“Walk Me, Mane!” Draws Nearly 150 People to MAS to Walk Shelter Dogs
On June 8th, Memphis Animal Services (MAS) hosted a heartwarming event with a uniquely Memphis moniker, titled “Walk Me, Mane!” It’s a new volunteer opportunity that brought together animal lovers for a morning of exercise and companionship with shelter dogs. The event took place from 8-10 a.m. at MAS, located at 2350 Appling City Cove, Memphis, TN 38133.
Affectionately known as the Bluff City Canine Crew, more than 100 volunteers from the community participated, including families, avid runners, student-athletes from the University of Memphis, fraternities and sororities, and various community service groups. Participants had the chance to walk or run with the shelter dogs, contributing to the dogs’ health and happiness while enjoying their company.
MAS Director Ty Coleman shared, “The goal of this event was to expose the community to all of the wonderful dogs we have at the shelter and help find them find fur-ever homes. Last year, we took in nearly 10,000 animals, so we are overcrowded every day. This kickoff is just the beginning as we plan to keep this ongoing to give animals in our care enrichment and socialization on a regular basis.”
The event not only provided valuable exercise for the dogs and helped make them more adoptable, but also brought the community together, introducing the shelter to a diverse and wide audience. The gathering of families, athletes, and various community groups highlighted the inclusive nature of the event, strengthening the bond between caring people and animals. This collective effort not only led to adoptions for these lovable pups, but also underscored the importance of community engagement in promoting animal welfare.
MAS Launches Community Program to get Dogs and People Walking Together
Memphis Animal Services is thrilled to announce, “Walk Me, Mane!” an exciting volunteer opportunity for animal lovers and fitness enthusiasts alike. The Bluff City Canine Crew invites the public to join us on June 8 from 8-10 a.m. at MAS, located at 2350 Appling City Cove, Memphis, TN 38133, for a heartwarming event where you can walk or run with our shelter dogs.
This unique event aims to keep our shelter dogs happy and healthy while giving volunteers a chance to stay active and enjoy the company of some lovable pups.
Whether you’re a seasoned runner or prefer a leisurely stroll, your participation is invaluable. Join us and be a hero to these lovable pups. To register, visit http://bit.ly/walkmemane.
Memphis Animal Services Extends Public Hours
In an effort to increase accessibility for the public and positive outcomes for the pets in our care, Memphis Animal Services is piloting extended public hours. MAS will now offer 10 more evening hours each week during which pets can be reclaimed or meet potential adopters, fosters, or rescues. The new public hours for MAS will be Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m, effective January 6, 2024.
As always, if you see a pet you believe is yours and you cannot make it during any public hours, please contact MAS as soon as possible, and we will work with your schedule to reclaim your pet. Memphis Animal Services can be contacted via email at [email protected] or phone at 901-636-1416.
MAS free vaccine clinic served nearly 500 pets in December thanks to Petco Love and Best Friends Animal Society support
On December 2, Memphis Animal Services provided services to almost 500 community pets at our public vaccine and microchip clinic at the Southland Mall.
Thanks to Petco Love’s Vaccinated and Loved campaign, we were able to provide free distemper/parvo combo vaccines for dogs and FVRCP vaccines for cats. We also offered free rabies vaccines and free microchips.
Thanks to generous support from Best Friends Animal Society, we were able to partner with Dr. Amy Moffatt with MobileVet Memphis in order to take our event offsite into the community.
Many thanks to our friends at the Shelby County Health Department for connecting us to the Southland Mall for what turned out to be a spectacular location for a MASSIVE turnout! And thanks to Southland Mall for allowing us to host it there.
Thanks to these wonderful national and community partnerships, we plan to continue this public outreach with more vaccine clinics in January and February!
Memphis Animal Services adopts out 212 pets in 12 Hours at the 3rd Annual 12 Hours of Christmas
MAS stayed open for 12 straight hours on Saturday, December 16, so we could work our holiday magic and find as many dogs and cats as possible their forever homes! Adopters were able to give the gift of a family for no adoption fee–plus, Santa had some special surprises for everyone who adopted at the event:
🎁 $50 gift card to a pet supply store*
🎁 Gift from under the Christmas tree
🎁 Holiday family photo
🎁 Goodie bag with freebies like pet food, food scoops, and more
🎁 The first 60 pets adopted got a certificate for a free vet exam at participating local veterinarians, and all pets after that got a certificate for a discounted vet exam at participating local veterinarians.
*We had so many adoptions we had to re-order our gift cards!
We also served delicious hot chocolate to keep our human guests warm and cozy, and Santa himself spent the day with us, even though he’s so busy this time of year.
Memphis Animal Services Teams Up with BISSELL Pet Foundation to “Empty the Shelters” from October 1-15 during the nation’s largest funded adoption event
Memphis Animal Services will offer $10 adoption fees for all dogs and cats available at the shelter at 2350 Appling City Cove from October 1-15. There are currently more than 325 pets onsite in MAS’s care. MAS’s typical adoption fees for dogs and cats vary from $20 to $80 and include age-appropriate vaccines, spay/neuter, microchip, heartworm test and treatment medications if needed (dogs), collar/leash, and customized ID tag. Interested adopters can find hours, location, adoption process, and available pets online at memphisanimalservices.com.
BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters” event is the largest funded adoption event in the country. With a goal of encouraging more families to choose adoption, this lifesaving effort has helped more than 190,000 pets find loving homes since 2016. As BISSELL Pet Foundation’s largest program, a total of 687 animal welfare organizations in 49 states and Canada have participated throughout the years. During BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters” quarterly national events, an average of 1,225 shelter pets are adopted each day.
“Our nation’s animal shelters are facing an overcrowding crisis unlike anything we have experienced in more than a decade. The devastating increase in owner surrenders and stray intakes has left tens of thousands of socialized, house-trained, and leash-trained pets desperate to find a home,” said Cathy Bissell, Founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. “Our Fall National ‘Empty the Shelters’ will support the adoption of thousands of pets across the country, helping shelters in this critical time. Opening your home to a shelter pet saves a life and creates space to give another pet a chance.”
Memphis Animal Services has participated in about 15 Empty the Shelters national adoption events since 2019. The shelter is located at 2350 Appling City Cove and is open seven days a week from 12 to 4 p.m.
“We’re so grateful for our ongoing partnership with BISSELL Pet Foundation,” said Ty Coleman, MAS Interim Director. “We always look forward to seeing the new families created during Empty the Shelters events.”
Memphis Animal Services is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ty Coleman as our new Interim Director
MAS Officer Lawrence Higginbottom Named NACA Animal Control Officer of the Year
(View) The National Animal Care & Control Association understands that the work done by animal care and control professionals across the country is physically and emotionally demanding and requires individuals of the strongest character. NACA has been recognizing individuals, agencies, organizations, and state associations for more than 25 years on the national level for their service within the animal care and control field and this week they are announcing the winners of their seven 2022 Annual Awards. [Read more.]
Memphis Animal Services Launches Behavior & Enrichment Specialist Position
MAS is happy to introduce Janet Kelly in August 2023 as our new Behavior & Enrichment Specialist. Janet previously worked in our vet clinic where she was instrumental in setting up Fear-Free techniques for pets receiving medical care. Now as the Behavior & Enrichment Specialist, she has expanded our
enrichment options for the pets in our care, she trains staff and volunteers on providing enrichment, she leads playgroups and trains staff on playgroups, and much more. Janet has many exciting plans to make the naturally stressful kennel environment more manageable for the pets in our care. If you would like to help improve the quality of life for shelter pets while they’re here with us, join us as a volunteer!
Petco Love Invests $90,000 into Lifesaving Efforts in Memphis & Shelby County
Memphis Animal Services received a $90,000 grant investment in June 2023 from national nonprofit Petco Love in support of their lifesaving work for pets and their families in Memphis and Shelby County.
Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since their founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, they’ve empowered animal welfare organizations by investing $370 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. They’ve helped find loving homes for more than 6.7 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide.
Petco Love’s investment will help save lives in Memphis by funding MAS’s Pet Resource Center, which keeps pets and families together, as well as MAS’s foster program, transport program, and adoption event program.
Memphis Animal Services Director Alexis Pugh Leaves Organization After 7 Years
Memphis Animal Services shares the bittersweet news in May 2023 that our director of nearly 7 years, Alexis Pugh, is leaving the organization. She has a wonderful opportunity outside of the city with a national animal welfare organization, and we are excited to see the impact she will continue to have on pets and people.
Alexis shared the news in person with our team, and for those who couldn’t be there in person, she said via email: “To say this is bittersweet is an understatement. I am incredibly sad to leave you all, but I feel so good knowing this is the best team in the business, and you all will continue to exceed expectations and work every day to achieve the lofty goals we have set for ourselves over the years. Because of you, people and pets in Memphis are better off, and for that I am eternally grateful…”
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Memphis Animal Services Overhauls New Volunteer Onboarding Process
In May 2023, MAS announced several major improvements to our volunteer orientation and onboarding process. Firstly, we launched our Online Volunteer Orientation and Online Volunteer Application for Level 1 Volunteers (first-step volunteers who do not handle animals). After you’re approved, you can come
right in to help with Level 1 tasks, such as laundry, dishes, enrichment prep, and more! Next, we increased the frequency and availability of our in-person Level 2 dog and cat handling courses.
The reason for these changes was to increase the speed with which people could get in to volunteer. Previously, the first step was to sign up for an in-person Volunteer Orientation, which was often weeks away! That caused a significant delay between someone wanting to volunteer and actually being able to come into the shelter and help out. Now, you could potentially watch Level 1 Volunteer Orientation in the morning and come help out at the shelter in the afternoon! Learn more about our volunteer program and sign up here.
Memphis Animal Services Hosts Senior Prom for Senior Pets, presented by Hollywood Feed
Memphis Animal Services hosts their inaugural Senior Prom adoption event on Saturday, April 22, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the shelter located at 2350 Appling City Cove.
Senior Prom is open to the public and will be held in person at MAS. Adoptable MAS pets over five years of age, including those in foster care, will be dressed to impress at the shelter and ready to steal attendees’ hearts. All senior pets will have their adoption fees sponsored by Fairy Godparents and go home with a new adopter package from Hollywood Feed including 20% off their first purchase, a free bag of food, and $5 off a premium Pet ID tag.
“We love any opportunity to shine a spotlight on the amazing senior pets in our care,” said Alexis Pugh, Memphis Animal Services Director. “Seniors make wonderful companions, and they don’t always get the attention we think they deserve, but we hope to change that with Senior Prom.”
The event will feature a ‘90s prom theme, complete with cheesy prom photos, a dogs-only cake provided by Hollywood Feed Fresh Bakery, and voting for Prom King and Queen. Attendees are welcome to dress up in their ‘90s prom finery (or come as they are). Attendees can enter to win Hollywood Feed’s prize giveaway including a Mississippi Made Bed, treats, and toys. Anyone who loves senior pets but can’t adopt right now can support the event by sponsoring an adoption fee as a Fairy Godparent.
Memphis Animal Services Hosts Kitten Shower
Memphis Animal Services hosted our 5th Annual Kitten Shower on March 19, 2023, right as the spring kitten season started. It’s a popular and fun event that brings in donated items from community supporters, which we can then use to stock our kitten foster supply closet.
This year, from our Amazon Baby Registry alone, we received a whopping 61 cans of Kitten formula, 6 kitten scales, 35 Snuggle Safe kitten warmers, 39 sets of equipment for bottle feeding, 426 cans of kitten food, and an Amazon gift card! Me-Wow!
Why is this so impurr-tant? In 2022, we took in 1,368 kittens! Many of these kittens are too young to eat on their own and must be bottle-fed around the clock. They rely on foster homes and special supplies to survive. If you would like to join our neonatal network of foster parents or even start out with older kittens that can eat on their own, you can apply online here.
New Play Yards at Memphis Animal Services
On Saturday, February 4, 2023, Memphis Animal Services cut the ribbon on our new and improved play yards with the help of Memphis Tiger Football Head Coach Ryan Silverfield, four football players, and four Spirit Squad members, alongside MAS Director Alexis Pugh and Facility Specialist Christian Foster.
MAS has a total of nine play yards on our property for dogs to have solo playtime, to meet potential fosters or adopters, or to have playgroup with other dogs. There are three yards made of concrete, which did not require any improvements. The other six yards were grass yards, some of which got very muddy, making them uncomfortable for adopters, volunteers, and staff. Some of them were even completely unusable due to gates that did not close completely and safety issues due to the excessive mud.
Improvements to our new play yards include:
• Replacing the grass and mud areas with recently removed Liberty Bowl AstroTurf
• Installing two new shade structures
• Replacing the gravel walkways with concrete walkways
“While the AstroTurf may technically be too old for college football to be played on it, we think it still has many years left as a spot for shelter dogs to play, hang out with other pups, and meet their new families,” said Alexis Pugh, Memphis Animal Services Director. “This project is a really cool example of city agencies collaborating together. Instead of this turf ending up in a landfill, it’s getting a second life here at MAS, plus we love any way to keep our ties with Memphis Tiger Football going!”
Petco Love Invests in Memphis Animal Services to Improve the Lives of Pets
Memphis Animal Services received a $25,000 grant investment from national nonprofit Petco Love during a special celebration at the Poplar & Highland Petco on Thursday, July 28, in support of their lifesaving work for animals in Memphis.
Announcing exciting changes to MAS Advisory Committee meetings!
Starting in August, Memphis Animal Services’ Advisory Committee meetings will be holding each meeting in a different City Council district. This gives us an opportunity to go to where the people live, focus on a specific community and its needs, and share all the ways we can help people with their pets. [Read more.]
Dangerous heat endangers Mid-South pets
With temperatures this week reaching dangerous levels at 100 degrees with the heat index even higher, Memphis Animal Services is urging dog owners to limit outdoor time for their dogs. The heat brings with it an increase in intakes at MAS, and as kennel space remains at crisis level, we need fosters and adopters immediately. [Read more.]
MAS invites pet lovers to “Let Love In” with Best Friends adoption promotion
MAS partnered with Best Friends Animal Society to Let Love In this summer! [Read more.]
MAS offers $20 adoptions in July
To celebrate the summer of 2021, you can adopt a dog or cat at Memphis Animal Services for the entire month of July for just $20! [Read more.]
MAS returns to extended adoption hours, drops appointment requirement
Masks are still required for visitors and employees at MAS until further notice. [Read more.]
MAS participates in BISSELL Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters
Adopt a dog or cat at Memphis Animal Services for just $25 from May 5-9, and BISSELL Pet Foundation will donate to MAS for each adoption. [Read more.]
Petco Love & BOBS from Skechers grant $95,000 to MAS to help animals in the Mid-South
“We work very hard to find loving homes for the pets in our care, all while keeping loved pets with their families despite financial obstacles. We’re proud to say that we now live in a city where no healthy, adoptable pet dies due to lack of space and that we saved nearly 90% of the pets in our care last year. We’ve been able to accomplish our goals at such a high level thanks to support from funders like Petco Love and BOBS from Skechers, as well as individual donors,” said Alexis Pugh, Director of Memphis Animal Services. [Read more.]
Help MAS empty the kennels
This week we’ve seen a sharp increase in dogs coming in, with 34 coming in just since Monday. In pre-COVID days, that number would not have seemed high, but our current COVID reality is an appointment system for adoptions and a limited number of guests and staff in the building, meaning we just can’t keep the pace of adoptions we’ve been able to in the in past. [Read more.]
MAS offers Spring Break Sleepovers
Spring will be here soon, and we’ve got some shelter dogs hoping to take a break from the kennel for a week or weekend and enjoy our beautiful Memphis spring weather in a SPRING BREAK SLEEPOVER! [Read more.]
MAS Kitten Shower is virtual this year!
Help us prepare for our bundles of joy, We need bottles and formula and blankies and toys! With spring comes a sea of tiny felines; Foster a few and you’ll be on cloud nine! [Read more.]
Save a Sweetheart at MAS
What better way to show love this Valentine’s Day than by opening your heart to a shelter pet? [Read more.]
Action Alert: Make your voice heard to keep retail stores from selling pets in our city!
On January 26, Council members Worth Morgan and Jeff Warren, in cooperation with Memphis Animal Services, will propose a city ordinance restricting the retail sale of dogs and cats at retail pet stores. [Read more.]
MAS employs new rabies tag technology to make it easier to reunite lost pets with owners
Memphis Animal Services is responsible for providing local veterinary clinics with rabies tags for them to distribute to dogs upon receiving their rabies vaccine. With these new PetHub tags, pet finders can often get in touch with the owner instantly! [Read more.]
Donate to MAS on Giving Tuesday
When you donate to Memphis Animal Services on #GivingTuesday, your gift is aimed straight at one thing: saving lives. [Read more.]
Daily Memphian covers Community-Supported Sheltering
Click here to read an excellent in-depth story by Jane Roberts about the new programming. [Read more.]
Petco Foundation Invests in Lifesaving Work of Memphis Animal Services
Memphis Animal Services has been awarded a $22,000 grant from the Petco Foundation to support its lifesaving work. [Read more.]
Petco Foundation to Match All Donations Up to $15,000 to Memphis Animal Services Through June 30
Through June 30, all donations to Memphis Animal Services will be matched up to $15,000 by the Petco Foundation to help save twice as many pet lives. The Petco Foundation investment aims to help save more animal lives in Memphis and Shelby County through the COVID-19 crisis. [Read more.]
Fire Finders: MAS & Memphis Fire Department Working Together to Get Found Pets Home
Memphis Animal Services and Memphis Fire Department have partnered to offer a new service to citizens with “Fire Finders,” a program funded by a grant from Maddie’s Fund. The “Fire Finders” program provides pet microchip scanners for every MFD fire station. [Read more.]
Anthony & Bobo: Community Comes Together to Reunite Homeless Artist with His Beloved Dog
Anthony is an artist who found himself homeless after some devastating events in his life. He doesn’t have a place to live, and he doesn’t always have food to eat. But he has a best friend, a sweet dog named Bobo. And he always makes sure Bobo has enough to eat.
A couple weeks ago, Anthony woke up to find Bobo was gone. He was distressed and immediately contacted friends to help him look for Bobo. They made signs and put them all over town. They talked to the people who knew Anthony and Bobo. When a dog matching Bobo’s description showed up at MAS yesterday, one of our employees, Emily, recognized Bobo immediately! She called the number on the LOST poster, and Anthony’s friend gave him a ride to the shelter within minutes to see Bobo again.
[Click here to watch their reunion and learn how you can help them.]
Memphis Animal Services Completes Cruelty Investigation Training
Memphis Animal Services announced today the completion of the National Animal Cruelty Investigations School – Professional Investigator training by its field operations team. [Read more.]
Special Shy Cat Looking for Home in #LoveToTheMax Campaign
Follow and share his progress on Facebook & Instagram with the #LoveToTheMax hashtag! Max A308238 is a painfully shy cat who had been a long time MAS resident. [Read More.]
Mid-South Shelters & Rescues Learn to Save More Lives with Dog Playgroups from Dogs Playing for Life
In December, Memphis Animal Services hosted dog playgroup training by Dogs Playing for Life, a non-profit organization that has trained over 230 shelters to incorporate playgroups for dogs into their daily operations, thanks to a grant from Animal Farm Foundation. [Read more.]
