I know you are probably thinking, “Shouldn’t that be JANE, you ignorant slut?” But here’s the thing, Jeanne Chancellor, head of the “Friends of MAS” volunteer group, has used so many aliases while commenting on this blog, I can’t be sure if “Jane” was one of them. A little background:
Yesterday someone commenting under the name “Cammy Linderman” posted a comment about an MAS volunteer who had come forward to speak to the media about the neglect at the pound. The interview has not yet aired and was conducted under the agreement that the station would conceal the volunteer’s identity. “Cammy Linderman” outed this person publicly on the blog in a very underhanded way. This got my attention so I began running through my list of suspect IP addresses from those who have left comments defending the abuse and killing on MAS posts in the past. In addition to Cammy Linderman, I found Anna Kallecter and Anna Kellecter, Amber Zeuss and Amber Seuss, Elizabeth Swafford and Eizabeth Swafford – all with several commonalities: They were all one letter off in their spelling, the IP addresses were all from Memphis, they connected to the internet at times through Bellsouth and at other times through the City of Memphis, they used AOL e-mail addresses almost exclusively and they were all the same as “Jeanne100” – a commenter who posted three times in April 2011 using Jeanne Chancellor’s AOL e-mail address. The City of Memphis server threw me momentarily until I learned that Jeanne Chancellor had been issued a laptop by the City of Memphis as head of the “Friends of MAS”. So that about tears it.
Jeanne Chancellor appears to be all of these commenters and seems to be using her city issued laptop, paid for by taxpayers, to give virtual identities to the many confused voices in her head. I could overlook all of that but when she outed the courageous volunteer who went to the media to speak for the neglected pets at MAS under the condition of anonymity – this I can not abide.
And so Jeanne Chancellor, you are now the one who is outed.
You are outed as someone willing to put a brave shelter volunteer in harm’s way and subject this person to vindictive retribution.
You are outed as a defender of one of the most abusive shelters in the country.
You are outed as a “Friend” only to the City of Memphis and its corrupt political culture. You are no friend to the homeless animals in Memphis.
ABC24 reported that there was a meeting between volunteers and city leaders several weeks ago where some volunteers spoke up about the dogs not being fed and other concerns. I am told that Jeanne Chancellor attended that meeting but remained silent. This would be in line with her years of silence regarding the criminal activities at MAS. She had the chance to speak for the pets at the pound but chose to let them suffer. She used her knowledge of that meeting and subsequent events to attempt to put a volunteer in harm’s way by outing the person on this blog. That person should be commended for speaking up. That person had the courage and strength of character to come forward and take action when Jeanne did not. That person deserves our thanks, not our betrayal. When reform finally comes to MAS, it will be because compassionate people put action to their good conscience.
Jeanne Chancellor, you and all your aliases have been banned from this blog. If you ever attempt to use my blog to hinder shelter reform at MAS again, I will not be so kind in my response as I was today. Take that laptop that the caring citizens of Memphis paid for and get the hell out of the way. Change is coming.
Wow!! Good job, Shirley!! Thank goodness she has been banned. We dont need that here. Im sorry for the person who spoke up and then got reprimanded about it.
Its really sad that these “friends” and the people at MAS feel its more worthwhile to see whats been said on a blog, using a million different alias, and reprimanding those people than using that energy into something more worthwhile like…oh.. I dont know…THEIR JOB?!
Sickening.
She really didn’t reprimand the person, she just played stupid and outed them by name. The brave and courageous people who have come forward in all of this…the person who recorded a high-ranking member of City administration ordering euthanasia “of all pit bulls and anything that looks like a pit bull”, the employee who tried to get something done about the starving dogs and ended up filing a police report on the shelter when it was apparent that the City wasn’t going to do anything…and now the person who was willing to step up for this interview…all have my utmost gratitude! We’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Don’t worry about the Mayor and his spin doctors, you have the advocacy community behind you!
I would have had a different suggestion for the laptop…but hear! hear! on a great post. She deserves a real outing in a courtroom one day for her aiding and abetting the abuse and neglect of animals at MAS (and god knows where else).
Shirley, YOU ROCK!
Tell your volunteer…think Erin Brockovich!!! That’s how some of us get through the retaliation. She is not alone!
I don’t really think there’s really going to be much “retaliation,” but thanks.
OOOOOOOHHHHH! Hear all that cheering going on? That’s all of us in the back round cheering and clapping and so so glad you have given Jeanne Chancellor the dressing down she so richly deserves.
That woman has been a thorn in the side of the animals of Memphis for far too many years. Time to get her out of there and let those who are really friends of the animals in.
While getting her out of there, maybe we can have Hooks and Hall join them. And don’t forget the vet, Coleman, who supposedly watches over the dogs but can’t see that they’re starving.
Thank you Shirley, for keeping the spotlight on the horrors that are MAS. Good things are coming…..hopefully soon.
Coleman operated on my Bella Rose when she was almost dead. When I took her to my private vet she was HORRIFIED and told me that she might not live through the night. Thankfully she did…but I hate to think of what she went through.
As far as FOMAS…if anyone complains about MAS or criticizes it….they are blocked…myself included.
Shirley, thank you for outing Jeanne and banning her from your blog. Is there any way she can be removed from the Friends of MAS? How did she become the leader of that group, anyway?
Great post, and you deserve several biscuits today!
Not only can she not be removed, she has now blocked anyone from posting on the wall of FoMAS Facebook page! And is deleting any questions about it! Apparently she is afraid of being outed on the page!
Oh really? Jeanne has blocked everyone from the FMAS Facebook page? I haven’t been there yet. Think I just might have to give it a visit today. She blocks me, and I will write to Facebook and complain. Then I will forward all that to my MAS list and see what any of them have to say, which, I know will be NOTHING. Humph.
Oh, good grief – how low can she go? First sockpuppetry in support of MAS, and then outing a whistleblower? She clearly has neither ethics nor shame.
Shirley, now – you deserve a deerstalker cap. Great post.
heh, “Sherlock” was one of my nicknames in school.
I cannot relate with anyone that can volunteer,be friends of MAS, work for MAS & abide such abuse and neglect, for even a short term. I cannot imagine needing employment or “something to do” bad enough not to blow the lid off of that horrible place! How can that many “of like kind” group together, for years, and continue to allow the atrocities. By the way, Dr. Coleman, is the one that made the decision to kill Lil’ Bit when I was crying and begging to let me take her to my vet and sign a release, relieving MAS from any responsibility. An employee, literally took her out of my arms and told me “she has 5 minutes to live.” It goes on and on. My vehicle broke down today and to my sorrow I could not attend the protest and Highland and Poplar. Hope there was a crowd!
“I was crying and begging to let me take her to my vet and sign a release, relieving MAS from any responsibility. An employee, literally took her out of my arms and told me “she has 5 minutes to live.”
That is one of the most horrible things I have ever heard. What do they care, if you are the one doing the work and relieving them? What sadistic murderers.
Highland & Poplar? Protest? Why didn’t I know anything about this. Fairly close to my house & I would of loved to stand up for the animals & help any way I can, but ignorance to these things prevents me from doing anything.
I could of picked you up too!
I missed it too – only found out the night before and couldn’t coordinate daycare. :( Hopefully more notice next time and I’m there!
I am so glad you posted this. I sure don’t have to hide. I’m forwarding this to all my contacts on my MAS list, 23 in all. See if I get a response. That’s why they have a job at the city, nothing to do but spy under different names, while collecting those cushy paychecks. Absolutely corrupt all over.
Put me on that list. Too many times I’ve missed the boat.
Ezbuddy, send me your email address. My MAS list consists of the Mayor, City Council, Congressman and some people who don’t like the way MAS is run either. My email is dece2001@yahoo.com, so I will put you on my list. I also write letters to the editor. They just love it when I do that. Well, too darn bad. Humph.
Love it!! Jeanne — go back into the hole from which you came.
amazing…..the amount of stupidity at MAS. For her not to think that you could go back and find her IP address.
So what’s the plan now? Where do we go from here and how can we help? Is there any word on LaSonya Hall?
Stay tuned!
SO GLAD U OUSTED THAT B___H!!! THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT U DO TO HELP OUR ANIMALS.
Great article, Great Job!
Thank you for exposing SCUM!
This is just sad. Jeanne clearly needs some kind of psychological help and has for quite some time.
The fact that she claims to love animals, but continues to support MAS – far beyond “turning a blind eye” and all the way to abusing/driving away those who would disagree with her, indicates a very serious intellectual and emotional disconnect.
If the volunteers at FMAS were serious about animal welfare, they would either kick Jeanne out or if that’s not possible (I have no idea how the group is set up), leave the group en masse and start their own volunteer group. Either way, they should all be going to the press, telling their stories and supporting each other. That’s the only way change is going to happen in FMAS.
I know FMAS has good people in it. I also know that Jeanne and her few hardcore supporters would try to make those people’s lives hell if they step out of line. But if you unite, if you stand up to them as a group, you’ll be able to make change happen. Otherwise, things will continue just as they have. The horrorshow of 2009 will happen again. The neglect and abuse and unnecessary killing will happen day in and day out with no end or hope in sight.
Go public. Support each other. Back each other up.
You cannot wait for change. You must choose now.
You hit the nail right on the head, Mikken. Innocent animals dont deserve to die because people are scared of a select few people. This is how change happens. Nathan Winograd was just one person, and probably scared of facing people one-on-one and look at what hes done!
The horror show of 2009 is the same show going on today. What has changed? Other than 3 being charged with abuse, it’s the same. The other abusers still work there.
Jeanne is the only person who could be responsible for all the volunteers I’ve heard so many stories about being railroaded out. If she’s the top dog of FOMAS, she is & has been responsible, more than anyone, for her silence of criminal/abusive behavior at MAS. I’ve always wondered about her priorites. It’s so hypocritical for her to have that position, but then Friends of ‘Memphis Animal Services’ says just that, not friends of the cats & dogs, not friends of compassionate volunteers and certainly not friends of those who care about the well-being of animals.
Shirley- this might be your best post yet! Jeanne is all of the poop in the dogs’ kennels, and then some! Thank you for letting the world know what many of us already knew. She needs to go away- far away- maybe then the animals will stand half a chance! You rock!!!!
SMOKIN” SHIRLEY.. YOU GO GIRL
I am lovin’ it!
Great post, Shirley!
I have often wondered what Jeanne Chancellor’s role was at FOMAS. As someone on the outside looking in, it doesn’t seem that she’s an advocate for the animals at the shelter nor for the people trying the affect change there.
Truly, what is her motivation? Does anyone know?
Control. And power. She is a bully pretending to be a saint.
Yep. That’s exactly what it’s about. Makes me wonder if she was bullied as a child or something. This is perhaps my favorite YB entry ever.
How about this- she’s a narssist –
Understanding the Narcissist and Avoiding their Games
1. Appearances can be deceiving. Narcissists are con artists who go to extraordinary lengths to portray themselves as the very opposite of what they really are.
2. They make sure nobody will believe their victim’s complaints. They cover every dirty deed with a grand display that makes them seem like the kind of person who would never do precisely the thing that they did.
3. They identify with the image they’ve created for themselves, rather than their true selves. They’ve been at this game since they were six or seven years all and have become VERY good at it.
4. Her true image will be the exact opposite of her projected (or acted) image in every way. If she acts as though she’s on someone’s side, her knife is already in their back. If she acts as though she’s tenderly caring for someone, she’s abusing them emotionally.
there’s more , but I think ya’ll get the idea.
I’m Shelby Hartman and I’m the one who was interviewed for ABC24. I don’t know anything about Jeanne Chancellor “outing me.” I don’t know that there was much outing to be done. Anyone who knows me from the Shelter would certainly know it was me and many of the volunteers – at least the others who attended the meeting with Hall and Hooks – were aware of the interview before it took place. I asked to keep my identity hidden because I didn’t want the any of the activist crazy train to start the recruitment process. I know some groups – when they smell blood in the volunteer water at the shelter – want the volunteer to start telling all they know. I wish everyone would stop bashing Jeanne Chancellor. The woman gives tirelessly of her time at the shelter. She has her faults, but she’s not a bully. She doesn’t RUN the volunteer program. She doesn’t tell any of the volunteers what to do. I don’t know of many people who would spend the countless unpaid house she does at the shelter. Yes, I think she sees the same problems a lot of us at the shelter sees, but if the volunteers talk, they are asked to leave. They can’t all leave. So Jeanne stays silent. I honestly don’t know that if she DID throw her two cents in with the rest of us who feel the shelter needs some clean up that anyone would listen to her any more than they’ve listened to the rest of us.
Here’s the bottom line: I’ve been a volunteer since early October. I’ve been there most Saturdays and the occasional Yappy Hour. In that time I’ve witnessed filthy cages, lazy staff, maintenance issues, not enough animals being posted to Facebook when it clearly is a valuable adoption tool, and a few dogs in the adoption rooms losing some weight. Not starving. Losing weight. One in particular who was there from the old shelter looked to have lost a substantial amount of weight, but she was finally adopted last week. I have stayed late two Saturdays at the shelter with other volunteers frantically getting the puppy cages cleaned and supplied them with food/water when they haven’t had any the entire day – possibly longer. After one of those nights, Jeanne Chancellor herself told me that no one in the shelter management would do anything about this problem and she gave me LaSonya Hall’s email address on a post it and told me to write to her if I wanted anything changed. Several of us volunteers sent the email and Hooks/Hall immediately said they would meet with us. We were hopeful going in, but the tone of the meeting was dismissive. It last 3 hours and very little was accomplished other than to get a garbage can and poop bag station for the outdoor run, along with their promise to “look into” a few other things. It was disheartening and I didn’t return to the shelter for a few weeks. Then the ABC24 story broke and it was the final straw for me. I didn’t even know where the Court Hold room was and to find that there were animals in there losing drastic amounts of weight was more than I could stomach. Seeing that on the heels of coverage of LaSonya Hall ordering all the pit bulls to be put down was too much for me. Others who were as disheartened as I am have thankfully stayed. They feel they need to for the animals benefit and I agree. My quitting was heart breaking for me and I’ll miss it.
But I wish all of you animal advocates would stop slamming the volunteers. Especially those of you who have never set foot in the shelter or met a volunteer. Especially you. Focus your efforts on the City Council. Try to get a budget increase for the shelter so they can hire staff. Bug them about opening on Sundays so more dogs can be adopted. Bug them about rotating staff from the shelter into other city jobs and rotating fresh staff in to stop the burnout and apathy that seems to plague the staff there. But I can assure you that all the slamming that is done against the staff and the volunteers is pointless.
I have no idea how the ABC24 interview will go tonight. They just recorded conversation between Jeni and myself. She will edit it into the story they see fit. But I told them honestly my view of the meeting with Hall/Hooks and what I’ve seen first hand at the shelter. There were questions posed to me that indicated she had talked to quite a few other volunteers but when she asked me something that I knew nothing about I told her I knew nothing.
The shelter isn’t the house of horror that you guys make it out to be. It’s a city shelter and there are some sad situations that happen in city shelters that can’t be helped. I can handle euthanasia (when it’s not targeting a specific breed) because there are simply too many animals in the system and too many of our citizens are too stupid and/or irresponsible to spay/neuter their pets. But the shelter is certainly not the well oil machine that Hall/Hooks would want people to think it is. The truth lies somewhere in between. Until Hall/Hooks admit that the way they are running the shelter isn’t working at all, it will never change and you are all beating your heads against the wall to no avail.
Shelby, the bottom line is that Jeanne knows everything that goes on at the shelter- by NOT speaking up, she is just as guilty as those that are mistreating the animals. Did she speak up at your meeting with Hall/Hooks? NO she did not. That makes her a coward! Jeanne wears this sour puss on her face- she ignores the volunteers that are not in her “circle”- she sits behind the lobby desk and is incredibly UNFRIENDLY to those wanting to adopt…. I do not doubt that Jeanne loves animals but has overstayed her welcome at MAS because she is ineffective, and her silence concerning all of the wrongs at MAS is killing the animals. Hall and Hooks act like Jeanne is Queen( yeah, queen of mean!)- so I really believe that Jeanne could do so much good if she spoke up but she remains silent. So do not defend Jeanne- she has done so much more harm than good. Thank YOU for speaking up!!!!!
A number of volunteers feel the way that you do and I would concede that she puts off a very unwelcoming air. I had to get around that to grow to like and respect her. My only real complaint with her is that she doesn’t put all the animals on facebook when it could easily be done in an afternoon if two volunteers devoted their Saturday to it. She simply won’t let anyone else touch that task, yet she doesn’t seem to see the urgency in stepping up and getting it done. So many people come in because of picture of an animal they’ve seen on facebook so it’s proven to be a very useful adoption tool. I don’t know why she fights receiving help in getting all the dogs/cats pictured.
First thank you for speaking up, it will make a differance. I never met you at MAS but I also was a volunteer. I also did Saturday mornings, Yappy hours and some weekday mornings. However I recieved an official letter telling me my services were no longer needed. I “interupted shelter operations by encouraging the public to inquire about animals”. The times I was there I was yelled at, mocked and ignored by SEVERAL HATEFUL volunteers. Fortunately I was able to work past that. I had to deal with Lasonya and her constantly nagging me about “yesbiscuit” I even had Jeanne say when a dog came into the shelter on a choke pole, she looked straight at me and said “I imagine this will be on yesbiscuit tomorrow”. I even heard Jeanne tell a perspective volunteer that she can’t be a volunteer bc she was a potential animal advocate.
Please understand if Jeanne keeps quit to keep her.volunteer position, why did she send out text messages about me getting fired to rescuers? Why won’t she respond to my emails about feral cat traps? Why am I not allowed to even “like” the FMAS Facebook page? I sent my neighbors to adopt a dog and bc I was connected to them on FB they were treated rudely and were discouraged from adopting. Why? Because Jeanne is a bad person. Ok, let Jeanne not speak up so she can keep her position, but don’t allow her to harass people. She is why the shelter is failing. (well hooks and hall too)
If they think the activist crazy train is a bad thing. At least we are doing something!!
But thank you for coming forward.
And for the record, Shirley will tell you I am rarely on yesbiscuit, and I kept several things out of the blog.
Has there ever been anyone considered “normal” that has ever changed the world? I don’t think so. I am happy to know that their is an “Activist Crazy Train”.
And sorry for the typos above I didn’t catch.
Not a problem for me… I learned to read computer, text..
How’d you find out about the laptop provided by the city?
I was going to suggest moderating comments on the blog — but this sort of person would simply divert herself to some other forum, such as the Friends of MAS FB page.
Just summarized what you’ve just done to PC, who is sitting here watching *Land of the Lost* on the teevee. He suggested that people who sockpuppet around the interwebz using lame pseudonyms oughta think twice about engaging in “outing.”
Good going! Love the post. No if only Jeanne could be run out of Memphis too.
Jeanne-Jeannie didn’t just out the person on YB, she went to the SOS Memphis FB page and to the abc24 FB page and did the same. Those are the ones we know of so far!
Awesome article! Hats off to that courageous volunteer!
Jeanne Chancellor is also listed as the contact person for a group called Responsible Animal Owners of Tennessee here:
http://www.vet.utk.edu/cait/countiesdetails.php?County=Shelby
Which is doubly bizarre when you look at their website:
http://www.raot.org/TRUTH.htm
Their site does not seem to be fully functional, but I did get to the link that says “to learn more about us, click here”, and ‘About Us’ link, and there is a letter from a Donna Malone, President. Maybe Jeanne USED to be with them??? Don’t know…
Isn’t Donna Malone one of the people who were opposed to the spay/neuter law?
Thank you so very much for your blog! You continue to reach out to the people, keep us informed and promote needed humane change!
It is a shame that we cannot trust our City of Memphis, Shelby County or State of Tennessee representatives to be truthful and to resolve this terrible MAS situation.
Although we have lost confidence in our “leadership” the taxpayers continue to expect the leadership to honor their wishes and work in the best interest of its taxpayers. We are still waiting and observing! At what point does this problem become the citizens’ fault for allowing this to continue?
I, as most people here, are shocked and amazed that this situation continues to go downhill like a wrecking ball! When you think it cannot possibility get any worse – it does just that – it gets much worse.
This situation is getting just too weird and the Memphis city officials are fighting change for the better much too hard – something else must be going on! So would someone who has the skills and experience to investigate please do just that – INVESTIGATE & FOLLOW THE MONEY!
Money could be the only thing that could possibly taint so many citizens, city employees and city leadership. Why else would any and all city employees and officials allow this situation to continue? Who’s making money from this abuse, who is making excuses and hiding what is going on? Why would anyone align themselves and protect those committing these acts? What do they stand to gain and lose if they don’t protect them?
Where’s the county or state lawyers and law enforcement? The city of Memphis obviously cannot handle this problem or they would have done it long ago. PLEASE, SOMEONE ELSE STEP IN! We have an awesome Attorney General, please step-in! I fear this is only scratching the surface of a more terrible problem in our local government, employees and leaders, crime and gangs. Why would anyone fight so hard to prevent change?
If the Memphis city leadership, etc. cannot handle this MAS issue, how can anyone believe they could handle a city budget, the rape, murder and other city crimes or even the city schools (– oops, they gave the schools to the county)?
If your average taxpaying citizen behaved in the manor of the MAS employees, we would be under the jail – so why are they being overlooked, protected and encouraged? Why do they have so much power OVER the city leadership, etc.? What do they know, who are they that make them so important that the city’s leadership will not make a change? What gives? I’m scared! Just who is running the city of Memphis anyway? And, I voted for Wharton, so this comment is not a political party statement. I just keep asking myself what else are these people doing that we don’t know about? What other criminal behavior is being overlooked and are the citizens in danger? Am I the only person in our area afraid?
I’m shocked that the leadership in the cities of Bartlett, Arlington, Germantown, Southaven, Olive Branch, Eads, Collierville, Lakeland, Millington and ALL of the suburbs aren’t investigating and pursuing this issue along with Shelby, Fayette, Tipton and Desoto Counties BECAUSE THIS AFFECTS THE REPUTATION OF ALL THE CITIES ADJACENT TO MEMPHIS! WE ARE BEING JUDGED BY THE ACTIONS OF A FEW ENEPT PEOPLE!
In this economy, are we really going to run off new industries and residents thinking of relocating to the Mid-South area? Do any of us really want to been known for the area that kills and starves dogs, especially if they look like a pit bull. I imagine that most at MAS doesn’t know the difference between a Boxer, Pit Bull or Lab! Next will it be “kill all spotted dogs, floppy ears or pink collars?” This just makes no sense!
Memphis leaders & the MAS – great way to be an example to our children and grandchildren! This IS an excellent example of showing my grandchildren to aim high because human nature seems to sink to the lowest level. I do hope MAS is at its lowest level but I fear they will prove me wrong, again and sink even lower.
And one comment to the friends of the MAS that condone this horrible behavior – birds of a feather flock together so I’d choose my friends more carefully!
Area residents please wake-up, those with the power or knowledge to aid this situation please do so quickly because the Titanic looks great compared to the sinking MAS and the City of Memphis!
Thank you!
I don’t want this to sound mean, please take it as observations from someone who lived in Tennessee but ‘ain’t from there’.
I moved to Tennesse in my early 40’s (the year was 1997) and found it mostly fascinating, often shocking, and often sad. Attitudes were frequently heart-breaking and dismaying, like the 20-year-old in college class scoffing at the idea that homosexuals could be born that way; he scornfully asked the others, “Whaaat – you think God makes MISTAKES???” The two of us arguing that homosexuals were indeed, ‘born that way’ were both in our 40’s and from other countries. The year was 1998, but my bet is that most still feel that way. (I will not say they ‘think’ that way because I believe this view is one of indoctrination, not thought and/or information.) My sweey friend felt guilty letting her 3 young boys watch Jurassic Park, because ‘we’re not supposed to believe in that’. My relatives made sure for many years that others did not know that they actually might have a bottle of wine in the house! And so on…
Unfortunately, the closed ranks cannot be attributed only to protecting ‘the money’ there, although of course the job market sucks so anyone losing their job at the shelter could have a tough time replacing the income. I lived in Tn for 12 years. One of the things I really noticed is that they can be absolutely, blindingly obstinate about ‘their way of life’ and not wanting or accepting ANY criticism in ANY way of ANY thing, and many are ultra-sensitive to the point that even a lot of things which AREN’T criticism are perceived as criticsim. Most have lived unusually insular lives for this day and age. ‘Outsiders’ are VERY suspect and rarely truly accepted (Tennesseeans being friendly doesn’t mean they will be your friend, but for those accustomed to more directness, it can fool you until you see and hear the backstabbing, lol.) Many feel they are superior already because they are in the Bible Belt, raised the ‘right’ way, and all others are suspect. Of course I do not mean EVERY person, but it’s a shockingly large percentage. When you get a place where most people hate the ACLU (ACLU meddles, they are against ‘the American way’, and they threw God out of the schools, you know) and are suspicious of education (they know some who got educated and turned away from God, so obviously education is a BAD thing!), you have a lot more than the usual obstinacy to break through, a lot tougher battle to change anything.
Tennesseans do NOT like to ‘rock the boat’ or stand up for anyone’s rights if it means there could be social friction. It was shocking to me to see the abuse that the local college students accepted. And yes, there is a strong ‘old boy’ system of favoritism and prejudice. Also, people don’t like to go against ‘this person’ because he’s the sister’s friend’s brother’s cousin, or ‘that person’ because they go to their church, or this one, because he’s ‘important’ in town (he’s the Mayor, you know; or maybe the police chief, or whatever)and so on. Despite the resentment it could engender (just a note: almost every student in my college class had at least one gun for personal protection!!), it may end up that a lot of ‘outsiders’ will be the ones to change MAS, because social activism is not valued. The definition of an outsider, by the way, is anyone who wasn’t born there, even if they have already lived there for, say, 30 years or so, or moved there when they were 7 years old. (No, I’m not kidding, although the town I lived in WAS smaller than Memphis, lol.)
Again, I am NOT trying to be mean. However, I grew up in a cosmopolitan city where I met people of many races and creeds (and even atheists, of course), so yes, it was a shock to find out that so many ‘Bible Belters’ think that atheists are devil-worshippers (or simply liars), Jewish people and others have bibles that are full of lies (they need to read the ‘real’ bible), and Catholics aren’t really Christians. That is what most of the Bible Belt is brought up believing, so one might guess that rationality and open-mindedness are not seen as good things. They basically trust only someone who ties everything up with their version of God, so maybe if you can get a well-liked BAPTIST minister to join the No Kill movement and preach about how God would want to save the animals and not kill them or neglect them or cause them to suffer, you could get somewhere.
Well that’s depressing. My only hope is that there are enough good people there who had the proper “home raisin’ ” to stand up and say, “No, this is wrong. No more.”
Yes, Debbie, very well put. And, a description that also fits some other places I’ve lived, just by changing around a few labels. I do especially like your suggestion on the Baptist minister.
Please write this in an editorial to The Commercial Appeal!!!!! Coming from a citizen, that would help get the message out to other taxpayers.
[Edited to add that this comment is in reply to the comment posted by P.G.M. above. – YesBiscuit!]
Holy 4chan . . . this is unbelievable. Thank you, Shirley, and thank you to the courageous volunteers who are speaking up at MAS, especially the one who was outed.
I had completely missed the 2/16/12 ABC24 story about how the city has known for weeks that dogs were being starved at the shelter. It’s just jawdropping that people paid with taxpayer money are allowing this to happen. Sickening, really sickening. And that Jeanne Chancellor would do nothing all this time except prevent reform of that awful place and put in danger those who are trying to help . . . well, what more do you need to know about her?
Nice work, Miss Shirley :-)
Speechless.
Me, too.
This is stranger than fiction! Trust me I know Jeanne is crazy, but to actually see WHAT went down blows my mind!
Maybe that “glitch” with Facebook will be fixed now and I will be able to “like” FMAS now.
When are the other 2 witches of MAS going to be outted?
Shirley, When I fist open my mail of your post and saw the title I was taken a back for a second. My name is Jeanne. Thankfully I am glad I am not that Jeanne you speak of. Seems to me she has to much baggage being her. If she is using all this energy to be sneaky. deceitful , instead of using that energy actually helping the animals at MAS then she has some serious issues. She is not much of a human being. She must know that herself why else would she act this way. Yes signs of a very sick person who needs to get help. I hope she reads this and gets herself out of society and get help.
MAS should be using their Chameleon software to list pictures and descriptions of all the animals on the Internet. That would help increase their return to owner rate and NO volunteers, including Jeanne, are needed. Time is of the essence and the Chameleon software could upload to Pet Harbor every 30 minutes. It is absolutely silly to have to wait on a volunteer to get a photograph of an animal on the Internet. Later, if volunteers wanted to take better photographs and post them, that would help adoptions.
That was asked about in the meeting with Hall/Hooks. We were told uploading photos via Chameleon had been disabled and would remain so.
Can Memphis taxpayers get their money back then? They paid for this expensive software which the city refuses to fully utilize.
It’s just another no cost way which MAS could implement immediately to save pets’ lives but they won’t do it. Sorry if I have a hard time blaming the “irresponsible public” for the killing in Memphis.
Shelby, did she say why that was? I thought that with the new building, new computers and all, it would be used…
Hooks even stated back in December, at the last MAS Advisory Board meeting (open to the public), that representitives were coming back to the shelter to give the staff more training on Cameleon. I’m fed up with her and Hall – all lies, deceit and sarcasm.
She said they were “hoping” to hire a volunteer coordinator to free up Tracy Dunlap from having to do the job. That new staff position would be responsible for handling Chameleon uploads because it wasn’t a matter of uploading every dog at once, it had to be done on a case by case basis and can’t be done by the staff they currently have.
Wow, that’s really good detective work. Thanks for striking yet another blow for the good guys (and dogs)!
I’ll combine several replies here-
Shirley, thank you for your endless efforts to help us here in Memphis.
Shelby, I know you’re in a really tough position, I hope you’ll still be around when (I have to believe it’s ‘when’, and not ‘if’) this mess is cleaned up.
Debbie, thank you for your poignant comments – as a Memphis transplant, who has lived in many other places, I agree with you. Thankfully, we have people who are trying to change this mindset.
Ona, thank you for bringing up the issue regarding the Chameleon software, one of several resources MAS has available, but refuses to use.
Thanks to recent news reports, and the protest yesterday, we now have the media’s attention – exactly what we need to call for accountability and major change at MAS. We must keep this momentum going. For those in Memphis, there is a meeting this evening to discuss these issues and all are encouraged to attend-
From the SOS Memphis Facebook page:
PLEASE SHARE —
Pet Owners, Rescues, Animal Advocates & Concerned Citizens
Please Join Us for a Special Meeting to Discuss
Recent News Reports Concerning Memphis Animal Services
Monday Evening, February 20, 2012, 6:30 PM
DeNeuville Learning Center
190 South Cooper Street
Memphis, Tennessee
(near Union Avenue / next to Ike’s)
Hope to see many of you there!
Jeanne is the person who lied to me about Stanley….and he was in terrible shape….terrible :( My question is….Why? I thought she cared about the animals.
I think she sold her soul to the devil a while back or wandered over to the dark side – however you want to look at it. Such a shame!
I am confused about the Friends of MAS group! I thought it was independent volunteers helping the MAS animals. According to their Facebook page it is a non-profit organization. Did the City of Memphis donate the computer/laptop to this organization? Is she supposed to be posting the animals on Petharbor? If so, she is doing a lousy job as there are no dogs posted in either the adoptable or lost section in 2012! Why does this group not post the dogs and cats needing adoption under Photos on its facebook page instead of on the Wall? It would be much easier to help these animals!
If I was given a computer to use I would be less likely to report any problems! I find this to be a conflict of interest since she is not using the computer appropriately and I believe it is an inappropriate use of taxpayers funds. Does the City of Memphis have a policy for computer usage? I assume she is an unpaid volunteer and not a city employee.
EXCELLENT JOB !! Did I say it loud enough? Let me say that again……EXCELLENT JOB !! I am so sick and tired of this. Get the point, share the facts and move on with it. Anyone can call themselves an “animal advocate” BUT, to lie, waste precious time to cover your own **** is evil in every sense of the word. Just have one thing to say to the “Jeannes” of the animal world. The real animal advocates are sick and tired of your games while we others stick to the goals at hand and work hard everyday for animals located nationwide. I’ve known this for sometime now about other fake advocates, volunteers, etc. but I too was reluctant to speak out due to not wanting to create drama in the advocacy world. BUT, the fakers out there are killing just as many animals as the shelters are and enough is enough. Anybody can say what they want, but it’s about time all of the TRUTH was shared and that’s my goal going forward. Not only will I share the truth about what happens to animals, but I will also share the truth about the Jeannes too. The animals deserve so much more and I for one am for them and them alone. So you fake advocates out there who proclaim glory and strive on your own ego trip, you better get ready !!!
Only 24 pets listed for adoption on MAS Petfinder listing today. http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?&shelterid=TN111
I really hope taxpayers there get angry. Shelby County, Kentucky can change the way they do things and stop accepting failure. http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=6492
Bottom line – what Jeanne does is “enabling”, not helping. She was there in 2009 and DID NOTHING TO STOP THE HORROR. So it continued. And continued. And keeps going.
I know that there are some good and effective volunteers at FMAS right now and I know that they feel like it’s just them standing between the animals and the abyss, some days. And they’re probably right.
But you have to realize that if you don’t advocate for change within FMAS, actively and steadily, nothing will change. There’s more of you than there is of them – and you will always have back up from former volunteers, the local rescue groups, and those of us who would like to see change happen.
These high school games have to stop. It’s time for the grownups to be in charge.
Again, I encourage you all to document, document, document. Everything you see, dates, times, places. Not things like “all employees took six smoking breaks in a one hour span”, but things like “four puppies in cage 41 left without water for eight hours” and “employee Smith seen scruffing adult cats with no body support while cleaning cages on such and such a day at such and such an hour – showed employee how to properly handle cats, but he refused to follow procedure”. You’re not a tattletale, you’re a witness.
Work together, support each other. Because if you don’t, nothing will change.
If you can’t be an advocate, then for your own sanity and the sake of your immortal soul, I strongly advise you to leave MAS and volunteer at another shelter. Go someplace where your work is valued, where you are valued, and where the animals are valued. You’ve seen what the culture of apathy has done to the employees at MAS (and to Jeanne) – they can’t tell right from wrong, anymore. They consider the lowest standards to be more than acceptable and they are lesser people for it. Don’t let it do that to you. Stay sane, stay good and kind.
Advocate for change, or get out and save yourself. Anything else will make you crazy…or worse, it will make you one of them.
Amen, Mikken. You always post things in such a profound and passionate way. I completely agree, you just said it better.
Shelby,
I wanted to wait until the piece aired tonight before writing this, but Jeanne Chancellor totally threw you under the bus. While abc24 and anyone else who knew about your story were trying to keep your identity a secret, she used multiple alias’ to post your name here on yesbiscuit, on SOS Memphis’ FB page and on abc24’s FB page. You are a very brave and courageous lady to come forward with your story, and as you can tell…we all are very grateful to you.
If you still want to volunteer for the animals, may I suggest Tunica Humane Society in Tunica, Mississippi. You will be totally amazed when you walk through the door of this no-kill shelter. The sign above the doors to the kennels says “Love Lives Here” and that may even be an understatement. The volunteers are all like family and the animals all have names instead of numbers. Give me a shout back thru YB if you’re interested and I’ll connect you with Sandy Williams, the executive director.
God bless you, Shelby! You did a really good thing in exposing the truth about the inept people running Memphis Animal Shelter.
Thanks for the kind words. Many of the volunteers knew I was doing it and encouraged me to do so, so it wasn’t shot in shadow to keep the shelter folks from knowing it was me. They know my glasses, my hairstyle, etc. I’m pretty sure I’m the only volunteer who has formally resigned so that was going to be a give away, too. I don’t know why she felt the need to call me out or why she’s taking this so personally. I was under the impression she was largely responsible for gathering the evidence for the 2009 raid so you would think she would completely understand why a volunteer would come forward with valid complaints but I guess I was wrong about that. On a side note, I thought it was hilarious that Hooks was interviewed at the shelter, as if she’s there all the time…. Hall and Hooks are the root of the problem. They will never allow a new director the latitude to run anything. Until they are gone the shelter will never improve beyond what it is now. One of my favorite things from the meeting was Hooks telling us that they can’t open on Sundays to the public because the staff should be allowed to worship. What the hell do the police department, the fire department and EMT’s do on Sunday? If they can make it work for those city government employees, why can’t they make it work for shelter employees?
Yes, we all know that Hooks and Hall are the weeds that need to pulled out of this equation, but Wharton also has to have the balls to do the right thing. After all, he is their boss (aside from the taxpayers). I suppose they’ve forgotten who pays the majority of taxes that the City of Memphis wastes on the slimeball employees at the shelter (and, I’m not talking about everyone) together with a new facility that is inefficient, poorly designed, and obviously already falling apart. They quickly placed the blame for the new facility design on the “previous administration”, but having worked with architects, I know they had plenty of time to revise the original design. They either chose not to do so or were too ignorant.
Hooks and Hall also need to remember that the taxpayers pay their salaries, and more and more are learning about their deceit. I’m sick and tired of the spin along with all the denials. As someone wrote above, both definitely fit the profile of narcissists. If the Mayor won’t get rid of them, he should at least take control of the shelter away from them. He should make a legitimate effort to privitized the shelter, instead of that lame performance during the holidays. Whoever comes in should be given full control rather than the garbage that was written in the last RFP.
Bottom line, they don’t care! And, we need to find a way (both civil and legal) to make them care. Mayor Wharton wants to blame the community instead of getting off his butt and cleaning up the neighborshoods where the dog fighting and backyard breedings are happening. If those animals could be spay/neutered, there would be a drastic drop in the number of pit bulls coming into the shelter to be put to death.
What an asinine statement from Hooks about opening the shelter on Sundays. The shelter could open at noon until 6pm to accomodate those who worship on Sundays. I’m curious who exactly she worships as the God I know, I’m sure, does not condone the killing of innocent animals. That continues to be the part that puzzles me the most – why not allow other rescues and volunteers to come in and make more aggressive efforts to get these animals adopted? Why are they so intent on killing, killing, killing?
Again, Shelby, God bless you for having the courage to stand up for the animals. Some of us may be a little crazy, but we all have one thing in common – we want to save as many of these animals as we possibly can.
It is so painfully difficult to sift the truth from the shit from where I sit, so it must be doubly confusing for people who are there. My gut feeling is that when the Nazis dispersed their columns to the far corners of the world, Memphis TN may have been one of the places some of the Ubermenschen hid. Has anyone (Shirley?) checked on people’s family trees?
If you are silent when evil is being done, you are NO LESS than COMPLICIT in the crime(s), assuming criminal acitivity can be proven. If Jeanne Chancellor is protecting herself and NOT those animals, then she cares less
for the animals than she does for her own image in public. I have heard the “I’m only doing it to stay for the animals” for far too many decades – it is the BIGGEST meme going to assuage your own guilt for remaining quiet whilst they suffer and die; it is about the most useless excuse of an excuse that I have ever heard. I’m sure the next group of kittens will look up into Jeanne’s eyes with forgiveness and understanding as the needle is jabbed into their leg(s). “Don’t worry, Jeanne, we understand that you only kept quiet for us…” ignorant doesn’t even scratch the surface. But some “people” can shut these things out and go on their merry way, believing they are so important to that late litter of kittens, who are now dead because you decided to keep quiet to help them. SAY FUCKIN’ WHAT?????
There is a serious issue of disconnect and dissociation that Ms. Chancellor is suffering from if she believes this crap, and she needs serious psychological intervention if this all is true.
And no, I am NOT dissing ALL the volunteers. But you know what, if this is the prevailing attitude, then Shelby is right, we are all just banging our heads against a wall. So, either direct action (read: non-violent non-cooperation, also known as Satyahgraha, or ‘truth force’) is needed, or its a no-show for compassion in Memphis.
Which brings me back to my favorite whine, AC Wharton. Ultimately, this is a City agency, so ultimately it goes straight back to his shit-eating grin and onto his filthy desk.
You are absolutely correct. This has been going on far too long. Too many evildoers and hypocrites. They like those evil people at MAS, helps them keep their jobs I guess, with those cushy paychecks. Very good post, and I intend to forward it to my MAS list of people, who just love getting these posts from me. I figure If I do it enough, they might do something. Hah, we will see. Bleh
I tried reading some of this to understand what all the slamming was about but got lost in all the slander. I have a huge problem however with the search of MY name coming up with this topic in the news feed. There is more than one person by the name of Jeanne Chancellor in the world. It saddens me that in search of harmless social media and photo sites that I have, people come across this. It shines no bright light on the topic at hand, just a bunch of people defaming a person’s name on the internet. It would be nice if this could be a little more tasteful and MY name and whoever else has been birthed with the name Jeanne Chancellor.
so sorry you took it personally… if you would please read the blog, you’d know that it has nothing to do with you
It’s clearly explained which Jeanne Chancellor the post is about in the first paragraph. Sorry but people have similar/identical names in the world and so too, on the world wide web.
Really? Really???
Hey, Shirley:
My name is Marlene Cota and I am hoping that you can get in touch with me to follow up on the current goings on at MAS. Innocent dogs (and likely cats) are dying at the hands of the new regime…we are trying to band as many rescue groups as possible to pull off a coup. I applied for a board position…of course that fell on deaf ears. Alexis Pugh is nothing more than a highly paid FOP (friend of a politician) and now she’s hired another mass murdering friend (Whitney Van Zandt) from her Humane Society days to join her in the frivolity at MAS. It is completely out of control…help us help the animals. I can be reached via email at ucamcota@aol.com.