Memphis citizens' tax dollars at work

I had some difficulty voting on Saturday. Although I'm glad to see the end of Mayor Pre Tend Dwaine Caraway, I wasn't that keen on the potential replacements either.

But after taking a look at today's Yes Biscuit! blog, I discovered that the citizens of other cities have it worse. Take a look at the goings-on at the Memphis Animal Shelter in Tennessee.

I hate using the word "shelter", as most of the animals don't get any at MAS. Instead, they have a few days (or hours) of ill-treatment and fear before they almost always die, usually for no good reason except that their time is up or they've been judged unadoptable.

Perhaps the most upsetting thing about MAS is that the management actually has webcams in the shelter. If you can stand it, you can surf the MAS webcams and watch the almost daily outrages carried out by the employees. Animals are dragged on choke poles and handled like garbage.

But here's the real icing on the cake: when an on-line petition was delivered to a Memphis councilwoman - a petition describing the daily horrors at MAS - she literally responded with:

"So what?"

I had to read the email over a couple of times. The first time, I literally couldn't believe the response, from a Janis Fullilove. (more like fulla shit, imo)

Read the petition, and Janis' smartass response, here.

And if you have some time to waste, try a Google search for Janis Fullilove. Between her DUI arrests, other arrests, numerous 911 calls to report alleged domestic violence, pole dancing during a party for the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (WTF?) and stint in rehab, she has little to recommend her as a public servant.

The return of Kent Robertson

A lot of us were hoping that Kent had either taken early retirement or switched careers. Especially those of us who remember his non-performance at BARC in Houston. Also, the fact that euthanasia rates at Dallas Animal Services actually increased when he was running the place.

But I was reading the East Lake Pet Orphanage's newsletter yesterday and - WTF! I spotted Kent.

Here's the scary bit: He now RUNS East Lake Pet Orphanage. Whatever happened to the concept of background checks?

While I'm not familiar with how ELPO is run, I've not heard anything bad about it either. They claim to be no-kill, and I haven't received any information to challenge this. And their mission statement is careful NOT to bash other rescues. So maybe this is a job that doesn't require analytical thought processes from Kent. Or much else.

If you need proof, here's a photo from the newsletter:

The death of HB 3450 - for the time being

In his blog entry No Hope for Hope's Law, Nathan Winograd described its opponents - including the THLN* and HSUS thusly:

"...they will continue to lie to the public, claiming they are doing all they can to save lives; even as they have shown they will do whatever is necessary to defend their ability to kill animals and to protect that ability for others, even in the face of readily available lifesaving alternatives they simply refuse to implement."

It will not be possible to re-introduce this bill to the Texas Legislature for another two years. The THLN's opposition to this was based on their claim that they weren't consulted (why should they be? Isn't public support more than sufficient?) suggest that now they have 24 months to craft something. But I'm betting the rent that they won't.

* I do not plan to spell out THLN's name any more, as I literally feel ill when describing this snotty little pack of sycophants and control freaks as "humane". Even though I didn't name them.

Tylerites beware...Pacelle is headed your way

Hot off the H$U$ press. Read it and pass the bucket. (Might have helped if Wayne had told folks WHERE the Barnes and Noble is - usually invitations include such things as addresses.)

The postscript is especially annoying to me, as I doubt the chimps, burros and bobcats want to be bothered by a pack of naive gawkers. A sanctuary's supposed to provide some peace and quiet for animals, not turn them into roadside attractions. But where there's Wayne, there's a pitch for donations.

May 6, 2011

My Book Signing Event is May 14

Please join me as part of a national conversation about the protection of animals in our society. I've put my 25 years of work, experience and hopes into a book -- and I will be giving a public reading and signing next Saturday, May 14, at Barnes & Noble in Tyler, Texas, at 5:00 p.m. I look forward to seeing you at this event for "The Bond: Our Kinship with Animals, Our Call to Defend Them."

In the meantime, you can watch this video from the book tour and check out the feedback.

I do hope you will join me next Saturday -- please RSVP on Facebook and help spread the word.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle, President & CEO

P.S. Also, tour the new Doris Day Horse Rescue and Adoption Center next Saturday, May 14, and meet rescued chimps, burros and bobcats at Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch.

Tuesday fundraiser at Snider Plaza

I noticed this online and thought I'd reproduce it here:

Half Shell's Oyster Bar and Grill has a monthly event called 1st Tuesday, which a portion of the entire day's proceeds will be donated to a local nonprofit. May 3rd's event features Texas Pawprints.

It's easy to pitch in - just show up at Half Shell's Snider Plaza location (near SMU) and chow down any time from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm. 15% of the day's proceeds will go to support Texas Pawprints. Or more probably, go toward their vet bills. If memory serves correct, almost all rescue groups go into the red during puppy and kitten season.

Look for the wait staff with the cool logo on their t-shirts.