Increasing the power to kill (and the story of a failing shelter)

In November, 2009, news began to trickle out about a horrifically abusive situation in the Memphis Animal Shelter.  The incident involved a puppy that was dropped off at the shelter on August 18.  A mere three weeks later, the puppy was starved to death at the shelter.

This wasn't the only problem at the Memphis shelter mind you. It was just a single story of that brought to life the story of a shelter that was failing on many levels -- including having an attrocious adoption rate.

The city of Memphis responded by firing the shelter directer -- and eventually hiring Matthew Pepper -- who also had a questionable track record of shelter management. 

In October of 2010, the city was still struggling with high impounds and a high kill rate -- with about 16,000 pets a year being killed at the shelter. So they passed a law that required all dogs and cats be altered. I noted at the time that it was doomed to fail, because, well, it always does -- but it was a particularly bad idea in Memphis.

See, most people spay/neuter their pets -- and for the ones that don't, they list price as the #1 factor why they don't. Memphis' problems are even worse, with over 25% of the population living below the poverty line.  Mandatory legislation in this case will do little except create a reason for more animals to be impounded -- and taken to a high-kill shelter. 

Meanwhile, the shelter is still failing. And over the last few weeks, Shirley over at Yesbiscuit! has done a phenomenal job of covering the shelter situation in Memphis.  Stories include a lot of visuals from the recently installed webcams and include visual footage of puppies being brought to the shelter and killed only a few days later -- having never even been put on petfinder, ACO's dragging dogs to the kill room on choke polls, failed pleas for help, dogs apparently lifted five feet in the air to be put in a kennel via their neck on a choke poll, cages being sprayed down with dogs in them, noting that 357 dogs died in their cages last year (a 40% increase) -- you get the idea -- all leaving Shirley with a lot of good, unanswered questions.

But today's post has a lot of numbers, even beyond the horrible anecdotal stories. 

Based on numbers she received from the shelter -- here are the Jan-April stats for 2010 and 2011:

MAS stats

Jan 2010/Feb 2010/Mar 2010/Apr 2010

Intake 877/996/1358/1290=4521

Adopt 133/165/142/109=549
Died 43/28/23/19=113
Euth 562/654/1083/1007=3306
Foster 4/1/4/22=31
Missing 2/0/20/57=79
RTO 50/55/95/96=296
Transfer 12/6/17/36=71

January – April 2010 rates:

Adopt 12%
Died 2%
Euth 73%
Foster less than 1%
Missing 2%
RTO 7%
Transfer 2%
———————————————————————-

Jan 2011/Feb 2011/Mar 2011/Apr 2011

Intake 1270/1033/1357/1233=4893

Adopt 130/183/168/107=588
Died 23/10/12/16=61
Euth 999/754/1150/612=3515
Foster/relocate/permit 2/2/2/5=11
Missing 40/?/?/? (not reported for Feb/Mar/Apr)
RTO 82/57/78/63=280
Transfer 28/24/47/154=253

January – April 2011 rates:

Adopt 12%
Died 1%
Euth 72%
Foster less than 1%
Missing (not reported for Feb, Mar or Apr)
RTO 6%
Transfer 5%

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It should be noted, that Matthew Pepper has been talking about the improvements going on at the shelter -- because of their very modest 7% increase in adoptions this year vs the last.  It should also be noted that the shelter has had a 6% increase in euthanasia.

There are a lot of things I could highlight here:  a horrible 12% adoption rate, a worse 6% Return-to-owner rate, virtually no attempt to work with rescues with a mere 5% transfer rate, no use of foster homes, and more than 100 animals dying in their shelters.

But I want to also note the increase in impounds. 

In October of 2010, the city passed a law mandating spay/neuter -- a law that has almost always led to an increase in impounds. In the first four months of this year, vs 2010, had an 8% increase in impounds from 4521 to 4893.

This goes back further than just the first four months of this year. If you look at the shelter's 2010 anual report, on page 3, you'll note that for the first 9 months of 2010, the shelter intake numbers were pretty consistently lower than the year prior -- with impound levels below the previous year's impound levels in 7 of the 9 months (and the two higher months were barely higher). Then, in October, the number went from three consecutive months of lower impounds by 200-300 animals, to almost even numbers, and then higher impounds (by 200-300 animals) in November and December 2010 vs the year prior.  The numbers are virtually identical for euthanasia as well (slide 5). 

So, almost like a spicket that got turned on, as soon as the MSN got passed in October, the shelter went from lower intake to higher intake -- now going on 6 consecutive months.  And this is higher intake at a shelter that is killing over 70% of the animals it impounds.  A little math shows about 700-750 incremental animals that have been killed in Memphis (beyond the normal high kill rate) since the introduction of Mandatory Spay/Neuter just 6 months ago.

It's results like this that is the reason a growing number of organizations -- including the AVMA, ASPCA, Best Friends, American Humane, No Kill Advocacy Center and many other local, no kill organziations are opposed to Mandatory Spay/Neuter laws - because they increase impounds, and increase killing.

And it's a shame that so many people still support such laws, in spite of their documented failure.

Memphis' shelter is failing. So is their law. And it is time for the city to undergo an extensive overhaul of all of its animal services...and fix this mess.

And it's time for the few of your who are not on board yet with promoting low cost/voluntary low cost spay/neuter programs over mandatory ones to learn from the failures of others and get on the bus FOR voluntary programs and AGAINST mandatory ones. 

Comments

[Amanda Webb-Carpenter]

The MAS use to offer spay/neuter for $8.00 to $10.00 to those that couldn't afford a vet bill. I had 5 cats fixed at MAS back in 2000. I was only charged for the shots they gave them. You could take your pet in at 6am on I think it was the 2nd Saturday of each month get them spay/neuter/shots and pick them up by 4pm the same day. Why do they not offer this service anymore? It would help so many people and animals.

[MICHELLE ABRIL]

My God I wish I could kick those peoples butt for scaring the crap out of them before they put them down,,I wish I knew how to run a shelter.I LOVE AND ADORE ALL ANIMALS!!!!

[Molly]

So what is stopping us from kicking Matthew Pepper's butt out right now? While we all lament year after year about what is going on, no one seems to be able to end the massacres in Memphis, Gaston, Chesterfield, or any other hellhole of a shelter. Why are we all afraid to stop it? It CAN be done through numbers that show up at the shelter along with a contigent of media. Why can't we as taxpaying citizens end this craziness right now by shutting these government facilities down and not allowing the directors and staff inside ever again? They can easily be replaced by caring volunteers and animal rescues until a competent director and a proper caring staff can be acquired. Without immediate and overwhelming pressure this will just go on and on.

[Jake]

I believe the shelter situations would change if everyone knew the facts about shelters like we rescuers and animal advocated. Why isn't a bigger effort made to include the whole public with this information? Why do our local newsreporters continually report on Charlie Sheen and Paris Hilton but can't report true local facts? I think once folks are armed with information they can be powerful, but most sit in ignorance.

[Anonymous]

choke pole, not poll. I doubt they ask the dogs' opinions on anything!

[Jessica]

This is sickening and makes me so sad!!!

[Holly]

I wish I knew how to run a shelter too. This is just disgusting. I think they need to weed out the "shit" that's working there as well. Pathetic. So sad that animals are treated this way. Imagine if humans were treated this way????? I look at animals the same and it's just DISGUSTING! I wish they were all born into the right hands. It's not a joke.....it's a life!

[Janice]

Ok so, how do we get things done. We can write about all day long. What do we truly need to do to make change happen? I'd gladly do my part, I just need to know what rights we have as citizens to make things happen.

We already know there are a ton of bad shelter workers out there, so what do we do to take them out. I tried finding a shelter that needs help (paid or unpaid) and I can't find anywhere in my neighborhood that wants us outsiders in there. That should be the first red flag. Cranky people that have been in this job too long need to go and we need to do it. So I'm in if others know of how we can do it.

[iris]

when i hear stories like this it makes me want to shake the shit out of these people!!!! How the hell does a puppy starve to death in a facility that is supposed to be finding a home for it?! it just makes me sick to my stomach that people do these kind of things to animals. but then again look at what people do to each other, and i guess it's no surprise. there are just monsters out there!!!

[Viv]

The world is full of crap people and most of them work at these shelters. I think the good people that love animals need to come out and really kick up a stink to clean up the shelters and also put this horrible shit in the media so everyone knows what is going on.

[Donna Williams]

How many of the idiots that run the shelters are just in it for the money? Makes me sick that they say they are animal advocates but in reality they just want their paycheck. And the irresponsible tards that get pets because they are cute babies and then get tired of them and throw them out like garbage. Those of us that are true animal advocates need to take a stand and not back down.