euthanasia – Memphis Flyer

Aquarius Revisited

Bianca Phillips’ article about the hippie commune, the Farm (“The Old Age of Aquarius,” November 22nd issue), showed that despite declining numbers of people, the 1960s countercultural ethic is still thriving in Tennessee.

What is more amazing is that many of the 1960s’ revolutionary, radical ideas are now mainstream, including solar energy, soy products, natural childbirth, recycling, spirituality, earth consciousness, and a healthy mistrust of the government’s immense power. All of these are now a part of the fabric of society.

If mainstream society would whole-heartedly embrace the guiding principles of the Farm — love and compassion — in all of its endeavors, then the 1960s cultural upheaval will not have been futile.

Randy Norwood

Memphis

The Shelter

Thanks to the Flyer and Bianca Phillips for highlighting one of the malfunctions associated with our city-run animal-disposal facility, aka the Memphis Animal Shelter (“Sheltered Life,” November 22nd issue).

Unfortunately, the shelter’s euthanasia policies are just the tip of the iceberg. As a foster-home provider for rescued animals, I have been repeatedly let down by our city’s shelter policies. First, they do not respond to injured or loose animal reports consistently or in a timely manner. Second, animals may be adopted to whoever is willing to pay the small fee, without regard for eligibility. Third, owner-surrendered animals are immediately destroyed. (Shelter spokespeople say they must assume something is wrong with the animal since the owner is relinquishing it, so it is never made available for adoption.)

I realize that the shelter is overrun with animals and lacks resources (including but not limited to leadership and the support of the city government). But the fact that over 1,000 animals are killed per month in that facility is a shameful reflection of our city’s crime, poverty, and low education levels. A high percentage of dogs that are euthanized are bully breeds used for fighting operations. Until tougher penalties for dog fighting are instituted and spay/neuter is encouraged citywide, the Memphis Animal Shelter will continue to serve as a death-trap for thousands of animals each year.

In the meantime, Memphians have a social and civil responsibility to adopt homeless animals and donate money they might have spent on designer dogs to one of the city’s volunteer-run rescue organizations.

Jessica Leu
Memphis

The Surge

I believe all Americans want the surge in Iraq to be a success. If it succeeds, Iraq can stand on its own and our brave military men and women can come home. Unfortunately, the more we learn about what the president is planning, the more obvious it is that we are headed toward an open-ended commitment to Iraq.

President Bush initially failed to deploy enough troops to ensure a victory. Now we learn our tax dollars are going to pay more than 70,000 Sunnis to patrol their neighborhoods. The Iraqi government was supposed to do this, but they fear arming so many who oppose the current government — and who might use the weapons to attack the Shiites who are in charge.

The invasion has created two hostile opposing forces in Iraq, and we are arming and training both sides! It appears that Bush has not learned the lesson he should have learned from his father. When the first Bush administration armed the Taliban, they created a monster that finally turned on us. It was the Taliban who protected and assisted bin Laden. Now, more than six years after 9/11, that monster is still alive and making propaganda tapes for the world to hear.

After a million Iraqis and thousands of Americans have been killed and maimed in Iraq and after close to a trillion dollars of American treasure has been spent, the real mastermind of 9/11 is still alive and planning more attacks.

The president claims he is spreading democracy. I say he is spreading something else. How does he explain the hundreds of Saudis in Iraq who are terrorists? He has called the Saudi princes friends for years. These same friends are silent when a Saudi woman who was raped is punished with 200 lashes. I fear democracy is far from the minds of those Bush has befriended in our name. Saudi princes and Shiite politicians are only interested in power, not freedom and democracy.

Jack Bishop

Cordova

In mid-October, Lisa Trenthem with Good Dog Rescue planned to adopt three stray dogs from the Memphis Animal Services shelter on Tchulahoma. Despite Trenthem’s plans, one of the animals she wanted to adopt — a Border collie mix — wouldn’t make it out of the shelter alive.

According to Trenthem, a long-time rescuer, the dog’s cage indicated that it was slated for euthanasia due to allergies. Though Trenthem insisted she’d take the dog to the vet, shelter employees refused to release the animal. Trenthem left with two other dogs but returned several minutes later.

“When I got back, the dog was not in her cage. I went to the euthanasia room,” Trenthem says. “I could see the dog on a cart with her mouth strapped shut. I told them to stop what they were doing, but the door slammed in my face.”

Trenthem and about 50 other citizens have formed a coalition to address the shelter’s euthanasia policies, as well as other concerns.

The group wants the shelter to let rescue groups adopt sick dogs if the groups are willing to pay for vet care. In 2006, the Memphis animal shelter euthanized roughly 12,000 dogs.

The group also hopes to revive the shelter’s now-defunct citizen advisory board. The board, which hasn’t been active since the late 1980s, set adoption fees, determined shelter hours, and investigated complaints of animal cruelty.

At a meeting last weekend, Trenthem told coalition members that director of public services and neighborhoods Keenon McCloy has promised to look into extending adoption hours. The shelter is currently open for adoptions 26 hours a week.

Scrap-metal dealer Allen Iskiwitz estimates the shelter makes $75,000 for every 1,000 dogs adopted. “Without a director, the people at Memphis Animal Services aren’t thinking about the economic advantages of adopting animals rather than euthanizing,” he says.

The shelter has not had a director since former administrator Phil Snyder left in April.

McCloy says people can adopt sick dogs if the illness is not contagious to other animals or humans. Dogs showing signs of dieases such as parvo and distemper are euthanized.

“Take heartworms. It’s very costly to treat, but it is treatable,” McCloy says. “A dog with heartworms might be eligible for adoption if there was a commitment to follow through on treatment.”

But Trenthem doesn’t believe shelter employees always follow the policy. “The dogs they’re saying are sick aren’t always sick,” she says. “[If a dog sneezes, they’ll] claim it’s a sign of distemper.”