RIPLEY, Miss. – In Defense of Animals (IDA), a national non-profit animal protection organization, with an office located in Grenada, Mississippi, received a call that there was a dead, and rotting dog lying within the enclosure of the Ripley, Mississippi animal shelter. On Saturday, January 4, 2003's investigation of the report, IDA Director of Investigations, Doll Stanley-Branscum found appalling conditions in the Ripley animal shelter.

Stanley-Branscum called for the immediate closing of the shelter, and orchestrated the removal, and relocation of as many dogs as participating shelters could accommodate. By nightfall, most of the dogs that could be relocated were, and the others were removed by Monday morning. Last Saturday, the humane society was directed to contact the veterinarian who had worked with the City in the past. He humanely euthanized the dogs that could not be saved. Thirty-eight dogs were saved. The shelter did not accept cats. The ones dropped off were in the care of an ailing gentleman who lived on site. IDA will treat, and alter three for their guardian. The other cats, and kittens were accepted by shelters.

The shelter, which was founded by the small independent humane society, was partially funded by the City of Ripley, and Tippah County. Neither the humane society, nor the City and County officials oversaw the shelter. "No one took responsibility for the management of the shelter. They left the person responsible for the care of the animals in a vacuum," said Stanley-Branscum. The city, and county allocated funding for the operation of the facility, but the funding was directed through the humane society. Humane society members said that they hadn't been to the shelter recently, because they had given up after years of frustration with the City, and County. While Mayor Mike Harrison had been cooperative with their effort, they felt that they would never get the support needed for the facility.

"The construction of the facility had no plan, was not completed, and sorely prevented the hygienic care of the pathetic dogs that were warehoused there. The entire facility was engulfed in waste that could not be washed from the concrete area. The grounds were buried in waste. The half constructed cinder-block pens had no tops, no gates, and waste not only would not flow out, but the drains went directly into the dog yard," reported Stanley-Branscum. The City Animal Control Officer had reported overcrowding at the shelter. City officials spoke with the humane society about keeping to many dogs, but assumed the humane society was in charge and did not pursue the issue.

"Fingers could point in every direction in this disaster, the important thing is to bulldoze this place down and begin afresh on another site, said Stanley-Branscum. IDA and Compassion First are setting up a meeting with officials to lie out responsibilities and aid with this task.

IDA will also aid officials with means for curbing the abandonment of dogs at the close of the "First Monday" Trade & Sell event that Ripley is famous for. "IDA will continue to seek aid for critically needed spay and neuter programs for this region of our Country. The economic state of this region predetermines the abandonment, and neglect of an unchecked companion animal population," concluded Stanley-Branscum.

View photos from the Ripley animal shelter here.