MEMPHIS, TN – The dog is number 199287 in the search warrant, but animal lovers like the name "Justice."
"Apparently she was in some kind of abuse situation before going to the shelter,” said Beverly King, a long-time Memphis animal rights advocate. “And now being in the shelter and dying there of starvation - she did not get any justice whatsoever."
King hopes the dog will get that justice now that search warrant photos reveal to the public what led sheriff's deputies to raid the Memphis Animal Shelter last week. The warrant claims "Justice" was found dead in a cage less than a month after arriving at the shelter, and was one of three dogs who died of starvation.
“The things that have been going on at the shelter can be fixed,” King said. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that animals need food and water.”
Mayor A C Wharton is promising to take action by the end of this week. He wants to set up cameras inside the shelter to broadcast live on the internet. Animal rights advocates are taking action too, with a vigil Thursday at 6 p.m. outside the shelter on Tchulahoma Road.
"It's just a bunch of people who are concerned and are really pretty mad about this situation,” King said.
Thomas Dosier said he understands the outrage.
“It’s incredibly frustrating,” said Dosier, who visits Overton Park with his dog Banger. “Sometimes it happens here at Overton Park -- people come here and leave their dog because for whatever reason they can't take care of it.”
King hopes changes at the shelter will make a difference.
“Changes have got to be made, and permanent changes too,” she said.
