This is a clip of security camera footage obtained via FOIA request from the Memphis pound. At about 9:33am on the timestamp, a worker scruffs a puppy out of his cage, failing to support his weight from beneath, and roughly places the puppy into a small wire cage on the floor. The puppy’s leg is hanging over the side of the cage and the worker closes the door on the leg 4 times until the puppy finally frees his leg. Another puppy is scruffed and put into the small cage and the worker then goes out of camera view. At approximately 9:34, the worker returns, stuffs 2 more puppies into the cage and carries the cage off camera. At about 9:42am, the worker returns with an empty wire cage, scruffs 2 more pups, putting them into the small cage and carrying them away.
If you choose to contact city leaders in Memphis, please keep your comments respectful. We can condemn what’s going on at the pound while maintaining civility and a sense of professionalism. If the city receives 2000 well written complaints and 2 filled with hate speech, it will take those 2 to the media as representative of all animal advocates. In order to have the greatest impact on helping the pets at MAS, please keep your comments courteous when writing to city officials.
That worker can’t even show a smidgen of compassion by just picking up the puppies from underneath and gently putting them into the wire cage (to be taken to the kill room undoubtedly). Nope. Gotta show those puppies that he just doesn’t give a rats ass about them.
You’re right on there. It’s a darn shame! There should have been at least two to three people in that room gently handling those pups. What the hell is wrong with our world today? You would think that we would have evolved by 2012 into a more caring society. Guess it hasn’t happened yet.
This is horrible…there are far to many people needing jobs to keep someone like this handling living beings. Their lives are in evil hands when you keep someone like this employed to work with them . This makes me so sick …PLEASE be kind and get rid of this kind of help and hire someone who cares
Deborah Chisholm
I totally agree with you. These animals are suffering enough, then to add the rough of hand of the last person to hold you before you are put to sleep….
This guy isn’t happy or compassionate in his job! These precious pups don’t have a voice so we have to be. Get rid of him!!!
The reason they can’t hire someone who cares is because you can’t find someone who cares to put down helpless puppies for no other reason than existing. I know that in their final moments you need to show them love and compassion but I couldn’t love them and then kill them. I would get fired and my home condemned for having 900 dogs and cats there. I don’t understand why we have to be so cruel to these poor animals. I am not vegan or vegetarian but I don’t believe animals should be punished for being animals. Be responsible, spay and neuter your pets!
He’s the same POS that grabbed a dog from a top cage and just let it drop to the floor! How can he be doing this….getting video taped AND still be allowed to work there!!!!
Such a shame that only one of his hands works at any given time. Otherwise, he could have used a second hand to support the puppy’s weight as is correct procedure. Clearly a medical issue, this “only one hand functions at a time” thing that makes him physically unfit for shelter duty. I do hope that Mr. Rogers finds him a nice position elsewhere in the city.
Wharton is just going to say you’re misinterpreting what’s going on.
This is the same worker that used a choke pole on a tiny puppy that was in an upper cage. This man is the worst. I can’t believe how he handle those tiny babies. He stuffed 4 puppies in that cat cage.
so bad, so bad to watch. good grief. that cage is sooo small. how can he just pile them up like that. oh god, i am getting sick. what a place. a disgrace
I have the sinking feeling that what’s going to bother me the most when all of these videos are compiled is the fact that it’s all taking place in one day. A single day.
Is there ANY reason to not just take the puppies to wherever they went, one at a time, carrying them in his arms, like normal people would?
He IS the same Troll I’ve seen over & over in the old shelter abusing dog after dog. He has no business working with animals. He’s more suited to yard work, but not MY yard.
WHEN are these cruel and unfeeling workers going to be fired and removed from these positions? These innocent animals are already terrified and need to be treated with care and compassion. All they get from the MAS employees is rough treatment that is cruel and unneccessary. Watching these clips makes me feel sick to my stomach, but it is necessary to watch them so that we can speak up on behalf of these voiceless victims.
Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting to see these poor little pups treated like dirty laundry. Worse yet for me is seeing who is probably momma looking on from the large kennel and seeing her babies taken away. The cage cards are an indicator that they are headed to the kill room.
Mikken, the videos are all from 12 hours so prepare yourself! It’s not going to be pretty. I’m about ready to vomit now.
Fire his ass.
Did anyone notice the cute little tail wagging out the right side of the cage. Those sweet puppies did not deserve that. None of the animals do. Hopefully, things will soon change. There’s just no excuse for this.
The video isnt loading well on my phone but what I did see was that puppy’s tail wagging thru the cage. Everytime the man opened the cage to shove in another puppy the first puppy would start wagging his tail.
So sad.
Yes. I noticed that too. It is very, very sad. Please join the No-Kill Movement lead by Nathan Winograd. You can find this on facebook or google.
Anybody notice that he actually worked to tuck legs IN on the last few puppies? He’s perhaps trainable…
Although four pups in that itty bitty cat cage was horrid. And I really hated watching the first two just sit there alone on the floor…why couldn’t he have taken them away with him and come back empty for the other two?
The biggest heartbreaker for me is that this was perhaps the last human contact these little ones had before they died. No kiss on the nose, no loving snuggles before they are sent off forever…
I was that little tail wagging. Had that puppy known that it was “Suitcase Man” he would have been flattened along the cage bottom. Poor little innocents…….they just don’t know what’s to come.
I saw…..
I posted a video from yesterday on Channel 3, 5, and 24’s Facebook page and only got one(1) comment. I can’t believe it. Will y’all please comment on my post on those new’s pages as to strengthen the weight of the post so the news people will respond and possibly take action? Thank you.
BTW, that one(1) comment was from a close friend.
I’ve been away from my computer all day.. but I post twice… I didn’t get any comments… I’m going to keep posting …
Sorry, Mike – was in the hospital yesterday, but I’m back at it today. :-) Just commented on your vid on NC3’s page. I noticed several others have posted vids as well, so the word is obviously getting out!
Thank you Nikki! I hope you are feling better.
what is the link where you posted so i can comment?
Hi Gayle. Here is one of them:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/We-Support-Carol-Lynch-of-the-Memphis-Animal-Shelter/161881410596241#!/wreg3/posts/283354865071330
I can’t watch it. I’m already sick to my stomach just from reading your comments. Its never ending.
That is Frank “Suitcase man” Lightfoot aka Pitbull Fighting Man. Taking the puppies to the kill room! The worst of the worst. Remember him from last year!?!?! FIRE HIM NOW!!!!
I remember him very well
He was/is a pitbull fighter and now hes working at MAS?? Omg!! I didnt know about him..
On April 28,2011, the Memphis Flyer published an article which included a webcam image of this employee, Frank Lightfoot, carrying a dog by the neck. The shelter’s policy manual states that small dogs are not to be suspended by the back of the neck as a method of control, unless there is no other practical method of safely handling the animal. The puppy in the image has been dubbed “the little suitcase dog,” because Lightfoot was carrying it like one might carry luggage, and this is one of several hundred images that have been indelibly engrained in the minds of animal advocates throughout the world:
http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/little-suitcase-dog/Content?oid=2757846
I sent James Rogers an email asking what training has been implemented to prevent Frank Lightfoot and possibly other employees from continuing to violate the shelter policies regarding how to humanely hold a dog.
I also asked him how long will the current administration continue to allow employees at Memphis Animal Services to give this facility and the city of Memphis a bad image throughout the world.
When I have visited Memphis Animal Services, I have observed Lightfoot on several occasions carrying a basketful of puppies, more than likely, to the kill room. On the last occasion that I saw him doing this, he had a sick, almost excited, look on his face. I do not believe this man has a soul.
I wish I could slap that so-called man. He needs to be carried in the same manner.
The idea that this man sees these babies as nothing but something to kill should be our first problem. Babies! we are killing babies???? This is down right evil, and I cannot believe that the people of Memphis don’t step up to the plate and demand that changes occur? You people support this horror place, you pay with your money, do something to stop this and the abuse that is happening.
What is wrong with our morals that we continue to do such horrible and inhumane acts against God’s creatures. These are his creations and do you think he feels that what is happening is good? I mean he did say when they were the first to be created that it was good? Then man came along and wow how things change. We have become a country where the only thing we can come up with is to kill, baby kill. This is without any form of morals and it must stop. Why is it that the most innocent of all inncents are the ones to never have any protection? What has happened to our thinking that we feel they do not deserve to live? We have to take a look at ourselves and see just how evil we truly are and make changes.
This is heartbreaking and just DOWN RIGHT WRONG!
There is a revolution. It is called the No-Kill Revolution. Led by Nathan Winograd. People need to be educated and must stand up for the animals and be their voice. Until ALL animal containment facilities are No-Kill facilities. (Won’t call these places shelters).
I WAS WONDERING WHY HE HELD THEM AS IF HE DID NOT WANT TO EVEN TOUCH THEM…MUCH LESS TAKE CARE OF THEM!!! THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE SCREENED BETTER…WORKING WITH “LIVE” ANIMALS IS MUCH MORE THAN A “PRODUCTION LINE”!!!
I’ve just sent an email (cc’d to Mayor Wharton and James Rogers) to Louis Goggans (the author of the Little Suitcase Dog article at the Flyer) with a link back here, asking him to revisit this, with the new info shown in the vid. Many thanks to STOPITNOW and shelbylucy1 for providing the exact info I needed for the email! My hope is that Mr. Goggans will run another article ASAP, while this is a ‘hot button’ issue for the media. I’ll update here with any response I receive.
Jamming all those puppies in one tiny cage. Not giving one minute bit of care before being killed. Shame on these animal shelters, which should not even be called shelters. But, the fact remains. How many of us commenting here, would be willing to go there and rescue all those puppies and take them home? How many of us would be able to do the dirty work day in and day out without becoming numb to it? Animals just like these are dying day in and day out at a shelter near you. Unless that shelter is a NO-KILL shelter. There you will undoubtedly find workers who care.
Piece of shyt…I think I can get his fat azz in that little cage…may have to squeeze him in a bit and maybe slam the door on that ugly mug a few times…but I think I can do it :)
I hope that pup’s leg did not get injured or broken! How difficult can it be to shut a door without the pup being in the way.
Can MAS not even adopt out puppies or were these pups ill? I would like to know!
I really don’t understand how anyone could be so cold and uncaring to such a helpless baby. Why have we become such a cruel and heartless people? If these babies were being taken to their death, this is the last thing they get. When we put murderers to death, we treat them better than this during their last moments. I’m so sad and deeply disappointed to see that we can’t even be decent to an animal in his/her last moments. Even in a bad economy we can afford to be kind. I must admit I find comfort knowing that God is watching ALL of us and we will be held accountable.
Memphis: What an corrupt city government made up of unethical people to allow animals to be abused, EVEN WHILE THEY WATCH on security cameras!
This is a non-partisan issue, not about one political party or another. It’s about allowing vulnerable animals in your care to be abused. Yes, it IS abuse when staff are not using equipment properly and mishandle animals. This a complete lack of leadership. I hope cruelty charges are laid against the mayor like has been done in other cities.
I am truly sickened by the way this worker treats these poor defenseless animals. This is supposed to be a shelter- a safe place. For some this is all they will have until they are euthanized. Would it kill him or any of these workers to show some sort of compassion? When will this stop? There are cameras, why does this shelter continue to let this happen? Does anyone even care?
To continue to employ any human that lacks compassion, gentleness, kindness, basic animal intelligence and respect for living, feeling beings in a “Shelter” environment is the equivelant of employing a thief to watch your money. Furthermore, if this obvious abusive treatment displayed in this video does not result in severe punishment and immediate termination of this employee, it will serve as a silent approval of the abuse displayed.
This is very disturbing.I think this shelter should be a lot more discerning about who they hire,it should be a prerequisite that the workers be more intelligent tHan the animals-and this idiot needs to be terminated immediately-What other cruelty has He gotten away with?Its a slap in the face to all shelter worKers,everywhere,whoPlenty of good humans out of work would gladly replace this excuse for a human being-gives all of Memphis a bad name! Elvis would flip out if he saw this!
His actions are deplorable! Shame on him! He should be fired. No animal deserves to be treated that way. How would he like it if he was stuffed into a cage with 3 others? What a bad, bad man. It is time for the shelter to straighten up and get their act together and fire all the unfit humans that work there.
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
I dont think he is a bad man, I think he mad a bad judgement call putting so many pups into 1 cage. He was not abusive to these animals. Like I’ve stated below, when he was shutting the cage he was giving the pup a chance to move his leg. Mother dogs also carry the pups by the scruff so the dogs wouldn’t of knows any diffrent. Is everyone expecting him to cuddle and kiss these puppies? All workers in this field must keep emotions and attachments out of thier work. He needs to be spoken to stearnly by his boss. Not fired or sent to hell to burn like so many people are wanting.
I agree with you, Jerilee. There are some fields of work, that most of us just could not do. In the film, the worker does not look like he is abusing the pups. Yes, he is acting distant toward them. He must be in order to do the job. If he were to start giving them hugs and kisses, I doubt highly if he could do this. Putting them all together in one small wire kennel? Well, that he should be admonished for. The fact that he even has to do this job, is not his fault. It is all the fault of society, which keeps breeding pets needlessly, and dumping them when they grow tired of them. 5500 dogs are killed each day in animal shelters across the US. I don’t know how many cats, but I am sure it is more. We can do something about that, so this worker, and others like him don’t ever have to do this again.
This man is a sadist and should not be in charge of animals at all. It’s not just a job for money but a caring for animals role!
OMGosh!! You know though, these kind of people exsist or there wouldn’t be kill shelters. There is no way a caring compassionate person could gas a dog, let alone a puppy. This just breaks my heart. Does he go home at this end of his work day and tell how his day went? Makes me sick!! If it was me I would be sneaking them out to my jeep and telling whomever I had to answer to, oh yes, all done. Poor little babies. . .Gonna go hug my baby now.
Shame on that worker like the comments above now they are killing babies,they are so sweet if the place wasn’t so far away I’d adopt and that worker should be fired thats so wrong place its wrong to me and other people agree don’t take puppies from there knowing what they are doing!Shame on all of you that do this they deserve to live and be treated with love,this makes me so mad!
How can any offical of that town/city watch this video and not do their civic duty in putting stop to this type of treatment? Is Memphis that desperate for workers that they would still allow this person employment? Cannot believe that he’s still there.
This man has no compassion whatever, yet noiice one beautiful baby wagging it’s tail. This creep doesn’t deserve any love from this little one.
If you must destroy these babies at least show them some love & use a vet to humanly “KILL” these poor animals.
Because you are “KILLING” them.
I hope karma gets him, because he deserves it big time.
Crying tears for these babies
To whom it may concern,
I hope you’re watching those clips of that worker @ MAS. My first question is can you actually live with yourself knowing this kind of cruelty is going on and you have the power to stop it but don’t? I realize not everyone loves animals, but that doesn’t make it ok for this to be happening and nothing being done about it. I hate to tell you but an animal has a heart and guess what? Blood does run through their veins. God created these lovely creatures to help provide companionship during times that are hard and no one else knows how to comfort us a dog or cat always knows how to come to our rescue when we need it the most. They show more compassion than any human could ever show, and all we could ever give back to them is to be treated unfairly and in a cruel way. If you notice they will always come back to you wagging their tail with a smile on their face with hopes that you would change. These animals were given patience to deal with humans like us, so why not show some compassion back to them and help to put a stop to all these inhuman acts we keep doing to them. If anything we should learn how to be accepting of things through them. They can’t speak for themselves so I will say it for them. They deserve a fair change at life to be treated with respect as they always treat us. They also deserve to be happy in life. You may not be happy but they deserve to be. They did absolutely nothing wrong to be treated as they are being treated. If you have a child think of how you would feel if your child was being treated this way. Would you like it? Well God feels the same way. So please help to put a stop to all this hatred. Lets all work together at making this world a better plaace to live one dog or cat at a time.
I feel it is our job to address such issues. These are foundational issues in our personalities and in our society. I am certain that the pound is over flowing and overwhelmed. I can imagine that there are days that the workers feel overworked and under appreciated. However, they choose to work here and they should display a stronger work ethic. I wonder if they would be more considerate if these were humans? These animals are on this earth because of us humans!! We have bred them and been irresponsible owners, poor keepers and many humans abandon their companions. We have created most of the animak problems that exsist so we are responsible for fixing the problems. I strongly feel that the personnel for these facilities need to be screened better and obviously observed closer. This is a horrible manner in which to treat animals. It sends a message that we have no respect for their lives and not much for our own with this display of disrespect. Remove the worker from the job and hire more compassionate people. There should be a specific test given to prospective pet owners to see if they are the right kind of people to own a pet.
I can only pray that this monster is no longer employed. There far too many people unemployed for something like this to continue. This monster shows no compassion for these babies, not a care in the world, get this monster a job cleaning toilets.
Why do we continually hire these animals to take care of helpless and speak less pets? They have no voice and continue to be abused, beaten and killed. Please I implore you to do something .
Fire the cruel jerk. Someone who cares needs a job.
This is hardly a “shelter” but is rather a torture chamber. I find it unfathomable that Memphis allows this sort of thing to continue. Shame on them – the workers at the shelter and the administration as well. This man should have been discharged from this position a long time ago and those in power should be voted out of office. Come on you folks from Memphis, raise your voices and demand change! Step into the future and become a no kill facility and hire only those who will treat the animals in their care with some degree of humanity and compassion! This is a disgrace!
what a piece of shit he is put this all over face book and tweet everyone you know and get him fired.and raise some hell till we are all herd . so sorry to all the fur babies who are stuck in there with that piece of shit of a person shame shame on you .carma will get you .and its gonna be pertty f……. hot were you will go .shame shame. ill pray for you all sweet ones .
I can understand why so many people are getting upset but from what I can see the guy shuts the door gently, lifts it up, and back down again a few times to give the puppy a chance to move it. I do not see any abuse in this video. He could of been more concerned with how many pups he puts into 1 cage. That is something to look at, in reguards to grabbing the scruff anyone who knows anything about mother digs is they grab their own pups that way to move them. Mother dogs dont have hands to support its bum. This is just upsetting people because there are puppies being put into a tiny cage. He wasn’t throwing or hitting or slamming these little pups. Could he have been more gentler? Sure. He does need a talking to from his supervisor but to write hate mail?? That is excessive. And this is coming from someone who has a zoo full of rescued amazing animals, not to mention I work everyday with wildlife. So I know an abuser when I see one. This guy isn’t it.
Jerileebee, are you serious? Your first sentence contradicts your last. With phrases like, “He could have been more concerned” and “puppies being put into a tiny cage” and “Could he have been more gentler? Sure.” Your comments here remind me of a dog that constantly gets abused, yet still wags his tail in a show of forgiveness and love. Stop wagging this guys tail. This ain’t T-Ball where you get unlimited swings until you hit the ball. He is an adult. Strike three…you’re OUT! This guy as been disciplined multiply times and even forced to go to therapy. If you don’t think this guy is abusive from all the video’s and still pic’s that this guy has been seen in I fear for every animal in your “zoo”. I wonder…is your real name Janet Hooks?
You would think the remaining hours of these poor puppy and dogs lives would be filled with compassion and tlc , but this goes to show what happens behind closed doors is just wrong. im glad this video is being seen. we need to save as many of these babies before this prick and many more like him dont continue doing this.
what is more sickening, is i doubt anything happened.to him. maybe fired from this job but no charges or anything
were they euthanized?
or adopted/rescued?
My blood is boiling over this video. How can anyone with this cram this many pups in a small kennel and it be justified.
I am writing to you in the hopes that you can find someone to go in there and treat those babies like they should be treated. Theere is no need to hurt them or miss treet them. They are living breathing thing that deserve a soft touch and a lot of caring. Please, Please don’t hurt these little annimals.
He needs to be fired! Find a loving person that truely loves animals and show compassion. Those poor babies dont deserve that treatment. What is wrong with people anyway?????
Please understand that these are LIVING CREATURES, and we need compassion when we work with them on a daily basis. We must learn that tolerence for all living things must be followed. Please have patients FOR ALL of our creatures on this earth.
This is disgusting. Every living being has the right to be treated with dignity. A society can be judged by how it treats it’s animals.
Ok, so you now have the security tape showing abuse….what is anyone going to do about it? If it’s true this man is guilty of abusing animals over and over, why is he still working there? Stories like this make my blood boil! It’s bad enough that pounds such as this exist, but it’s ten times worse to have people working there that have no compassion for animals!
WHY IS HE STILL EMPLOYED??????
Fire his pathetic ass!!!!
Shame on him, and the fact that he was on camera, and Nothing was done to fired him then, What does that say about the people viewing this tape, knowing it is a co-worker hurting innocent puppies. He should have been fired, right on the spot. And then dumb his ass in a cage!!
I was under the impression it was the Police department overseeing/monitoring the live web cameras.
Yes, the tape was given to the police department by the Memphis pound, but should have been fired right then.
so has there been any statement from the police about the abuse? Or are the being paid to look the other way? This is clearly animal abuse.
Why are the puppies being stuffed into tiny cages? & where is this poor excuse of a human being with no compassion taking them?
This is so sad. Putting the abuse aside (which I know is a hard thing to do), he has way too many puppies in that cage thing he’s carrying around. Even though puppies are small, there should only be one to a cage, not 4 or 5. And then putting the abuse on top of it, and knowing that they are most likely going off to their death, makes me even sadder. They are just puppies for goodness sakes!! What monsters
i thought the same thing.. 1 pup in that cage .. if your gonna carry more get a larger cage!!! give them some love the last few minutes of their life…
That man who kept hurting that puppy should never be allowed around animals. He was caught this time but how many other animals has he harmed. You don’t know. But animals workers should understand that compassion is a must. They should fire this vile person and put him in jail….I have no respect for anyone who thinks its okay to abuse defenseless and sweet creatures….
ever notice its about the same people??? and why not get a bigger cage to take these pups… arg… at least give them some respect for their last moments!!!! I have had to be a part of putting pets down… some of them just want a hug the last few moments of their life… what ever happened to giving respect to creatures before takign their life… Sorry my native american side comes out , wantign to ask them for forgiveness before having to end it… and you dont just throw them in small cages and treat them like trash .. ARG!!!!!
Why is this guy aloud to handle these poor babies this roughly? And why is he putting 4 pups that big into a cage that is only made for maybe 2 but looks like a 1 pup cge? Why is he handling them like that and no one knows about it? How come no one checks the cameras to make sure these babies are not being treated like garbage? This guy needs to be fired, and not be around animals period, sad sad sad .
they are on the way to the kill room
This make’s me so sick that these people do this and get away with it all they get is suspended they should get fired and put in jail and be banned from working in shelters or with animals these poor animals are like children they trust you and love you and you abuse them they don’t have a voice they cant say anything all they hope for is that the person hurting them gets caught and gets in trouble which they don’t just think about someone abusing you and you don’t have a voice to get help these poor dogs cats need help and people that have a heart and care are the only ones who can do something about it
You are a sick, sick person….
People with patience and compassion should be working with animals. People working with animals for the money should not be doing this type of work. This man is cruel and uncaring. It is not easy working with animals, one should do it because they love animals not because they are waiting for a paycheques.This man needs to find new employers.
That employee working for you needs ti be fired and if not your just as much responsable as hr is and he’s a basterd!
Shelters people who not treating the animals right! Must be fired! They should treating the animals with respect and love. Evil people must fired from the kennel. They don’t believe don’t belong there because their don’ t have a heart for animals. They must go!
Sent letter and shared with sample letter on my blog: http://our-compass.org/2012/03/19/mas-worker-shuts-cage-door-on-puppys-leg-four-times-send-sample-letter-to-mas/