Much has been said about the betrayal of public trust in Memphis with regard to the city pound. There is another betrayal of trust which dovetails with that, although this one is far more personal and individual in nature. It is the betrayal of trust between a pet and a person charged with caring for him. And at the Memphis pound, that trust is betrayed, repeatedly.
The bond between people and pets is sacred to most pet owners. But for the city employees, paid by Memphis taxpayers to protect pets from harm, that bond carries with it a mandate from the community: Honor our obligation to provide humane care for the community’s pets. Of course the pets at MAS do not know this. Each individual pet there simply looks to the human caring for him with complete trust, as pets are wont to do by their very nature. For them, it is a personal and instantaneous bond, created in the most trying of circumstances but given freely nonetheless. To my mind, this makes it unique and something to be cherished.
To the Mayor, the city officials, the MAS staff, volunteers and supporters who are concerned with whitewashing the abuse and killing, I ask you to consider the following. Every pet at MAS is an individual, worthy of love and protection. Can you look into the eyes of each of the trusting pets in the stray area, who are kept behind closed doors with no chance for adoption, and believe that they deserve to die? If you can do that, you are a monster. You should stay away from pets and all other living creatures for the rest of your shameful existence. If you can’t do it, isn’t it time to demand change?
This photo is one of the most powerful images captured via the MAS webcams that I have seen. It encompasses so much of the continuing tragedy that is MAS. I’m sorry brown dog. I’m hoping for you – for all of you.