From the Memphis Commercial-Appeal:
[Carol] Lynch, the Memphis Animal Services employee who filed a police report alleging cruelty at the facility, was accused of a “major infraction” in a charge letter issued by the city.
Lynch, who has worked for Memphis Animal Services for 22 years, is charged with failing to properly document a cruelty case. The letter, signed by MAS Field Supervisor David Johnson, also accuses her of being “incompetent, inefficient and unprofessional.”
That charge letter was issued Feb. 14, eight days after Lynch filed the Feb. 6 police report alleging that animals weren’t being cared for properly at the facility.
This is what retaliation in a corrupt city government looks like.
This is why more good people at MAS do not speak up.
This is why animals at the Memphis pound continue to suffer.
This is why I still have my volunteer application – this would be me. Getting “in trouble” for speaking out, telling the truth as I see it. Possibly arrested for punching someone if they got in my face like it appears in the photo – wow – can you just SEE the body language?
Anyone is welcome to speak out for the animals here. I won’t get in your face and you won’t have to punch me. Just FYI. : )
I understand your feelings. My local kill shelter is only open for 2 hours all weekend long yet they kill pets “for space” and blame the public. One Saturday I asked Billy to double check the open hours b/c I have a box of treats and canned food on the kitchen table and I was going to donate. When he checked and told me they are only open for 2 hours, I flew into a profanity-laced tirade. Luckily only Billy had to suffer through it and nobody called the cops.
What are we looking at in the webcam image above?
It appears to me to be 3 women in positions of leadership at MAS. I am basing that speculation on their attire (no worker uniforms), the fact that they don’t appear to be looking for their lost dog (the only reason any member of the public was ever allowed back in this area at MAS) and they appear to be unescorted (another requirement for the public, although there does appear to be a couple of employees behind them, talking to one another). The body language is suggestive of a heated discussion.
If she was so “incompetent, inefficient and unprofessional” then why did they keep her for 22 years? I visited the MAS Tues. Feb. 21st. and a volunteer (her first day) gave me a tour. 90% of every kennel had feces and urine in them. One had vomit. I never saw any full time employees. This lady was ‘in her years’ and told me she had already cryed twice that day. It was only 2:30pm.
Carol Lynch was one of the “whistle blowers” responsible for the 2009 raid. Mr. David Johnson was the person on tape that LaSonya Hall was instructing to kill all pitbulls! MAS is going to hell in a hand basket!!! GOD BLESS THE ANIMALS.
Could Janet Hooks be anymore inept in business? Wharton is in denial of her abilities and keeps giving her more divisions when the shelter and second chance are disasters. I cannot understand why you would need volunteer papers that ask you to not interview with the media unless you have something to hide. Most non-profits place their volunteers in front of any camera for the attention of it.
Tennessee is a sunshine state and they pay taxes. Finally, they can arrange for a lawyer to write up an employee for termination and that would be the one that is actually WORKING…but nothing can be done for the rest of them doing nothing. This is Wharton’s waterloo. Hooks needs to go.
My oh my; what a tangled web we weave when we try to deceive! Hooks and Hall are going to eventually get their just due and I hope it’s sooner than later! God willing they will have lots of company.
I read with interest the CA on this, but more interesting was the discussion comments that followed it. People are not stupid! Carol Lynch is not the bad guy here. She is the lone good guy that reported the abuse and now is being crucified for it.
For 22 years she’s done her job. No one else can say the same thing. She did her job, that being proper care of the animals. That includes speaking up for them when they are abused by the very shelter that is suppose to care for them.
Good job Carol. You have lots and lots of people cheering for you. Keep you head up and held high because you had the courage to speak up for those dogs and cats.
Totally agree! GREAT job, Carol! Retaliation at it’s finest form by the stooges of City of Memphis government.
This makes me want to vomit. REALLY?! A 22 yr veteran employee! GAH!
“It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there will be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948);
I thought Glenn Andrews was a good guy. SMH!!! Where does the shelter vet Dr. Coleman stand in all of this mess???
There is Whistleblower protection under federal law. She has rights. Not to mention, she’s probably a union employee and is protected even farther. Certainly this charge letter won’t hold up in court. Her first step is to seek an attorney and file a retaliation charge against MAS. So long as Carol Lynch has a good faith belief that her employer’s conduct is unlawful, he or she can challenge that conduct protected from retaliation and we all know the conduct at MAS is unlawful.
I’ll be the first to stand in line and help pay the attorney fee.
I’ll join you in that line!
Why does there seem to be so much push back and resistance to change that helps the animals? I keep asking this of several people in the rescue community and get no response. Is it because they make money for each killing? A bonus for abuse? I’m not trying to be crummy sarcastic, there has to be a reason these useless political officials are digging in. Does anyone know? Not just in Memphis, but all over the country…
http://www.nathanwinograd.com/
http://www.examiner.com/animal-welfare-in-atlanta/i-was-there-one-volunteer-s-view-of-a-shelter-s-transition-to-no-kill
http://www.rescue50.org
http://yesbiscuit.wordpress.com
Because doing it the right way requires them to have people who care and it takes actually working and doing their job instead of doing what they want and having no accountability. You can go back in this blog for example after example and more stupid reasons than you can count. The above links read in that order will give a pretty good intro to the nokill movement. I included yesbiscuit in case anyone copies those links.
@Shawn – I think about this a lot….and for a long time. It’s like a blend of perfect storm factors in my humble opinion. And off the top of me head…..
Corruption, power in the wrong hands, a broken antiquated animal control system, bullies running the facilitiies – often bullies that actually enjoy killing animals and bullying people, retaliation tactics in play such as opposition to TNR, pet limits, bans on certain breeds of dogs. (veterinarians prices for spaying and neutering unaffordable for many is a huge factor though not retaliatory, just the shits though)
Now shake it all up and its a toxic brew for oppression (of people) and death (for animals) Not just in Memphis, but all over the country….
Could be effective?… a whistleblower lawsuit initiated against animal control facilities (backed by our tax dollars) for fraud……the only thing these thugs understand is threats to their precious dollars.
Can someone let Carol Lynch know about this page created in her support?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/We-Support-Carol-Lynch-with-the-MAS/161881410596241?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/We-Support-Carol-Lynch-with-the-MAS/161881410596241
Ive never seen people so resistant to change in my life.
Im hoping it all works out for Lynch.