fate they are taking their dogs to?
Regardless of whether or not owners are aware of the needless killing that happens at MAS, the real issue here is that MAS needs to stop the killing.
Exactly. It’s a shelter, not a slaughterhouse. Their job is to SHELTER. But saving lives is such a low priority, it’s not even in the job description…
Why on earth “Friends” don’t stand up and demand better at their shelter, I will never, never understand.
Are they happy with the way things are going? Are they defeated? Do they feel helpless and hopeless or do they enjoy the favoritism of the powers that be so much that whatever else goes on around them doesn’t matter?
The fact that other rescue groups are treated so shabbily makes me think that MAS likes to be lazy and just use Friends and Friends likes to think that they are the boar’s balls because of it.
The whole thing defies rational thought. And by “rational thought” I mean “putting animals’ lives before egos”.
I watched all that crap yesterday too. Grabbed pics in case you didn’t. I watched and cried as the dogs were tied up there for ages and ages and when they were taken away. So freaking sad.
Who are these “Friends of MAS”? Are they all volunteers or paid? How many are there? Are they the ones who picks or rejects volunteers? Why are there not enough volunteers to prevent delays with tied up dogs? I have heard how FOMAS are verbally abusive.
Does anyone know if the new “shelter” will have some sort of echo dampening in the dog’s area? The current “shelter” is like a loud echo chamber of barking which I’m sure is stressful on every dog AND people alike.
The newspaper article sais they killed the sick dogs “only” because there was no place to quaranteen them. HA. They kill other’s for less reason. Why would we believe that?
A number of people are wondering why they couldn’t quarantine the dogs at the new building.
Do they have an occupancy permit yet for the new building?
I hope not, personally. I dread the day there are no cameras to document their activity, or lack thereof. However, it doesn’t really seem to do much good. They certainly don’t care what they are caught doing on film.
Personally.. I wasn’t impressed with the dog being left on the cart from..16:01:59- 16:16:44. there were civilians milling about. Someone could have got hurt… the dog could have moved and fallen off the small cart.. What are they thinking?
Debbie:
They may not care what they are doing but I am capturnig every photo I see with dogs/cats coming to the kill room & something tells me those photos will come back & bite someone in the butt.
Where IS Kapone?
When I can.. I am also getting every photo I can.
Are shelters not required to have a quarantine area? I thought most shelters had one. I cannot believe that MAS does not have one! If not, will they one at the new facility? I hope so!
Are they going against their own vet advice that these dogs can be treated and not be euthanized?
I think a private group should take over the MAS and run it!
The existing facility opened in 1972 and has a single ventilation system for the whole building. The new shelter was designed with separate ventilation systems for the different areas such as isolation, adoptions, etc.
Yeah, whatever ventilation system. THE WORKERS SPRAY THE DOGS, ALONG WITH THEIR FOOD & WATER, WITH URINE AND FECES EVERY DAY IN THEIR GODDAMN CAGES!
Gosh, you think that might increase the spread of disease? Huh. You’d think someone would have told them by now how to do it properly. Oh wait, they have been told. Over and over and over again. But no leadership = no one giving a rat’s ass. And it shows.
It’s my belief that they *do* have leadership at MAS and Friends of MAS – leadership devoted to killing pets, covering their asses, and shutting out anyone who questions the status quo. On that level, unfortunately, it’s also been very effective.
Everyone here wants change at MAS. Evidence suggests no-one at MAS does. A nice new building, sure, that’s a status display. But changes in policy? I’ll be gobsmacked if anything substantive happens unless and until everyone there is shitcanned. Pardon my French.
I find it amazing that they even call that horrible place a “shelter”.
Meows & BowWows Animal Rescue and Labs 4 Rescue pulled 3 of the dogs in danger yesterday. All 3 dogs are also Heartworm Positive. Please consider donating toward the care and HW treatment for those dogs. We have set up a chip-in on the Meows & BowWows Facebook Page. Without sponsors and support we are not able to help the animals the way we wish we could. Thank you!!!
I think this is the link Villy is referring to:
http://meowsandbowwows.chipin.com/rhett-and-trixie-heartworm-treatment
Does anyone know if the FOMAS are all or any one paid, or strictly volunteer? How many are there? Do they posess keys to the building? Do they accept or deny volunteers at the shelter? How long have they been affiliated with MAS?
Any info on Kapone or the thief Demetria Hogan? No civil suits?
There is nothing left to say….we all knew that before the move there would be a break out of something….that way the dogs don’t have to be moved. Rebecca Coleman is the one that would not let me have lil Bit because of an upper respitory infection…there had already been 8-10 dogs killed because of this “infection.” Lil Bit had a slight cough ONLY when she pulled on the leash..I had her in the lobby and walked her, carried her and begged pleaded, cried and offerred to sign a realease that would relieve MAS from any responsibility IF they would just let me take her to the vet and TRY to save her….Rebecca Coleman would not even come out and talk to me after I asked to talk to her and maybe she would let me adopt Lil Bit…Dr. Coleman refused to come talk to me and they, “they” being the employees of MAS took her out of my arms and straight to the kill room…where she died. In my opinion for a “mild case of Kennel Cough..” That’s MAS….the don’t give a damn! NONE OF THEM!
Sometimes I just can’t take it anymore. It makes me really sick to look at this picture. What makes me also sick is that people at MAS don’t give a damn about animals. Did they really take the 4 puppies directly from the reception to the kill room?
I wonder if that new Shelter has some kind of a build in “compassion module” that can be activated? Otherwise the animals are still screwed.
oUR mEMPHIS IS CORUPTED!!!!!!! WHY??? WHERE IS OUR MAYOR TO DO SOMETHING???? WHEN? ANYONE CARE AT ALL..?…CORUPTED & EVIL ANIMAL SHELTER!!!! WHY DO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS?????? GET THE EVIL OUT & THE REAL ANIMAL LOVERS IN…..WE ARE THEIR VOICE & THEY ARE DEPENDING ON US….DON’T DROP THE BALL…DO SOMETHING & PASS IT ON….ENOUGH OF US & THEY WILL HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES….SAVE OUR ANIMALS….THEY ANGELS WAITING ON US……PLEASE STOP THE KILLING & ENFORCE LAWS TO PROTECT THEM…DEATH ROW THEY DONT DESERVE….GOD HELP ME SAVE THEM…
Until the employees/FMAS are weeded out & we together as a group stand & be counted(occupy), MAS will not change.