Memphis taxpayers were bled for $7.2 million to build a new pound containing 555 cages. The city has never filled them. Today, there are only 144 cats and dogs listed on PetHarbor as being housed at the Memphis pound:
This means that even if every single animal is in his own cage at MAS right now (which is probably not the case since litters are commonly housed together with their mothers), there are 411 empty cages. But MAS keeps killing healthy, friendly pets anyway.
This email exchange between a pound supervisor and rescuer Jody Fisher regarding a young dog she was networking will leave you cold:
On Oct 7, 2014, <DeKeishia.Tunstall@memphistn.gov> wrote:
Jody:
The animal referenced above has a note in the system stating that you are networking this pet.
Please be advised that this pet must be adopted no later than close of business today (6:45pm).
To date, no one has stepped forward.Thanks,
De Keishia___________________
On Tue, Oct 7, 2014, Jody Fisher wrote:
Thank you for your email. I am still networking her. Why does she only have til end of business today?
Jody_____________________
From: Jody Fisher
Date: Wed, Oct 8, 2014
Subject: Re: A271273 – 1 Year Old Female Black Lab
To: <DeKeishia.Tunstall@memphistn.gov>Please advise status of this dog. I did not receive an answer to my question- what is the answer?
Thank you
Jody_____________________
From: <DeKeishia.Tunstall@memphistn.gov>
Date: October 8, 2014
To: Jody Fisher
Subject: RE: A271273 – 1 Year Old Female Black LabJody:
This pet has been here since 9/18/14.
We are not a long-term holding facility.De Keishia
_____________________
From: Jody Fisher
Date: Wed, Oct 8, 2014
Subject: Re: A271273 – 1 Year Old Female Black Lab
To: <DeKeishia.Tunstall@memphistn.gov>I understand that MAS is not designed to be a permanent home for pets but so long as there is a cage available, can I not be allowed some additional time to network this dog?
Thank you
Jody________________________
From: <DeKeishia.Tunstall@memphistn.gov>
Date: October 8, 2014
To: Jody Fisher
Subject: RE: A271273 – 1 Year Old Female Black LabJody:
I cannot grant any additional time. The pet has been here for 3 weeks.
De Keishia
____________________________
From: Jody Fisher
Date: Wed, Oct 8, 2014
Subject: Re: A271273 – 1 Year Old Female Black Lab
To: <DeKeishia.Tunstall@memphistn.gov>I understand she has been there for 3 weeks but since her cage is not needed for another animal, I am asking for additional time to try to save her life.
Jody____________________________
From: <DeKeishia.Tunstall@memphistn.gov>
Date: October 8, 2014
To: Jody Fisher
Subject: RE: A271273 – 1 Year Old Female Black LabJody:
I’m sorry, but I am unable to grant any additional time.
De Keishia
Gee, ya don’t sound sorry.
But remember folks, don’t criticize, nobody WANTS to kill animals, we’re all on the same team and fuck all.
But, but…no one WANTS to kill animals, right?!
Memphis is of the opinion that if they grant a stay of execution for one, they’ll have to do it for another, next time. So better to kill them on schedule. After all, every empty cage is that much less work for everyone, right? They’ve got whole banks of shiny, clean cages and they like it like that.
This is the mentality of a kill shelter. This is the mentality of people who value life not at all. This is the mindset of monsters.
And they’re running MAS. And they will keep running MAS. And healthy, adoptable animals will keep leaving in black bags, dumped into the back of a truck and hauled away to the landfill. Truckload by truckload. Babies. Seniors. Bouncy adolescents.
All because no one there can stop to think for a moment, “Well, maybe we can just give this one a little more time.”
MAS is all about the convenience killing. All day, every day.
Was Jody able to help this beautiful dog?
What is the harm in letting someone network a dog a few more days?
It’s all about control! I’m sure the Memphis ACO loves to play Julius Ceasar and give her thumbs down on the sweet innocent dog, just for the sad truth does anybody have an update in this case regarding if the lab made it out alive?
God bless you ms Jody you are trying your best and I admire you, thanks for trying your best to save these noble innocent family dogs.
I so wish the media would attend the advisory board meetings and ask tough questions. Maybe they could get a better answer other than “because their time was up.” There is no harm letting them sit a while longer while they are being networked. I feel as if they do this on purpose to flex their muscles against the people who work tirelessly to network these animals. It’s almost a vendetta.
Ms Tunatall is on a freaking power trip. Karma is going to run right over that bitch. Life happens that way.
This is ridiculous! Are you kidding me??????? GET RID OF THE WORKERS AND HIRE PEOPLE THAT CARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s just “a job” for them…..we need people that have LOVING hearts that WANT to make a difference for these animals. They are defenseless creatures and we, as human beings, need to be their voice!!!!!! There should be no “timeframe” for any animal…..Look at all of the criminals on DEATH ROW! Our justice system sucks!!!! If we could get rid of the rapists, and murderers, then our tax dollars can take care of poor defenseless animals! NUFF SAID!!! Who doesn’t agree with this????????
People
People who kill animals unnecessarily or abuse them should bow watched carefully. They are one step away from abusing people. It is a cruel mind set that needs to be carefully looked at. To kill these dogs when there are cages available is cruel and inhumane. I would not want your Karma.
Latest update:
MAS employs kill techs whose job it is to work in the kill room, killing animals. They get paid extra. Some past kill techs have been convicted of animal cruelty. How these people can have several killing emergencies in one day boggles my mind. What on earth is going on there? Oh and one hour to save the poor dog. Nice.
Given the fact that MAS has a documented history of inhumanely euthanizing animals…well.
What will it take to get humane leadership at the Memphis shelter??!!!
This poor 1 yr old pup is no longer listed on Pet Harbor. She is not on the photos taken by Memphis Pets Alive yesterday either. I hope that Jody was able to get her out. It is a sad state of affairs when so many cages are sitting empty and MAS continues to kill like there’s no end in sight. The end comes only for these poor dogs who have done nothing wrong. They depend on humans to help them.
I understnad there is a council meeting tonight? People of Memphis GET TO THAT MEETING. It’s up to you to get control of the things happening at MAS.
What hapPened to her?
My best guess would be that she’s gone, they killed her. Killing is serious business, at Memphis Animal Slaughterhouse. It’s what they do. Hope lots of people show up at that council meeting and share their thoughts (respectfully, of course). Good thing I don’t live there – not sure I could do that.
Have local media been contacted regarding this situation? How do the people who operate this shelter – and the people who supervise those people, and upward – justify the way this shelter is being operated? I would think this would make a good investigative article for the local paper, or at least the nightly news.
This is nothing new for the folks here. They have been abusing, neglecting and killing animals for a very long time. The media knows, there have been investigations, the mayor and others are aware – they simply DO.NOT.CARE. They have lost their souls, the whole lot of them. I fear that many of them get off on the power they have over these innocents and actually enjoy the torture and killing. When they get caught they try to tell everyone that they don’t want to kill and this time it will be different. At one point they had public video cameras up so the irresponsible public could watch over the animals, but that didn’t work so well because they got caught on camera doing what they do (unless the footage mysteriously was erased). They know and it will continue. Someday everyone involved will have to answer for this – until then, animals will continue to pay with their lives, babies and adults, seniors and youngsters. And the folks who do this will continue to lose their humanity.
I suppose if they had a heart they couldn’t even do that job in the first place. Does killing become redundant? Do you become jaded to the spark in their eyes that is life before you snuff them?
I’m so disgusted that Memphis kills so many animals at will! They’re disgusting and need to fire the staff and carefully hire people who care!
This adorable lab is still alive,however, she heads to ER at 7:00 tonight. I heard from a potential adopter who tried calling MAS yesterday, just before closing. Unfortunately, she couldn’t get through (seems to be an ongoing issue). The woman was calling to make sure this pu was still alive and wanted to come get her today. When she couldn’t get through, she found another dog she hoped to adopt…..she is still waivering on which one, so all I can say, is please continue to share this beautiful pup. Thank you all and especially, you, Shirley!!!
i so hope that this sweet pup gets out of there ALIVE today! I’m quite frankly surprised that she is still with us. Please share and share and share. Jody, thanks for all you do to help the animals in this hell hole. Please let us know, either way. Praying for the best.
Saying “we have to kill, there’s no space” is horrendous. Saying “we’re going to kill even though there is space” can only come from people who are worse than depraved. I’m holding a good though that this poor dog does make it out alive.
THIS BABY HAS BEEN ADOPTED TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sharing this article on my facebook yesterday SAVED HER LIFE. Today a dear friend of mine adopted her to be their new loving, protective, furry family member. This girl will have a long, healthy, very spoiled life!!
Awesome, thank you so much!
Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music!!!!!! This girl has been adopted by the person who was interested late yesterday. She went to MAS at 1:00, today, when they opened, fell in love with her and adopted her. She has to stay for spay surgery, and I was promised Freedom Pics when she leaves there. Thank you all and especially for this blog. Apparently, a woman read the blog yesterday, forwarded it to her friend and that’s who adopted her. :) WE LOVE SHIRLEY!!!!
SO relieved to hear this! Thank you Shirley, thank you adopter who fell in love with her, thank you to everyone to won’t stop fighting until MAS and all other horrible, regressive pounds hire only people who care, and stop the killing.
Yes, we love Shirley and all of her minions who share. I will be very happy to see this pup’s freedom picture! Bless all who had a hand in getting her out alive . . . fingers crossed there are no “oops complications”. Don’t trust any of them there.
I so want minions. I would love and care for them and use them responsibly, I swear.
I went to MAS today to get her for a friend and confirmed that she was adopted this morning. I hope her new family names her “Lucky”, she earned the name…..
Were you able to get a different, nice dog out of this f***ing slaughterhouse for your friend instead? It would be great to know that two dogs made it out alive because of this post and all the networking.
Woo Hoo! Great news!
Aren’t there a lot of stars who live in Memphis? It would be wonderful if some “star power” could lend their voice to help change the policies at the Memphis shelter.
I kept this open in my tabs hoping for a good outcome! I got chills when I read she was saved. Love and thanks to the person who did it. I am too far and have 3 large dog rescues so there was no way I could. I prayed hard for this baby!
Wonderful news. These shelters can do better than this. Killing is not the answer. Educate and put your time and money into getting these animals out alive.
This is supposed to be a “Shelter”!! This sadistic person that is running this needs out and another that actually has a real heart and ethics needs to come in…the ppl that work there that are following this bs and cruelty need out too..what type of human are you that you love killing animals that you have the ample space for that others can adopt if given time how do you do this inhumane thing let alone you stay and enjoy doing it more cause you’re paid extra, you’re just a sadistic, sad, sicking part of the human race!! There has got to be a way to get these sick human beings out and get real humans in that have a purpose to help the animals and not get off on killing and pocketing money!!! Society anymore just sickens me how cold and heartless they are!!!
I will feel much better when we know she has survived her spay surgery and is out the door alive. Sorry for being so negative about this place, but . . .
DB I totally agree with you! That was my first thought. I hope she makes it through surgery.
Well, here I am, again, to tell you “Lucky” was NOT adopted, however, she IS still alive (for now). The adopter received a call, after she left (filled out adoption papers and paid but couldn’t bring Lucky home because she had to stay for spay surgery) saying that “Lucky” could not be spayed because she had a severe infection, with a bloody mucousy nose, and she had been on antibiotics since October 2nd and hasn’t responded to them and it could be distemper. DISTEMPER?! Adopter was heartbroken. I contacted Rogers and he said Coleman (vet) would contact me. In the meantime, the adopter went back on Tuesday to get her money back (please don’t judge her ). I didn’t hear back from the vet until yesterday (1 day later, because Coleman wasn’t at MAS on Tuesday), which, was unbelievable to me. They think Lucky has distemper and is not being monitored by the vet – could there be an outbreak?! So, yesterday afternoon, Coleman sends me an e-mail telling me that Lucky is responding nicely to antibiotics and got spayed and is on the adoption floor waiting for her new home……..So, let me get this straight: Lucky had an adopter – but then adopter received a phone call saying how ill the dog was – could not be spayed, had signs of distemper……That adopter is gone – Lucky had a chance to get out of MAS alive, and now Lucky may no longer be so – good job MAS for continuously driving adopters away…Please continue to share this gorgeous girl. (sorry if I am rambled – I get so flustered with MAS f’ups on a regular basis)
Is there any chance the original adopter will go back and adopt her now? I’m sure s/he is incredibly frustrated, but the important thing is to now get this pup out alive – soon! I’ll chip in to reimburse for her adoption fee, if that’s the issue. MAS ought to write a book about how to fluck up! If they gave awards, this place would earn a gold medal!!!
Un.Be.Lievable. It’s amazing how much incompetence can look like malice, isn’t it?
YES!!!!
I am just discovering this wonderful blog. So please excuse me for piping up three months after the fact. Was this dog saved? (The silence does not bode well.) And beyond this: Is there any kind of action being taken to investigate and hold MAS to account?
I don’t know about this particular dog, but this has been an ongoing issue for MAS for a very long time. In fact, there have been investigations and there are local groups who are trying very hard to fix things. The fact that the mayor is running this clown show and has his minions (sorry, no disrespect meant to real minions) in his pocket. Until the mayor and his cronies are booted out, things will not improve for the animals at Memphis Animal Slaughterhouse. This is a wonderful blog and I hope you’ll stick with us (and share).