Bad news comin' outa Memphis Animal Shelter 2011

We were alerted to the terrible situation at Memphis Animal Services, a shelter in Tennessee, USA, by several members of the public and animal advocates. We were told animals have starved to death there and the kill rate is excessively high. Thousands of healthy, adoptable pets are taken into MAS but rarely leave alive, instead they are killed with no chance of finding a new home.

Then a lady called Morgana asked us to write a song to highlight this issue in hopes reform may right these unspeakable wrongs.

There are links below where you can find out more, and a petition to have your say -

http://yesbiscuit.blogspot.com/2009/11/memphis-animal-shelter-abuse-photos.html

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/public-shelters/article/1797

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/145/justice-for-dogs-starved-at-a-memphis-anim...

Download the song here -

http://www.maria-daines.com/music-120.html
(Lyrics below)

Most of the images in this video are from MAS webcam footage. One or two are of shelter pets from other regions whose expression shows clearly the desperation and loneliness of a companion animal waiting for a new home in a shelter.


'BAD NEWS COMIN' OUTA MEMPHIS'


There's bad news comin' out of Memphis
N' trouble everywhere you go
No rescue for the lost and weary
Seems these bad rocks have gotta roll
Get down to the nitty gritty tension
You'll see Memphis is too hot to mention!

Now there's trouble in the place they call a shelter
A place they're supposed to do good work
And nothin's gettin' out or gettin' better
And good ole family dogs are gettin' hurt
So admin let's see your credentials
And God save the lost souls in Memphis

Cos there's bad news comin' outa Memphis
N' heartbreak a tearin' up our eyes
Please save the innocent, defenceless
Lord they need your help tonight

Well I looked an' I've seen some sad ole pictures
And man's best friend has lost the fight
They're being locked away down there in Memphis
We gotta get together, put it right
I'm miles away but it still hurts me
And God won't yah make 'em show some mercy!

Cos there's bad news comin' outa Memphis
N' heartbreak tearin' up our eyes
Please save the innocent, defenceless
Lord they need your help tonight

There's bad news comin' out of Memphis
N' trouble everywhere you go
No rescue for the lost and weary
Seems these bad rocks have gotta roll
Get down to the nitty gritty tension
You'll see Memphis is too hot to mention!

Cos there's bad news comin' outa Memphis
N' heartbreak a' tearin' up our eyes
Please save the innocent, defenceless
Lord they need your help tonight
Cos there's bad news comin' outa Memphis
N' heartbreak a' tearin' up our eyes
Please save the innocent, defenceless
Lord they need your help, need your help, tonight!



© Maria Daines/Paul Killington
All Rights Reserved
(mcps) ASCAP
21.06.11

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• rescue
• shelter
• Memphis
• Tennessee
• USA
• Maria
• Daines
• Paul
• Killington
• Music
• song
• animal
• animals
• dogs
• cats
• pet
• cruelty
• 2011
• pets

[mem002400]

I live in Memphis and it hurts me that are shelter here is the way it is I rescued one dog out of there about a month ago and it took me a week to get this dog out. They would rather kill them then find them homes so sad

[rockinfortheplanet]

@mem002400 Thank you for adopting a dog from Memphis Animal Shelter, it really makes me glad that your dog got out of there to safety and a happy future. If everyone in your area were to adopt instead of shop, and campaigned to the local authorities for MAS to do better, I'm sure many more could be saved. Even though we're in UK we still hear a lot about MAS and it's upsetting to think that far too many are being put to sleep because they are not being given a chance to be adopted xx

[nanci00]

It is distressing that ALL THESE ABUSIVE EMPLOYEES ARE BLACK?! Is there a pattern here? Are they finding people who have never had the least bit of affection for any animal to work in their facility?

[rockinfortheplanet]

@nanci00 I don't think the issue of cruelty is colour related, I believe it is simply that some people are disadvantaged from an early age and do not have the opportunity to learn how to treat animals with care, this is why schools should be teaching compassion towards all living beings, because some children grow up without good role models and what we see we learn. Everyone is capable of learning to care and respect animals, but governments do not invest in raising awareness for the voiceless.

[HieclexsXiii]

These places are to help the animals find new homes, it shouldn't be a murder house. How hard is it to feed the animals, care for them, to show them love. It's not hard!

[rockinfortheplanet]

@HieclexsXiii I totally agree, in 2011 no homeless animal should be dying in a rescue shelter, we can send rockets to the moon so how hard is it to get pet overpopulation under control and fund rescue centres. I blame governments world wide for not putting financial resources aside for animal shelters. Politicians leave the fundraising totally to volunteers and do not tackle the problem of backyard breeding, they turn a blind eye whilst millions die, it's just not fair.

[KEEPTHEGREENALIVE]

Hopefully, those that require guidance shall be shown a better way....thank you for bringing this issue of great concern to our conscience. Memphis Animal Services hold Advisory Board Meetings. Perhaps a representative from the community can try to make an appointment to address this sad situation...for all involved. Here is the e-mail to Memphis Animal Services

MAS@memphistn.gov

To address the issue directly, peaceful representation is required. Peaceful and creative communication.

Peace

[rockinfortheplanet]

@KEEPTHEGREENALIVE thank you so much, I agree, peaceful representation is what is needed & I know one lady is having meetings with council members to establish a way forward. The last picture in the video is Kapone, please google 'Family's dog disappears from Memphis Animal Shelter' to see why it is imperative that MAS makes changes, not only are stray dogs and cats not receiving a single chance to be rehomed, but lost pets are being 'lost' again, even when found by Memphis Animal Services :(

[rockinfortheplanet]

@mikefry Thank you Mike, I will find the link to your show and share with our fans and friends, I read that Memphis was going to be a subject of Animal Wise Radio via the yesbiscuit blog, but I wasn't sure of the time difference from UK/USA, but thankfully there's a podcast to catch anything we miss, thanks for letting us know as we are following updates for MAS closely, best wishes, Maria xx

[mikefry]

Nice job on this song!  We will be sharing some of it on Animal Wise Radio today, as we talk about the goings on in Memphis...

Hope you can join us. We are live at Noon Central

[KEEPTHEGREENALIVE]

I love the lyric, "So admin let's see your credentials" Well, we've seen the credentials of the person they hired that picked Kapone up on that fateful day in June 2011. Everyone deserves a second chance...that is, if they deserve that second chance after having at least 5 chances. Gee, they'll hire just about anybody won't they... "So admin let's see your credentials" and maybe next time admin will ask for the credentials of those recommending these people. Kapone didn't have a second chance :(

[rockinfortheplanet]

@Ani031111 Yes thank you for the video of Kapone on your page, I have been following the case and hoping there will be good news soon, I hope the news media continue to follow Kapone's story and hopefully to a happy ending, it would be a wonderful day to see Kapone and family reunited, I would cry tears of joy. I also hope MAS will be able to explain what happened and why the disappearance of a much loved family dog xx