MEMPHIS, Tenn. — People are concerned about the welfare of animals kept at Memphis Animal Services and wanted answers.
They met with the MAS Advisory Board and Director James Rogers at the main library Wednesday for a public meeting.
About two dozen folks put Rogers on the hot seat.
Rogers’ five-day suspension was recently overturned.
He was in trouble after a pure-bred dog that appeared in a magazine article about adoption was euthanized right before the article was published.
Accidental euthanizations have been a recurring problem at MAS.
“Whoops, we made a mistake. Whoops, we didn’t know there was a rescue coming. Whoops, mistake after mistake after mistake,” said Deborah Simpkins, a rescue pet owner who went to the meeting.
She is also concerned about inmates working at MAS.
Wednesday, a second inmate, was charged with spraying toxic chemicals on two cats.
One of the animals later died.
Deputies said David McShan and another inmate were on work duty, and surveillance video captured it all.
A shelter employee was fired for not supervising the inmates while they were around animals.
“We are against inmates working in the shelter, because of these cruelty charges,” said Simpkins.
Rogers listened to complaints such as accidentally euthanizing animals set to be adopted and having too many empty cages.
While he wouldn’t talk to WREG on camera, he did tell the crowd he’s hosting more adoption events, more safety training and even stopped the inmate work program for now.
“Detainees are no longer being used by Memphis Animal Services. The work line has been suspended until further notice,” he said at the meeting.
MAS said it was proud because every month this year, except June, more animals were adopted than euthanized.
Some recuse workers find that hard to believe.
“We always have an issue. It’s never an easy event,” said rescue worker Lisa Naquin.
There was no real solution after the meeting, just suggestions and recommendations.
Simpkins said it was time for MAS to do more walking instead of talking.
“Sometimes we just get the runaround. I think we are just fed up with it,” she said.
