Thursday, May 14, 2009

TN Pitbull Rescue Takes Dogs to Pound for Killing

For $50, a Pitbull rescue group in Nashville TN may or may not take your dog to the pound to be killed:
For three years hundreds of people have turned over dogs to a Nashville rescue group with the hope they will find new homes, but it turned out to be a death sentence for the dogs.
[...]

"Some are strays. Some are owner releases," said Billy Biggs with Metro Animal Control.

Officer Biggs said Phelps brought in 261 dogs to Metro Animal Control since 2006.

"The bad thing about a pit bull is once you release them to us it's a death penalty it's our policy not to adopt pit bulls," said Biggs.

The Phelps' insist they are only surrendering animals that can not be adopted.

"Only the aggressive ones, the ones you can't find homes for," said Curly [Phelps].

Oh crap. We need a rescue to rescue the dogs from rescue.

Police said a fraud case would be extremely difficult to prove, and animal control does not have the power to go after a rescue group simply because it was misleading people.


Really? Surrendering a pet to a rescue who took money in exchange for finding the dog a home and then brought him to the pound to be killed is the legal equivalent of telling a fish tale? I'm not a legal expert but I would think there would be some sort of case here. If anyone felt like pursuing it that is. It kinda sounds like no one is motivated to do that. Will anyone stand up and speak for the 261 dead Pitbulls whose owners thought they were buying them a chance at a new home?

9 comments:

mutineer826 said...

Find out whether they are registered as a 501(c)(3) with the IRS. If they are, I know there is a way to petition to get their tax-exempt status revoked. This means that all their donors won't be able to claim an exemption on their tax returns.

Heather said...

Oh, Man!! A rescue that not only takes your dog under false pretenses but charges you for it too???
Now I`ve heard everything. In my book, a rescue is ` a safe place` for a dog or cat not a pre-paid death sentence. Most TRUE and HONEST rescues dont ask for money from folks who turn to them for help. Never mind the tax returns . What about charging them with animal abuse or human abuse?? Or some damn thing.

EmilyS said...

well, if they won't go after PETA and HSUS for similar frauds......

Jessica said...

Casey Phelps has been pulling this shit for YEARS! She will lurk on various sites and grab up any pit bull being given away and she has even been known to breed the discarded dogs she takes in. Everyone in the rescue community has known this for a while, but yet no one in Nashville seems to be able (or willing) to do anything about it. Google it...Casey Phelps, TN Pit Rescue....on her website she openly admits to breeding as well.

Sfox said...

Jeez, is Phelps Ingrid's cousin or accolyte or something?

Our Pack said...

This is really bad in that it makes it more likely that people won't trust rescues.
Sick and sad!

Heather Houlahan said...

Hmmm ... putting down genuinely aggressive dogs that are surrendered to rescue?

Sure. Has to be done sometimes. Sorry folks, that's how it is. You give the animal a great last day, and you take him to your own vet, and you hold him bravely, and when it is done and you cannot upset him any more, you cry because your best efforts could not fix what someone else broke.

Dropping him off at animal control to be killed for free -- alone, frightened, abandoned by the "rescuer" who has written him off?

261 times?

Anonymous said...

i am a proud owner of a pitbull i rescued from my local vet! he is a big baby and by far the best dog i have ever known and if i could afford i would adopt all the lost pitbulls! this woman should be assamed for what she has done, but maybe the finaces were not ther. they should ban her from being a pet owner or rescuer for life!

Anonymous said...

http://www.americanbluelacyassociation.com/blog/?p=666#awp::?p=666

Casey Phelps is at it again in 2010.

Yes, genuinely aggressive dogs need to be PTS, but it seems to me that Casey Phelps is making a living at this. Let's see, she turned in 261 pitbulls to animal control in ONE YEAR. She knew they would be PTS since Nashville doesn't adopt out pitbulls.

She required a $50 "donation" from people to take in a pit bull.

Hmm, $50 x 261 = $13,050. That's a serious chunk of change, especially considering that she's a 501 (c)(3) so she doesn't pay taxes on it.