Top Stories Memphis

• City of Memphis Animal Shelter on Tchulahoma raided by Shelby County deputies
• Reports of unsanitary conditions, overcrowding, sick & vicious animals put in same areas as other animals
• Some employees sent home for the day

(Memphis 10/27/2009) The City of Memphis Animal Shelter was the scene of a early morning raid by Shelby County deputies Tuesday morning.

Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons and Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell say deputies with the Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the shelter located at 3456 Tchulahoma Road and temporarily secured the facility as part of an investigation into alleged animal abuse and cruelty.

District Attorney Gibbons requested the Sheriff’s Office investigation of the City of Memphis Animal Shelter earlier this month after receiving a tip from a citizen on the conditions at the shelter.

Sheriff Mark Luttrell told us, “We are finding that some of the allegations that we have heard are true. That will just take a more through investigation to determine just how bad the situation is but on its face, we can definitely see that there are some problems here.”

According to the search warrant, “detectives have learned that some animals have been deprived of food and water while at the Memphis Animal Shelter…” and while in the shelter’s care, “some dogs have been starved to the point of requiring euthanasia.”

According to the search warrant, some of the dogs “are involved in court cases involving dog fighting and have been marked ‘Hold for Court.’”

Additionally, the warrant says that shelter employees keep “…dogs that are to be quarantined for rabies with dogs that are not required to be quarantined in the same kennel.”

“The information we received about the conditions of the Memphis Animal Shelter clearly warranted a criminal investigation, and it is very possible that one or more individuals could face criminal charges based on the outcome of the investigation,” said District Attorney Gibbons.

Janet Hooks, Director of The Division Of Public Services and Neighborhoods, suspended 12 employees to allow investigators unfettered access to the shelter and the animals. No one has been charged.

While deputies are executing the search warrant, the facility will not be open to the public, and deputies will supervise limited employees inside the shelter. Animals brought to the facility during this time will be transferred to another shelter in Shelby County.

Trained investigators with ASPCA and emergency responders with the American Humane Association are at the shelter assisting the deputies.