An e-mail written by Memphis Animal Services (MAS) interim director James Rogers on June 23, 2012 reads, in part:
From: James.Rogers@memphistn.gov
Date: June 23, 2012 6:46:33 PM EDTAs of this message we have 379 animals in our facility. We have 279 posted on PetHarbor.
The new $7.2 million MAS facility has the capacity to house 555 pets. Of the 379 animals stated by Mr. Rogers as being in the pound on June 23, some were likely sharing cages (litters with or without mamas). But even if every one of the 379 was in his own cage, that would leave 176 cages empty.
Yet on June 23, MAS killed 32 pets, primarily for “space”. Via a FOIA request, the complete records for these 32 animals are available as pdfs here (part 1), here (part 2) and here (part 3). These are some of the 32 pets MAS put into the dumpster that day:
Cat #242257 was impounded as a stray by MAS on June 15. She aborted a fetus that day. Someone was interested in adopting her but on June 21 she was noted as being “lethargic” so they killed her for “health” on June 23. There were at least 176 empty cages where she could have stayed while receiving vet care, had anyone at MAS been interested in saving her:
Three cats, all young and apparently healthy and friendly, were killed on June 23 because the owner requested death. There were at least 176 empty cages at MAS on June 23 where these cats could have been housed and eventually adopted, had anyone at MAS been interested in saving them. One of those cats is listed as being 3 months old:
Dog #242748 was impounded for killing by request on June 22 but nobody got around to doing it. On June 23, James Rogers put him on the kill list for space, despite having at least 176 cages empty:
Dog #242396 was impounded as a stray on June 16. She had an injured foot. She received no treatment although she did have an exam on June 20 which verified the injury. On June 23, after a week at MAS without treatment for her injury, she was killed for space despite at least 176 cages sitting empty:
Dog #242434 was impounded in connection with a cruelty case on June 18. MAS killed him for space on June 23 despite having at least 176 empty cages in the facility:
How many more, Memphis?
We need to reach the level of public awareness that will make a difference. Sounding off just doesn’t work in Memphis because nobody listens and nobody seems to care about MAS. It is such a shame and I hope someday this will all change. Thanks for all you do.
Memphis, you are disgusting. I was born and raised in this city and it has turned into a s*!t-hole. What a disgrace. I pray that those in control of this find the karma they deserve for these actions, but apparently they are heartless bastards that wouldn’t know it if it hit them.
Again, I’m sitting here feeling sick to my stomach after reading the post and seeing the pictures of those beautiful, innocent animals. Again, I’m outraged that the taxpayers of Memphis are not in an uproar about this needless slaughter of adoptable, friendly and healthy animals in their city. Again, I’m outraged that the employees here seem to dislike animals and don’t advocate to keep them alive and get them adopted.
When will Memphis citizens wake up and demand change at MAS?
This whole thing is beyond disturbing.
The owner requests for killings also concern me – how do you know a person is really the owner? How do you know that this is not a malicious neighbor or ex-spouse or someone with bad intent trying to get another person’s animal killed? This is one of the many reasons why EVERY incoming animal should be put on Pet Harbor and made public. For all we know, MAS is complicit in pet thefts/destruction simply because they do not have life saving as their primary goal.
Doncha know, they “have” to kill the babies so they won’t get sick!
I’ll tell you what’s sick – it’s the people who are so invested in killing animals needlessly.
I have heard of shelters that were actually rewarded financially for killing animals – I wonder if that is the case at MAS?
I’ve been wondering the same thing Barb. There has to be some sort of payoff to continue to kill so many companion animals other than a blatant disregard for life. Does Rogers get a power rush from killing? Or is it a in your face I’ll do what I want when I want? There has to be something other than just killing for killing sake. If that is it then he is a sociopath. And why doesnt he post all of the animals, always leaving 100 or so off the PH lists?
MAS is a hell hole. Beautiful vet area yet dogs aren’t taken care of, nor are cats. Animals killed one after the other…….the entire place should be raided and shut down.
Is MAS one of the facilities that sells the bodies of dead animals to rendering plants? I’ve heard some places do that and it is a source of income for them. Could that be a reason why MAS kills so many helathy, friendly & adoptable animals?
Gwen – v e r y good question …. Hmmmm, makes me wonder if there’s a ‘black market’ out there for selling the dead, “healthy” animals to unscrupulous individuals who pay cash for these bodies on a back road somewhere between the killing room at MAS and the worn out road to the landfill ?!?!
– heartbreaking and outrageous –
There are some entities who purchase dead cats and kittens for veterinary science students lab work. They pay by the pound. I don’t know of any who purchase dead dogs though.
I was told by a reliable source that some “shelters” sell the bodies to “rendering” plants rather than cremate them or put them in a landfill. They supposedly get paid by the pound. Type in “selling dog bodies to rendering plants” on Google and see what comes up.
I goggled it…OMG. Yuck. Gives even bigger reasons to know where your food and your companions’ food comes from…
Life Abundance dog food does this… I think how that’s the way the name of the food is said.. it was posted on FB a while back.. then it disappeared.. and I could never find the report again
This sickens me. This is beyond repulsive. I had no idea space was so available. I was under the impression they only killed these precious souls because their excuse was “space”. It’s outrageous to continue the killing for such lame excuses.
What, where & when will others join in standing up for justice against the tyrany that is MAS & those promoting death? What does it take? How much killing will be enough?
It’s a sickness. This killing of innocent animals and killing for space when you have space. Killing when you don’t hold adoption days, killing when you don’t allow the public in to see these adoptable babies. Killing when you don’t work wtih rescues. I’m in tears for every single one of them.
It is not a sickness! It is a choice…..they choose to kill and they don’t have to. There is no reason on God’s green earth that any of those pets have had to die. They kill because they can, because they are too lazy to actually work at finding homes through rescue. And easiest of all they are too lazy to put every pet into PH so that their owners can find them. The greed comes into play too when they then charge ransom for pets to return them. This is just a shameful place all around.
Yes you’re right – it IS a choice…and the wrong choice. I meant that it’s a sickness – more in the larger view of it being “okay” in our society…like so many other things are as well.
MASsive Morons MIss Math, Make Mammals Mesmerically go MIssing: Don’t have a job, only a criminal record? Don’t know how to do arithmetic? Don’t give a damn about anyone but yourself? Deluded by your own power? Want even MORE power? Want to kill and do it “legally” with a wink and a nod from your superiors? MAS Memphis TN WANTS YOU!! Apply in person at Memphis ANimal Services during business hours. Rush on down here ya’ll, and get on the payroll QUICK! We don’t care what your past experience is, as long as you don’t give a rat’s ass!!! YOU TOO CAN BECOME A MASsive MORON!!! See ya’ll real soon, hyeah???
I’d laugh if this wasn’t so sad and true.
Anyway, this is just..sad and disturbing, seeing all of these pictures of these poor, lost souls. And on top of all of that, there are many no-kill shelters, rescues and the like that would DIE to have a space that holds 500+ animals because they are running out of room and can only save so much, yet MAS has the room and just kills them all anyway. And they made it seem like more lives would be saved by moving in the new building. We knew that was a croc.
let me guess… no response from MAS…
This is really really horrible. I always thought that the reason as to why so many animals are put down is because of the problem of “space”. Thank you for posting this and opening the eyes of people like myself of what really goes on behind some of these shelters, and not all because I know most of the rescue shelters actually care and try to rescue the animals.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ROGERS? HE’S GOT TO BE STOPPED NOW!
Pick one. MAS:
1. Malevolence Agony & Suffering
2. Mad And Sinister
3. Murderers And Sadist
4. More Aggrivated Sacrilege
5. Memphis’ Allowed Suffering
6. Morally Absent Sickos
7. Morbid And Sadistic
8. Maleficence And Sickness
9. Murder And Suffering
I can’t decide which fits best.
The name of the folder where I keep my photos from MAS on my computer is called Memphis Animal Slaughtering.
that about sums it up…
By this number, I would venture to say they are killing to their stated “capacity to care,” as described in the meeting which revealed MAS numbers through May of 2012. An excerpt:
“It would be cost prohibitive to keep all the animals that come into the facility – your taxes would go up; we’d need more employees. I have the total capacity for 555 – 128 puppies, 128 cats, 299 large dog kennels – this is a fixed capacity. The capacity to care is 356 – 113 puppies, 74 cats, 169 dogs – for every 30 animals in the facility, I must have one technician. I’m down 3 positions already. We struggle every day but we get it done – the cleaning and feeding.”
let’s not forget the murdering… they have plenty of employees for that position…
Cost prohibtive? What MAS pays extra for killing would go a long way, and I certainly wouldn’t mind paying more tax if I knew it went for the cats & dogs, not hireing everyone’s useless cousin, filling made up posttions.
I have never seen a capacity for MAS to care for their subjects. You would have plenty of help with feeding/cleaning/walking/petting if you & FoMAS didn’t run good volunteers off & turn away good potential volunteers.
The only struggling at MAS is from the lives you so callously snuff out unnecessarily, for “space.” Space in your dumpsters. Being too lazy & incompetent to properly clean & feed is no excuse to kill innocent puppies, kittens, dogs & cats.
When MAS stops making excuses & begins to make MAS what it should be, then you will stop hearing complaints like this one.
I agree that the shelter still has some very serious problems which mystifies me since some of the possible solutions are so simple to implement. However, am I the only one who noticed the date located on the bottom of most of the posted pictures is 1/2007? I read this site regularly so I can get the latest news on MAS but the information has to be accurate and not just posted to raise the hairs on the back of the necks of all of the animal lovers out here. There is enough horrible, truthful information about that shelter that can be posted without tweaking it with possible erroneous information like maybe those dogs with the January 2007 date weren’t really the ones that were euthanized in June 2012. Posting information for the sake of sensationalism only makes the site seem trivial and silly and I know that is not what you are aiming for. However, I’m open to the possibility that the dates are a mistake.
You “read this site regularly” for MAS news yet you accuse me of sensationalism and faking photos and fuck all? If you don’t believe that the actual MAS records provided are actual MAS records, you can file a FOIA request and get your own copies. I stand by my post.
Madam, first of all I am not accusing you of anything. I was just wondering why the dates on the photos are from 5 years ago. It is you that are choosing to become defensive instead of maybe giving an explanation about the photos. I’m not even saying that the written information isn’t accurate, just that the photos are outdated which would make one wonder about the veracity of the written information? Also, I do read this site regularly as well as googling for any information about MAS at least 4 times a week. I’m as concerned as anyone else about the animals at that shelter and was really all for firing everyone in the building when the neglect first became public.
I recently saw their intake/euthanasia/adoption rate on the web for the period from January to the present and was appalled at not only the euthanisia rate and low adoption/foster/rescue rate but the incredible intake number per month for a midsize city. It makes me wonder whether they can ever become no-kill unless there is an aggressive spay/neuter program and even an ordinance mandating all male dogs be neutered unless owned by registered breeders or registered show dogs. I’ve already read about the troubles at the Austin shelter since it became no-kill. There are simply too many animals and not enough people who want to adopt.
I believe this site would be a great place for a discussion about possible solutions or a change.org petition that could be presented to the Mayor rather than encouraging people to bombard the SPCA with emails but I am afraid to even suggest a discussion about solutions with the group for fear of being accused of something sinister. Also, calling the mayor is useless for I have known bosses who just tell their secretary to delete the messages or ignore the calls which I’m sure the mayor could and would do since he is overwhelmed with that pesky but extremely high unemployment and human murder rate in Memphis.
I do believe that you are trying to do a good service for the animals and that you are sincere but to get defensive when someone questions you is mimicking the reaction of the people at the very shelter you are trying to improve. Also, notice that I was able to say all of this without one word of profanity? Take care.
Milliebee, the dates on the photos are from five years ago because some of the staff does not feel it’s important to correct the dates in their cameras. Never mind that the photos they may be taking could end up as evidence in abuse cases in court and should be considered official documents, they simply cannot be bothered.
“There are simply too many animals and not enough people who want to adopt.” That’s wrong – other cities can manage it, but they put the effort in. MAS’s RTO alone is abysmal – it might be better if they took a photo of EVERY animal and put it up on the web for people who work during shelter hours could search online, but they do not. MAS continues to NOT have hundreds of animals posted online. Those animals never get seen, never get marketed and leave in a plastic bag.
Why don’t we bombard legislators and SPCA with calls? I got two numbers and if we make enough noise, just maybe…
ASPCA 901-576-6500
MAYOR 212-876-7700
It can’t make it any worse~~~
Rogers is a liar and full of it!