A woman says she went to the Smithville pound in TN last week during normal work hours to find the placed locked and no employees on site. Even more disturbing, she says a dead dog and a litter of living puppies were in the parking lot. Local animal advocates are calling upon the mayor to at least staff the facility during open hours and/or allow volunteers to care for the pets. But the mayor gots explanations:
Mayor Jimmy Poss of Smithville said the shelter only has one full time and one part-time employee, who had both called in sick Thursday.
An animal rescue group in Dekalb County is calling for more employees or volunteers to work at the shelter, but the Mayor said that’s extra help the shelter doesn’t need right now.
See? Yeah, me neither. But everyone can quit worrying about the animals left in the pound unattended, presumably without food or water, laying in their own waste, suffering from who knows what conditions. And definitely no one needs to be concerned about the dead dog found outside the pound or the litter of pups running in the road. Because explanations:
Poss said even with budget constraints, the Animal Shelter takes good care of the dogs they have, even though some may be delivered to them sick.
I see what you did there. That whole irresponsible-public-is-to-blame thing. Smooth.
Mercifully, the irresponsible public stepped up and all the wandering pups are now in foster homes. That’s what I call “good care”. That thing the Smithville pound is doing? That’s neglect, cruelty and fraud against taxpayers to my mind.
(Thanks Clarice for the link.)
Again with the “we’re doing a good job, it’s the best we can do, it’s really your fault, anyway” bullshit.
Do these guys get a playbook for this sort of thing, or does asshattery just look the same wherever you go?
Thank goodness for the irresponsible public. Now let them into the shelter so that they can take care of the animals there.
Wonder when was the last time the mayor just happened to stop by the shelter to see how things were actually going under his watch?
IT is NOT acceptable for both employees to be off sick unless there’s someone who can be there to replace them. **That is ANIMAL NEGLECT.** No animal business could operate that way, and if a pet breeder gave that excuse, they would be crucified and prosecuted.
What planet did this jerk come from? I can’t believe he thinks the care is sufficient! Another reason why we need to consider elections, petitions, city council meetings! He isn’t doing his job and I hope someone pursues a law suit!
This is insane. Thank god for the horrible public stepping in. I wish more people would stand up and realize their tax dollars are paying for this.
I can’t stand it, honestly can’t stand it! I’ve dragged myself to work with the flu, with migraines, when I truly could hardly crawl out of bed because it’s my job. I don’t deal with living beings welfare, no one will literally die if I don’t turn up but I try to turn up anyway. That’s just part of the job, it’s why they pay me!
These people are being paid by taxpayers and can’t each take a few hours in turn? And won’t allow volunteers to help? It’s past satire, this is lunacy.
The ONLY way to change how the shelter is run is to NOT vote this mayor back into office. The people of Smithville have the power to vote a person into office that will take responsibility for the shelter and make sure it is staffed and the animals are properly taken care of. If the mayor neglects the shelter like he does, what else does he neglect? Smithville needs to step up and make this right. Get the media involved, local and non-local, they always get a lot of attention with animal abuse issues!!! Remember people, we are their only voice! The animals can’t call 911 and report cruelty!!
I’m with you, Vida. I’ve been at my present job for seven years and have never taken a sick day. I believe I did go home early once, however. I am sure state laws were violated when no one took care of the “shelter” animals. Where is the local newspaper to shame elected officials into doing the right thing?
Well that sounds like a really educated man there that “Poss” man… Please, he is an idiot. How the hell did he get in that position? Are they that desperate in that place to say that is the best they have?! They better get someone in there, volunteers or something! That is cruel and negligence on their part. Someone should step in and fire that azz, (Poss) and replace those employees. Volunteers can run that facility and do a damn good job. Yall should be ashamed to have someone in that position that does not care for life. I would be ashamed to live in a town like that. POS Mayor, and I didnt mean Poss, I meant POS!
That person is not Mayor material. He’s an ass living in fantasy world! Get rid of him!
Sounds like Hicksville USA where man is king and animals are disposable commodities. Hey, Smithville (Mayor) Idiot, the 1950s called and they want their animals back! So very sad.