Lots of Animal Issues Going on in Memphis

Just wanted to make everyone aware, even those of you that read my blog from Texas to New York to California, etc. There is a lot going on in Memphis today concerning animals and children. I am a member of the Animal Cruelty Taskforce as well as a on member on the Board of the Mid South Spay Neuter Services and really try my best to make everyone aware of what is going on in the community. I think when we are aware we make more conscious decisions. I have so much unpacking going on, but wanted to post this so if anyone wants to write letters etc..

Well last week the Memphis Police Department came to a home in High Point Terrace area, where I have two good friends that have homes in the area. This is a good area of town. There was an alarm going off and when the officers went into the back yard and Anna Bolton's mixed rescue dogs came running, the police shot and hit one of the dogs. Both were mixes, appearing to be lab and Shepherd mixes. When Bolton came home Violet was missing and her other dog, Bing was in a pool of blood. But the police have the right to do this!? An alarm is going off and you are so scared you shoot at two dogs? This really disgusts me bc my dogs are A LOT more scary looking and well might not be friendly to someone coming into out backyard. You know I don't know, they haven't ever done anything, but sure bark and don't look too nice when people have come up to the fence. But hello!!! This is what I actually want. I do not believe in having a gun, just didn't grow up around guns, but LIKE that people I don't know and probably don't want to know won't come into my fence after hearing my dogs bark or seeing them. Isn't this ok!? I mean I'm all for Pit Bull stereotypes to be brought down, but those burglars and home invaders, well let them think they shouldn't come into my house, right!? 

A couple of weeks ago we were at the Fox and Hound for football on a Sunday. I had on a Bengals TJ Houshmanzadeh jersey. This police officer kept following me around, it was weird, so I finally asked him if he needed something. Well TJ Houshmanzadeh now plays for the Seahawks and is one of our Fantasy players, also half Persian and I'm a huge fan. Well,  I was watching the Seahawks but he wanted to tell me that the Bengals game was on in the other room. I guess it bothered him that I was in the wrong/nonBengals room. Ok, so where am I going with this!? He decided he was going to talk to me about him being a Browns fan, etc, etc...and after some small talk, I asked him about another incident recently about some officers shooting someones Boxer. This Boxer came out of the home, according to the owners about the lick them to death. He then goes to tell me that he shoots Pit Bulls all the time. Ok, stop right there..this man had NO IDEA who he was talking to! He thought it was funny and took it back to say 2 times he has shot a Pit Bull. Once bc it was attacking a Poodle and another time when he was chasing a suspect and he ran into a house, when this police officer ran into the house there was a Pit Bull that came at him and he shot him! Well Tony hears him at this time and tells him that if someone shot one of our dogs, he would feel the right to shoot that person. Surprisingly coming from Tony who usually doesn't say much. I begin showing him pictures of Lennox and Lane in my phone and them dressed up in Halloween costumes, etc. He admits he has two Dalmatians  and loves them, bc they are a much better breed, and at this point after me telling him to stop shooting dogs, he walks off. Don't know if it helped change his mind, but why was a cop in full gear in a sports bar on a Sunday. He was a total weirdo and I wish I got his name, but I was too upset about what he said to us. 

My point is that the police think they have the right to do this, and it happens all the time. We just have heard about this case with Anna Bolton's dogs, and there is somewhat of a happy ending. Bing will be ok after lots of rehab, that Bolton will have to pay on her own, no help from the MPD and Violet was found under a neighbor's porch. Now before Violet came back, there was another animal issue, Pet Extortion. Lashira McClain had been calling Bolton and trying to extort money from her for the safe return of Violet, the dog that she didn't even have. McClain was in court today. 

Also this morning before 6am, Memphis Animal Services, the pound, the city shelter, was raided on grounds of animal abuse. ACT has been working on this after volunteers reported months ago about food shortages and starving dogs to the point of requiring euthanasia. Isn't this just sick. Our new mayor, Wharton, was on hand and immediately fired 10 employees. I'm glad he was on top of things and hopefully the conditions will improve with this investigation. 

On top of all of the animal stories that I follow I wanted to make note and send prayers to the community where 2 little boys have now both died after being left in their home when their mother went shopping and left these two boys, ages 2 and 3 in their home. Both were rushed to the hospital and have now died. Just a very sad and upsetting story that I have been following. You wonder how many other mothers think its ok to leave their kids locked in a room while they go and shop? I hope some of them see this story. 

I'm really hopeful that our new Mayor can really make some changes for child and animal welfare. Its a sad day for Memphis..