MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - There are big questions about why a Memphis Animal Control officer left two starving dogs in the yard of a house in Highland Heights. Three days later one dog was so hungry it ate one of its pups. It's just one more example of ongoing problems at the Memphis Animal Shelter.
These dogs were in such bad shape you could see their spine, ribs and bones. Dogs don't get in that shape in just a few days. It makes you wonder why the animal control officer that had been there three days prior walked away.
Calvin Burroughs says his mom, Mary Burroughs, didn't have any money. Another relative admits the dogs would go days without food.
Truth is the dogs stayed at the home starving and without water because animal control officer David Johnson decided to leave a note on the front door instead of criminally charging the dog's owner and taking the dogs to the shelter were they could get food and water.
Johnson had been called to the home on a cruelty complaint Friday and simply left a notice to comply order.
"Right now I don't know what happened with this case, that's why we are investigating to determine what happened," said Shelter Administrator James Rogers.
Rogers is limited in what he can say because of the investigation. When the new shelter boss took over in February, he said many of the employee problems were due to lack of training. Truth is even Rogers says now that's not an excuse.
"Our employees have been trained… they know what their jobs are; they know how to care for animals and how to enforce ac laws."
This isn't the first time you've heard about Johnson. Last year while working as a supervisor we told about Johnson's cursing rant during an employee meeting.
We don't know if that's what Johnson was doing when he decided to simply leave a note on the door and drive away when two dogs were obviously starving.
Truth is those watching this situation say Johnson should be charged with animal cruelty. After all, he's supposed to know the law and is supposed to enforce it.
