In November, Memphis Animal Services continued its downward trend with a live release rate (adoptions, returns to owner, transfers to rescue) of just 22%. MAS killed 76% of the pets in its care in November, despite promises from city officials that the only pets who would be killed during the transition period (from the old building to the new one) would be for medical reasons.
Pet advocates have been requesting a detailed report on the November killings since December 1st but last I heard, the city has not provided these records. If anyone has a copy of the November report, please let me know.
Memphis, please – stop the killing. There is a proven method you could begin to implement today which would end the needless killing of healthy/treatable pets at MAS. What have you got to lose by giving it a try? Your way obviously isn’t working. Unless the city’s goal is to maintain the status quo of horrors and shame, that is.
No surprise. All of the “the new facilities will solve so many problems!” reassurances were crap and we all knew it.
Not only is the new facility poorly designed (who ok’d the plans? who signed off on it? who designed it in the first place and did they have shelter design experience or did we just go with the lowest bidder?), but we still have THE SAME PEOPLE THERE WHO STARVED PUPPIES TO DEATH IN 2009 and they have training that the Rotary Club described as “haphazard” or non-existent. Oh, and we STILL have NO SHELTER DIRECTOR and now no webcams, which equals zero accountability.
There *might* be some accountability if FoMAS would unite and demand better of their shelter. If they got together and approached the powers that be and listed problems and solutions to get the shelter on the right track. And if those powers ignored them, they can go to the media and let the people know what kinds of abuses and neglect are occurring at the “new” shelter and why so that the people can demand better and support them.
As long as FoMAS is unwilling to stand up and do the right thing, the situation will go on and on. THEY are the insiders. THEY are the ones who aren’t getting a paycheck, who volunteer their time and efforts FOR THE ANIMALS, so their voice is the one that needs to be heard. How badly do conditions have to deteriorate before they realize that by not uniting and going public, they are complicit in the horrorshow?
So sad. Speak up people of Memphis! Demand better of your community leaders!
The people that I know in the “dog world” of Memphis not only speak up, they scream, beg, attempt to go to the various and sundry meetings. Of course we are only allowed to attend the advisory board meetings 4 times a year. The screams and cries go unheard! The joke of the new facility making a change is the most ridiculous reasoning I have ever heard. I would rather the animals be housed in a barn and treated humanely than in the new facility with no accountability and with the same employess that are known to be without compassion. First, why are adoptions not the top priority, second the death of the 3 starved dogs, including the pitiful Justice, recognized for what they are. Employees, volunteers, strangers, management walked by day in and day out and DID NOT NOTICE STARVING ANIMALS….not one gave them a “kibble.” How in the hell could such total oblilvion or neglect or whatever the right adjective is have happened?
This seems to have gone on along time and those poor animals do not deserve this.
What is it going to take to make change there? It seems that the people in charge there really don’t care what people think of them. Isn’t there government officials there that count on peoples votes to keep them in office. The ones that are responsible for Mas. Then they should be caring about what people think.I notice that in these times people feel they can do what they want with no consequent.
It makes me sick to hear the workers and volunteers at MAS not give a crap about the animals. I want to volunteer there but I know my first day I will be shown the door for voicing my opnion and wanting to care for the animals. I am sure they all listen for any code words from the new volunteers to weed out the ones who really want to do good.
code words: “clean cage”, “water”, “food”, “no kill”, “accountability”…
How do you know that volunteers and FOMAS are not taking their concerns to the city? Has anyone asked for FOIA requests for emails from volunteers or FOMAS? If I were a volunteer there doing everything I could to make it better for the animals I would be upset by these allegations. There are many shelters that have lost good volunteers over people from the outside badgering when they had no real idea what was going on. It would be really sad for this shelter to loose the help it has for the animals. From what I can tell the FOMAS group is the only one advocating for the animals. I have searched the internet and Facebook, and can find no one any place else advocating for the animals who are there now. At least that group is trying. The volunteers are probably doing everything they can. If the volunteers leave who do the animals have except the employees?
Sarah,
FoMAS continues to delete anything the least bit negative on their FB. Anyone who raises questions or concerns is banned.
I don’t know what their interpersonal politics are there, but honestly, if I were a part of a group that was struggling with these issues for YEARS, I would have gathered my allies within the group and gone to the media by now. A united front is what’s called for if change is to happen.
But to continue to “go along to get along” is quite frankly, enabling. Enabling the neglect, the cruelty, and the criminal behavior at MAS.
FoMAS knows the score at MAS. Probably better than anyone else, really. Because FoMAS has the access, they could put together the most compelling case for the need to change (and be at the spear point of making those changes happen!). But instead they shun “bloggers” and see critics of the shelter as having some kind of personal vendetta. They go along to get along and turn a blind eye to the ugliness…which I guess helps them sleep at night.