Replacing broken equipment. Yeah, how about replacing the broken employees? How about getting some leadership in there and stop letting the place run itself like Lord of the Flies? Mr. Mayor, you are responsible for this. Fix it or get out of the way for someone who will.

I'm sick of this City, MY City, assuming that all Memphians are as lazy and ignorant as many of the "workers" at MAS. None of the organized shelter reform groups has said that it should be "no kill". We are all aware of the problems with over-breeding, especially pit bulls, and that unfortunately animals have to be put down. The City is trying to make animal advocates look like extreme looneys who should just be dismissed. I'm tired of walking on eggshells and trying not to offend anyone, so here goes. A great deal of the "workers" at MAS are just plain lazy. There, I said it. While visiting the shelter, there were 4 or 5 workers, just hanging around and talking (and cursing). If the shelter is always filled to capacity, why are there so many empty cages? Because a dead animal isn't as much trouble as a living one. Dead animal = less work. Why the starving dogs? Less food = less poop. Most of us in the private sector (even with low-paying jobs and worse benefits) will work overtime with no pay, go above our job description, etc. Ask many MAS "workers" to work overtime (paid) at MAS and it's like asking for their first-born child. Ask a worker to go above and beyond their job description, and "that's not my job" and "I'm protected by the union". And I won't even get into the corruption that has been going on there since the days of Herenton. Bottom line: LAZY, IGNORANT and CORRUPT.

Hooks' meeting with the volunteers was 'fruitful'?? Really? All she could talk about was the equipment! That is NOT the REAL issue. Hooks had NOTHING to say about the filthy cages and the employees not doing their jobs. And she 'denies' the allegations of starvation. Well, hopefully the police investigation will prove that the evidence we have seen so far is true - if so, then the MAS employees and City Hall will be in violation of state animal cruelty laws. Please write to Tony Armstrong (police director - mpd@memphispolice.org or toney.armstrong@memphistn.gov) and Amy Weirich (county Attorney General - Info@scdag.com or search for her on FB) -- tell them how much you appreciate and support the work of our police and of our A.G.'s office, thank them for conducting a thorough investigation of MAS.

Thanks for this story. Kudos to the volunteers who had the courage to speak with Hooks & Hall about their concerns. Shame on Hooks & Hall for not acting immediately. I will continue to watch MAS very closely. I am ashamed to be a Memphian.

I have been following the problems at MAS for the last year or so and am tired of hearing excuse after excuse blaming the "irresponsible public" and defending webcam footage by saying that it was "taken out of context". It seems the city of Memphis spends more time and energy making excuses and hiding things then they do actually trying to fix the issues that have plagued this pound for years. When the mayor came in, he said he would clean house and there would be full transparency. Yet another politicians lies, if anything, MAS is just as bad as it was then and now there are no webcams to follow what really goes on behind closed doors. The animals of Memphis deserve better and it's time for residents to stand up and fight for change.

Why is that lifetime leach Hooks still on the government payroll????? What say you, Mayor?

I hope a volunteer will log how long it takes for them to actually do the work to replace the broken equipment (doors/beds) or if the new parts will just sit around in boxes for a while.

Janet Hooks could care less about those animals because they aren't the "right" color for her, and they can't vote.

Ms. DiPrizio, thank you for your continuing coverage of events at MAS - ABC 24 News has gained another viewer, thanks to you. After watching the story last night, my first issue with this was why does it appear that Janet Hooks has a problem with MAS being 'under the microscope'? First, with all that's going on in Memphis, I think it's an exaggeration; second, in light of the events at MAS over the last 2+ years, if MAS is indeed being closely monitored, this is as it should be. The tax dollars of Memphis residents fund the shelter, it's long past time for those operating the shelter to be held accountable for their actions, or lack thereof.

We need to, as animal advocates, figure out a way to get the word out about the open supervisory position there. There's got to be someone in this country who could come in and make a difference, and not get run off by the politics in this town. How could we help to find the next person to run this place? I know we would like privitization, and even better still a no-kill shelter, but in getting from where we are now to that point, where we are right now, we need someone with some leadership skills and a background in this area. I'm just trying to get us thinking of ideas, realistically, of what can we do right now, this month. ? Anyone have any names of someone like that we could try to get to apply?