March 4, 2025 • 41 mins
Suzy is the founder of All 4's Rescue League, which has distributed 1,680 doghouses to outside dogs without them in Memphis, have gotten 1,500 dogs spayed and neutered, and 2,460 dogs unchained. And she dives into the local and national crisis of homeless animals that endangers all of us.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Everybody. It's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks.
And we continue now with part two of our conversation
with Susie hollandback right after these brief messages from our
general sponsors. And you say the backyard breeders, and I
(00:34):
get that. I've often wondered also about the pet shop breeders,
because when you go, I don't really know. I mean,
you know, the malls not being a big thing anymore,
but every mall used to.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Have a pet store.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
The good yeah, And I remember when I was younger
going in and everybody would want to go in the
pet store to look at the key.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Right.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
But looking back on it, some of those puppies didn't look.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
So good, right, I'm not happy.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Telling me they bought pets from pet stores and they.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Were sick, right, So.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
There must be I mean, these pet stores aren't, but
there must be, like I guess, not backyard breeders, but
puppy milk tight feeding those stores. Correct. That can't be
good either.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
No, Well, we certainly didn't need any to be brought
to Memphis. We have enough animals here that we didn't
need some of these pet stores that have come at
pet Land and but I.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Mean, what happens in a pet store when a dog,
when a puppy doesn't get bought and it gets a
little too old?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Good question, I wonder, right, because there's really no oversight.
Yeah so, and you know, I know the shelters aren't
really involved there. That's they have so much on their
plate already that that's not even in their scope.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
What did I read about not too long ago, like
the head of the Memphis or Shelby County Pet thing
got put on probation because a dog died or something.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, well they unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Because I've read about that in other cities too.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah yeah, well, you know, in an effort to house
more animals to prevent euthanasia, they started to stage some outside.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
And in the Memphis summer.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
In the Memphis summer, on AstroTurf. And it was a
really stupid decision. Oh yeah, oh yeah it was. It
was really bad. And ironically, the dog that died on
this astro turf was one our group had microchipped during
one of our spade clinics, and the family had surrendered
(02:49):
the dog to the shelter. We were working to find
an adopter and managed to find an adopter and went
in the day to pull the dog and were notified
that she had died out on the astro turf.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Basically by yeah, yeah, and this is what our taxpayer
dollars are going to.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Fund, right, And this was I mean, unfortunately, this new
director at the time, I guess, done this at other facility,
at a previous facility where he was employed, and a
similar thing had happened, but employees at Memphis Animal Services
had told him this is not we didn't we just
(03:30):
don't even use the astro turf area during these times
of day. This isn't good, and he just didn't listen. Yeah,
so okay.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
So the reason I asked about that is if you
think about the first day, the chain dog and the
neighbor's chain dog, right, if you think about the strays,
if you think about the no no kill thing, the
no euphanization, if you think think about calling a dog
(04:03):
catcher when there's a pack of dogs running around in
them saying sorry, we can't do it right, And if
you think about the story you just heard, which I've
heard that in other places, and even the guy that
did this did it at another place. It just feels
to me like we have a systematic problem from dog education,
(04:27):
of pet owner education, ownership all the way through the
quote system that's supposed to handle all this, a lot
of which is funded by my tax dollars. Absolutely, so
it seems like the whole thing's just broken.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well, we've gotten away from animal control in the name
of no kill, because no kill sounds and feels good.
This community sheltering sounds and feels good. But you know,
on paper is a.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Really cool word for something. I've never heard that until
you just said it. That is the stupidest thing. Community
sheltering means we're just going to leave the dogs.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
In absolutely what That was the policy of what they did,
and it continues today on the problem, right and it
affected the underserved communities, you know, exponentially.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
It's been hard to say it is so one typical
because in Germantown, everybody Germantown is a very nice suburb
of Memphis. In Germantown or in very nice he S
Memphis or Carliville, you don't have this problem because everybody
has the money to take care of their dogs and
keep them sheltered and blah blah blah. But you go
(05:46):
into communities that are poverty stricken and have financial difficulties.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
And especially during an economic crisis. Since COVID, these areas
have taken a nose dive. So you've had families that
were displaced that had animals and they honestly tried to
turn to the shelter to surrender their dog. They couldn't
take their dogs. They were moving in with other family
or some sometimes going homeless and couldn't take their dogs.
(06:13):
So instead of having that resource that should have been
there for them, they they had to turn the dogs out.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
To the streets literally say bye bye.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
People finding strays tried to take the dogs into the
and to to this day get turned away at the shelter.
We don't have room go put it back where you
found it.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Because we have community sheltering, right, which is basically let
it loose the.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Correct So the animals.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Is it not just are we not just any day
away from some four year old getting mauled it's had
wild dog. Well, then how is the city not getting
sued for them?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
I don't understand it. We've had people mauled and killed,
people have lost limbs on limbs on dogs that Memphis
Animal Services should have picked up and right now I
will say I feel comfortable saying that I think Paul Young,
(07:12):
the new mayor, understands the issues. I don't think he
is a fan of these policies. We have an interim
director now that replaced the gentleman that made that mistake.
It may be Animal Services, So they've really taken a
look at these policies, and unfortunately, until they get a
(07:32):
new director in, we really won't know what direction they go.
But I in conversations feels as though he understands the
effect this has had on the underserved areas and cautiously
optimistic that a new direction will happen. But we have
(07:54):
got to get back to animal control meanwhile.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Correct And the reason I went off on this tangent
a little bit is, you know, people need to understand
that once again, this is a systematic issue that affects
the neediest among us, absolutely, and it does affect your neighborhood,
and it does affect your children, right, and it does
affect people. It's not just and I don't mean to
(08:22):
say that, I be careful saying one I'm about to say,
but it's not just we need to care for the
dog on the tree. It actually is a much bigger
issue than that.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
It's a broken window, you know what I mean. It's
and of course, being in the underserved areas every single day,
you just see so much is chipped away on what
is acceptable in the underserved areas versus what's acceptable in
(08:54):
East Memphis.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
This wouldn't happen in Germany.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Absolutely, this wouldn't happen in even East Memphis.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Okay, but you said you scream at somebody. Can you
imagine every homeowner in East Memphis. All they would have
to do would raise hell for two days and this
probam would be over.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
But the people in the underserved community don't have that
access or voice.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
No, and so the dogs and they make the calls
and they don't get responded to, and it's it's blatant,
and it's it's been a huge issue. I mean, I've
I've really this has been a point of contention for me.
And I mean we did a documentary on it, just
this issue. It's called the Memphis Underdog.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
The Memphis Underdog. Nice title, but we're not talking about
the dog. We're talking about the people dealing with the dogs, right,
that's the underdog.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Absolutely, it's the whole the whole piece, all.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Of the pieces to you. This is happening right now
in Little Rock and Birmingham and Louisville and Nashville and Montgomery.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
This limited intake. Like I said, these large organizations push
this and use COVID to launch it, and it's spread
like wildfire. I'm not kidding. I mean, and it's for
the you know, for an area in Connecticut, community sheltering
is wonderful. I mean, a dog gets loose up and
(10:17):
mystic right though they're off walking to the dog, he'll
have somewhere to stay for the afternoon and be home
by the end of the day. In Memphis, no, and
we have packs of dogs, which is very dangerous. These
aren't poodles. And we've left it to the underserved areas
because they could a national story.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
I once inter you're a guy who started a bunch
of charter schools in Detroit, and when you're starting them,
the guy who helped them do it said, all these
kids are carrying around sticks to school. And he said,
why are the kids carrying sticks? And it's you how
to protect themselves from these dogs?
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Right? Okay, this is really stupid. It's it's disgustinating that
I'm so glad we're doing this because everybody listens needs
to be aware. Well, I mean, and the truth is
I was not. Yeah, no, I guarantee you if there
are a pack of dogs running around our neighborhood at
LISTA Courtney would drive to City Hault and race, she
(11:13):
would either end up in jail or with a dog
catcher in our neighborhood one of the too.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
It's it's absolutely it's wrong. It's what's happened in these
areas just I mean, and you watch so many different
things that have happened with the economy. I don't think
our city really has a pulse on how bad it's
gotten for these families that have literally moved in with
other family members in a do plat. I mean, you
might have twelve people, you know, with children, and they
(11:41):
try to surrender their dogs because they couldn't take care
of them. And we're turned away, I mean every day,
turned away. And it's I mean, I've come up on
properties and they've got their toddlers out front with stray
pit bulls running around. They've called and called and called,
and the shelter I mean even they pull up like
the dog's healthy. It's nice. I'm sorry, we can't take
(12:03):
the dog. It's horrible.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
It's horrible for the dog, it's horrible for the people
live in the neighborhoods. It's not good for children having
to walk around with sticks to beat off the dogs.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Well, and there's wonderful that teach our children, right, right,
in so many different ways. I mean, there's just so
much to it that is teaching these children that the
animals are dispensable.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
I mean, it's just and so it's dawning on me
as I'm listening to that. All fours Rescue is absolutely
about trying to rescue pets and provide owners with the
things that they need and education and everything else. But
through spade and neutering and microchipping and all of this
work that you're doing, you're also trying to through this
(12:53):
improve the lifestyle and some of these neighborhoods for these kids.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Right, absolutely correct, right, And it's you know, this is
a frontline approach to try to help keep these pets
out of the shelter and help keep me, if it,
animal services from having to go to that address. And
that's that's been you know, an issue. You know, I've
been told you know, you think you're the animal. You
(13:21):
think you're an animal control officer. No, I don't. But
when I call for you, guys, I expect you to
do it. Do your job because you know what I'm doing.
If I'm calling you, it's bad. So you guys should absolutely.
Oh yeah. Some some hate me, some love what we do.
But it's you know when when what happens when an
(13:43):
animal is going to suffer because you want don't do
your job, some someone's got to bring a voice to that.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
And that's the way it works, you know, I believe
it or not. This may shock you. It's kind and
cuddly and sweet and low key as I am. Some
people eat me.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
No, I don't say I make it.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Hate you sudden, it's just no know. Yeah, but we
also pay him. That doesn't count.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Well. I'm just a firm believe you know. If you
don't have a few haters, you're not really doing anything right.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Maybe I need to do like the super Bowl and
come up with a wrap and does everybody that hates me.
We'll be right back. Here's here's something that wow. As
(14:49):
of September twenty twenty four, I know that's a little dated,
but that's the last, I have you have distributed or not?
You all fours Rescue as di stibude one thousand, six
hundred and eighty doghouses. You've gotten one thousand, five hundred
dogs spade neuter, You've gotten two thousand, four hundred and
(15:13):
sixty dogs unchained. That's insane. That's a lot of dagumb dogs.
And what do you I also want to know what
do you do when you come across a cat that's
in a bad problem? Do you deal with that too?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Well, we do help some cats, but typically, you know,
it's just roaming cats and Memphis cats are free to rome.
It's perfectly legal, so unless they're injured, we really don't,
you know, get involved.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Once again, if they're not spade or neutered and they're
roaming every year, there's a litter creative right of all
these animals. Well, now how does this not perpetua? Listen? Absolutely,
these dogs, the sixteen hundred and twenty four sixty, these
numbers are beautiful, okay, but it's still when two dogs
(16:06):
can make five and that's happening every single day. I mean, well,
this is the dog population.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
This one will mesmrize you. One female dog in her
offspring in six years can produce up to sixty seven
thousand dogs. One female dog in six years.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Say that one more time, one female.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
One female dog and her offspring can produce up to
sixty seven thousand dogs in six years. Do you know
sixty seven thousand people that can take a dog?
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
And that's that. So we leave these dogs right. Well,
one thing too that I think as we look at
animal control and what really should happen to get our
country honestly, not just here, but we have to stop
thinking that everybody needs to have a pet. Not everybody
(17:11):
needs to own a pet. Some of these people that
do have dogs have no business. They don't they you know,
there is no educating them, and they neglect. I have
had people laugh because they forgot to feed their dog,
and you know, or just you know, lock them up
in a crate and leave them out back. They're tired
of them.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
And why why even get a dog?
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Right? I mean it's because we have we have really
taught neglect by refusing intake well.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Candidly, why would I give a crap about my dog
if nobody else seems to give a crap about all
these dogs are around the neighborhood, you.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Report a neglect situation and the animal controller officer comes
to your property and yes, the dog is starved, but
they have a doghouse. So the shelter tells you to
leave that. You know, their supervisor tells them to leave
the dog. You've taught them that that's acceptable. You've taught
the children in the house that's acceptable.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
How many dogs as a shelter hold.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
It should hold about one hundred and eighty one hundred
and eighty, and they've been housing almost double that, okay,
which is ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
And sixty right, Okay, here's the thing. How much money
are we as taxpayers paying for this facility that's housing
three hundred and sixty of the sixty seven thousand dogs
that are probably run around out there. The animal control officers,
(18:43):
the cost of the fuel, insurance, and maintenance on these
vehicles that we send out to people to tell them
we're not doing anything, and the salaries of the people
running this place that is absolutely.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Doing nothing nothing.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Correct. This is insane.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Yeah, it's it's a department. That's well, it's it is.
It's been a problem, you know, when they honestly took
this direction after COVID. It, I mean, these it directly
impacted the underserved areas. It they reduced the complement of officers,
(19:23):
So I mean, it was all a dynamic to absolutely
reduce the intake at the shelter. And it's impacted not
only Memphis but nationwide. So we've had areas that, you know,
we the northern areas usually can take dog transport dogs
up north to you know, they their shelters are empty
and and people love to, you know, take in a
(19:47):
rescue dog. And even that has been at a standstill
since COVID because of the volume dogs nationwide because of
these policies.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Okay, Bill, I looked it up nationwide. So an estimated
seventy million dogs and cats are homeless. Seventy million, Yeah,
and it's estimated that a mere six point five million
of them lined up in a shelter.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Well, that's the sixty seven thousand, that's that's right, over
and over again that I mean, those numbers are crazy,
all right. So let me just ask this question. Let's
say you chip a dog, correct, so we know that dog,
and that dog's been refused shelter, and that dog mauls
(20:32):
one of these toddlers in somebody's front yard. Can you
not prove that the municipality shirked their responsibility on that
dog because they refuse to take them into their tax
paid for shelter and therefore are responsible for the injuries
to that child.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Oh you absolutely can. I mean not, you know, you
can folly you the calls of the reports made by neighbors.
You know, maybe a dog that's jump the fence now
runs around, stray, what have you. But yeah, I mean
it can be done. It just has I don't know,
it's crazy the links here, but one of the families
(21:12):
that it was their dogs that kept getting out of
the fence. Neighbors had reported it. We had provided them doghouses.
We'd come up on the property four or five dogs
in the backyard and there were no they didn't have
any shelter. So you know, of course, knock on the
door and grandma tells us my grandson put these dogs
(21:33):
out here. I'm not really a dog person. I just
dumped food out the back door, but I have been
calling the shelter to come get them and they're refusing
to pick them up. And you know, we give at
least provide shelter so they have something this is when
they first launched these policies, and within a few months
(21:53):
the dogs had mauled someone in the park neighboring their property.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Okay, so who got suited?
Speaker 2 (22:00):
The family? They were taken to jail for manslaughter. The grandmother,
her daughter, and the grandson.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
They were taken to jail for manslaughter. Yes, are you
kidding me? Which, to be honest with you, they made
the decision. I mean, let's talk about personal responsibility. Made
the decision to buy the dogs. They knew they had
a dog problem. But if the grandmother really did try
to ask the shelter, what does she if she goes
(22:30):
in the backyard of the twenty two and puts a
bullet in each one of these dogs, says, she's going
to jail for that, right, So what does she do? Seriously,
what does the woman do?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
This is a.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Problem everyone having been offered absolutely no legal opportunity to
do something about them. Now, okay, this is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Now. I think eventually the charges were reduced, but they
were initially taken to jail. Absolutely not absolutely not.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Wi is why does that the city bear some responsibility
because they refuse the dogs?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yep? And there I just don't know enough about, you know,
the attorney relationship with the city. I think that there's
a dynamic there with so many of the attorneys that
you know, they have cases for the city, so they
can't sue the city. So I don't really know the
(23:25):
dynamic there. But I of just common sense, right, I
don't understand how it hasn't happened. But it's the number
of distrays that we have in the streets, the packs
of dogs. You have females that go into heat, and
these males get very aggressive. They may not be aggressive dogs,
but with a female in heat, that's a completely different ballgame.
(23:47):
With a pack of dogs, I'm not going up to
that pack, but they bounce around a neighborhood. And I
can't believe we haven't had more incidents, and we may have,
we just don't know.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
And meanwhile, somebody lost their time.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
At yes, yeah, that was a different property. They had
had calls on that and on those particular dogs, and
this the dogs belong to the family, but just that
somebody accidentally left the toll there out and in the
front yard and the dogs jump the fence.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
And so when you hear these stories and you hear
all fours Rescue League, and you think, oh, that's nice,
it's a sweet lady run around given away dog houses.
It's actually much much, much much.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Deeper, deeper than that. Yeah, it really is. We've you know,
when you're you see this every day and you're involved
in in these neighborhoods, you you really get to know
the neighbors, get to know, you know, just you I've
watched what's happened in the communities, just you know, the blight,
(24:55):
and it's it's really hard to watch and and see
what it's especially watched with the animals that they're just
there's no help. And we've tried to go to city council,
We've tried to you know, bring the attention, and you know,
it's like I said, I'm cautiously optimistic that mayor Young
(25:18):
understands the reality of these policies, but up to now
they still continue the same, you know policy just limiting
the intake at the shelter.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I Meanwhile, you're still got a group of bloody do
good or volunteers running around out there looking for dogs
unchained and talking kids in the neighborhoods. And these doghouses
cost about one hundred and thirty hundred and forty bucks piece.
Dog Food's not not cheese cheap.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
No, the this span neuter is not. You know, while
we provide it free, it's not provided to us free.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
It's just like Hollywood Feed or anybody give you a
break on dog food.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Yeah, we honestly neither broken bags and things like that.
You know a lot of the rescues, yeah do yeah,
they do help with that.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
That's still a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Oh yeah, well they don't always have it, so we
we do have to buy it on occasion.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
So yeah, where does all that money come from?
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Like I said, we do most of our fundraising through
social media. We do have donors that have funded our
pit Stop they're somewhat that's that's our spaan neoter program.
So we how I initially real names.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
You really are, well one of our When you said
there was another one, she said earlier, I don't remember
another name you came up with. It was school, but pitt.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Stop Yeah, pit Stop, yep, that's our spam neoter program.
So we initially started just you know, I'd set up
partnerships with various veterinarians around the city just to at
least get one or two appointments, so we do that
throughout the week, but we have partnered with a few
veterinarians to do pit stops, so we do a clinic
(27:03):
once a month to do a larger volume at one time.
And so we've just really started those clinics, doing about
twenty dogs initially and the goal is to get to
about fifty dogs at least for those clinics. But yeah,
it's still not free. I mean we pay the veterinarians
and the you know, vetex and supplies and whatnot, but
(27:25):
all of our resources we provide for free. Two pet owners.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
We'll be right back. How did I mean fifteen years ago,
which you've ever thought?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
No, No, I mean you know, of course I didn't
realize the need, just how many are on chains and backyards,
and and just how desperate the situations. I really had
no idea are underserved areas you know, had so many
(28:12):
issues and the dogs just fall prey to you know,
the poverty and the lack of education, especially you know
when it comes to owning a pet. What's next, Well,
you know, constantly working to grow our outreach. We do
large vaccine clinics with the Health Department, So we partner
(28:34):
with them so that we can reach more get the
word out about the space our span neuter and we're
actually looking down to for a facility. We have warehouse space,
but we're looking for a facility. No, no, I'm not
looking to house any dogs that We want to be
(28:55):
able to operate our pit stop clinic and do that,
you know, on a larger scale, and eventually have neighborhood
centers in the underserved areas to not only provide the
resources in the neighborhoods, but employee some of you know,
like I said, we bring in, you know, some young
men that and do really good with dogs, and and
(29:18):
I think we can reach more people, especially the children.
One of the main things I want to do is
provide free training for their pets. And the requirement will
be that it needs to be a child with their dog.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Why wouldn't elementary schools love you coming in with a
little puppy the second and third graders and teaching them
about the dogs.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
We actually go to a school tomorrow, you do that? Yeah, yeah,
so we don't. We were looking to grow that but
uh yeah, so we're going into.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
The volunteers are working with you.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
We probably have about twenty five volunteers.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Well, you could certainly use a home.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Gosh, oh absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
So anybody listen to us in Memphis loves pets and
hart for all of these systematic issues.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
I mean, it's and the volunteers will tell you once
you go out, it's it's hard to stop. I mean
it's you do get drawn in, and you know, they
constantly if they can't continue to go. We have people
come from out of town to come go out with
us in the streets. I have a family that comes
in from Rhode Island yearly. This is their family vacation.
(30:29):
They come in to spend a week with us in
the field.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Are you kidding me? Well, somebody from Rhode Island can
come help in Memphis. What's Claudia does get out there?
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Yeah, she's come out. Yeah. Now, I'll say that some
people have a hard time. I've had people come out
that they just cry the whole time. You just they
can't handle these dogs.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
They cry.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
So they help in other ways, you know. But it
is a requirement of mind. If you're going to volunteer
with us, you have to go at least one time
with me in the field so that you know what
you're working toward.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
You're really passionate about them.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Yes, absolutely, you.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Know, Alex fill verify that one of I have a
lot of little riffs. You know. One of them is
most thanks. I really appreciate it. No, actually believe that.
I don't believe that a producer, it could make it
sound better, but whatever. But one of them is this,
(31:31):
I believe amazing legacy events happen when somebody's passion and
discipline and by discipline, I don't mean doing things right,
I mean their abilities. When somebody's passionate and discipline intersect
with opportunity. And I think that's exactly what happened to
you fifteen years ago when when your friend called you
(31:52):
and you rolled up and these little kids rolled out
of the house and went two doors down. You were
passionate about dogs, you had the ability to help, and
you saw an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Yeah. Well, I mean there's no question that was a
monumental moment in my life standing in that backyard and
I never stopped after that, and doing this work in
these areas has completely changed me as a person, my
outlook on everything. So it just you know, you see
(32:25):
so many wonderful people, but they don't have the resources
and they're happy and still you know, trying to make
ends meet every single day. And if you can, you know,
even if it's just a matter of helping them with
an AC unit for their house, and that makes their day.
(32:45):
I mean, you just build on that and try to
make a difference, just even for you know, a family
given out. You know, we provide the kids with books
and things like that, and you just watch the kids
light up that you just cared enough to give them,
you know too. I mean, and I've been feeding a
(33:06):
dog on the side of the road and look up
and watch a kid that's in a car just staring
out the window watching me feed that dog, Like what
is she doing? And I can see the connection the.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Yeah, I thought about this, but I'm gonna ahead and
say it. Prior to my time of Manassas, I would
have told you that this is the freest country in
the world with the free education system. I didn't come
from much of nothing, and if you just are willing
to work hard and put yourself up by your bootstraps
(33:44):
and dig in, everything will work out. But the zip
code at the time of my birth was not New Chicago.
It was East Memphis, right, And I have learned and
developed what I think I'm talking about myself a little bit.
(34:06):
Here is depth of understanding that the vast majority of
my peers, even when they are inspired by the stories
they hear because they have been willing to get off
their asses and go into these areas, really do not.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Understand, do you. Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Because what you just said to me, you bring true
to me.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Speak to it. Well, I mean, you know, most of
our peers don't even drive through these areas, much less
get out in the backyard. So without standing in that backyard,
you really don't get it.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
And well, but they explain it to us on Fox News.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Yeah, well a picture, even our pictures. You think you
get it, don't You can ask Claudia. You don't get
it until you're out there.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
The thing you said, that's striking, and I agree with
it one hundred percent. These are wonderful people who are
trying to be happy, who do genuinely care about their children,
about their neighborhood, and about their pets. Yes, but when
it's between that last three bucks on the twenty eighth
of the month, buying enough macaroni to feed everybody in
(35:18):
the house versus buying some dog food right, What do
you do going.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Out right when well, I mean, we encounter somebody that
their lights are out, they're living literally with no utilities
and have a dog in the backyard.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
And people will say, well, why'd they buy the damn
dog in the first place.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
I can tell you they didn't buy it. Neighborhood passed
it out from that litter over there down the street,
and they were kind enough to take it in, to
take it in to try.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
And here we are, and there's just so much preconceived
notion that is just wrong, and some misconceptions about the
vast majority of people in these neighborhoods.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
And that's so and again, like I said, it changed
me as a person, and it's easy to make by
that tell me just you know, I didn't know either.
I didn't. I had no idea that people, you know,
lived in a duplex with twelve family. It was just
inconceivable to me that we're in the USA, in you know,
(36:29):
twenty twenty five and people are still having to live
in these conditions that you know, the the roof is
falling in and a landlord's getting away with it. I mean,
it's how is this even possible that we have katrillionaires
in this country and we have people that still live
in some of these conditions in Memphis.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
How no idea this is not just moving.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Oh absolutely, I know that.
Speaker 1 (36:55):
But I mean take the top one fifty cities in
this country.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
It's in all of it is it is, and it's
but for me personally, I had no idea this happened
in Memphis. And when I to this day, I might
be working in a backyard, and I mean it happens
to me probably multiple times a day. I just look
up and thank you God. I love I love what
(37:20):
I'm doing. I love to interact and help these people
have the resource. They're so appreciative. I mean, it is
the majority of the people that I work with, and
I love it. I love to in some way help
and help them provide better care for their pets, but
(37:42):
make life a little easier for them in some way.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Yeah, that's absolutely beautiful if somebody wants to support you
financially or get off their butts and come help you,
because there's plenty of people could do it on the
weekends or an evening or whatever. How did they find
Susie Well?
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Our website is all fours Rescue dot.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Com that is at all with a four Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
A l L number four S rescue dot com. Okay,
our email is all fours rescue at yahoo dot com and.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
That comes right to you.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Good. So people can call you. People, you can email
you and get your number, call you, talk to you whatever.
Can they donate on that website? Yes, yes they can, Susie.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Awareness is part of it. So it's, you know, just
getting the word out with you guys that the issues
exist not only here but in Memphis and what these
areas are facing and and bringing the awareness not only
to the dogs, but these the underserved areas.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
You are You are inspirational and it is cool. And
when I first heard from Alex that we were going
to be talking to a woman about doghouses, I thought,
how deep is that gonna get? It turns out pretty deep.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
You should come out sometimes.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
You know what I'm going to tell Lisa about you.
Lisa would be a dog advocate in the biggest way.
If she's yeah, I would love to do that.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Yeah, she should come out. It's it does mean, it's yeah,
there's it's it's life.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
Altering till Claude to call Lisa out.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
Yeah, she'll do it. I mean Claudia loved it. She did.
She jumped right in, you know, she rode along one
time and that was it. She was in.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Claudia said, I don't know how to describe her other
than a bad a woman dedicated to her cause. I
went out with her one day and it was scared
less a few times.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
It's probably a good thing and a bad thing, but
I don't get scared easily.
Speaker 1 (39:58):
So Susie thinks your story. Thanks for the work you
do and thanks for your time.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Thank you, thank you for having me honored.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
And thank you for joining us this week. If Susie
Hollandbach has inspired you in general, or better yet, to
actually take action by volunteering with All fours Rescue League,
donating to them, or starting something like it in your
own community, getting involved with an existing rescue group, or
(40:30):
something else entirely, please let me know about it. I'd
love to hear about it. You can write me anytime
at Bill at Normalfolks dot us, and I'm telling you
if you email me, I will respond. If you enjoyed
this episode, please do us a favor, Share it with
friends and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate it,
(40:53):
review it, join the army at normalfolks dot us. Consider
becoming a premium member. There all of these things that
will help us grow an army of normal folks. I'm
Bill Courtney. Until next time, do what you can
Everybody. It's Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks.
And we continue now with part two of our conversation
with Susie hollandback right after these brief messages from our
general sponsors. And you say the backyard breeders, and I
(00:34):
get that. I've often wondered also about the pet shop breeders,
because when you go, I don't really know. I mean,
you know, the malls not being a big thing anymore,
but every mall used to.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Have a pet store.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
The good yeah, And I remember when I was younger
going in and everybody would want to go in the
pet store to look at the key.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Right.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
But looking back on it, some of those puppies didn't look.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
So good, right, I'm not happy.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Telling me they bought pets from pet stores and they.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Were sick, right, So.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
There must be I mean, these pet stores aren't, but
there must be, like I guess, not backyard breeders, but
puppy milk tight feeding those stores. Correct. That can't be
good either.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
No, Well, we certainly didn't need any to be brought
to Memphis. We have enough animals here that we didn't
need some of these pet stores that have come at
pet Land and but I.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Mean, what happens in a pet store when a dog,
when a puppy doesn't get bought and it gets a
little too old?
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Good question, I wonder, right, because there's really no oversight.
Yeah so, and you know, I know the shelters aren't
really involved there. That's they have so much on their
plate already that that's not even in their scope.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
What did I read about not too long ago, like
the head of the Memphis or Shelby County Pet thing
got put on probation because a dog died or something.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, well they unfortunately.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Because I've read about that in other cities too.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah yeah, well, you know, in an effort to house
more animals to prevent euthanasia, they started to stage some outside.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
And in the Memphis summer.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
In the Memphis summer, on AstroTurf. And it was a
really stupid decision. Oh yeah, oh yeah it was. It
was really bad. And ironically, the dog that died on
this astro turf was one our group had microchipped during
one of our spade clinics, and the family had surrendered
(02:49):
the dog to the shelter. We were working to find
an adopter and managed to find an adopter and went
in the day to pull the dog and were notified
that she had died out on the astro turf.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Basically by yeah, yeah, and this is what our taxpayer
dollars are going to.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Fund, right, And this was I mean, unfortunately, this new
director at the time, I guess, done this at other facility,
at a previous facility where he was employed, and a
similar thing had happened, but employees at Memphis Animal Services
had told him this is not we didn't we just
(03:30):
don't even use the astro turf area during these times
of day. This isn't good, and he just didn't listen. Yeah,
so okay.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
So the reason I asked about that is if you
think about the first day, the chain dog and the
neighbor's chain dog, right, if you think about the strays,
if you think about the no no kill thing, the
no euphanization, if you think think about calling a dog
(04:03):
catcher when there's a pack of dogs running around in
them saying sorry, we can't do it right, And if
you think about the story you just heard, which I've
heard that in other places, and even the guy that
did this did it at another place. It just feels
to me like we have a systematic problem from dog education,
(04:27):
of pet owner education, ownership all the way through the
quote system that's supposed to handle all this, a lot
of which is funded by my tax dollars. Absolutely, so
it seems like the whole thing's just broken.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well, we've gotten away from animal control in the name
of no kill, because no kill sounds and feels good.
This community sheltering sounds and feels good. But you know,
on paper is a.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Really cool word for something. I've never heard that until
you just said it. That is the stupidest thing. Community
sheltering means we're just going to leave the dogs.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
In absolutely what That was the policy of what they did,
and it continues today on the problem, right and it
affected the underserved communities, you know, exponentially.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
It's been hard to say it is so one typical
because in Germantown, everybody Germantown is a very nice suburb
of Memphis. In Germantown or in very nice he S
Memphis or Carliville, you don't have this problem because everybody
has the money to take care of their dogs and
keep them sheltered and blah blah blah. But you go
(05:46):
into communities that are poverty stricken and have financial difficulties.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
And especially during an economic crisis. Since COVID, these areas
have taken a nose dive. So you've had families that
were displaced that had animals and they honestly tried to
turn to the shelter to surrender their dog. They couldn't
take their dogs. They were moving in with other family
or some sometimes going homeless and couldn't take their dogs.
(06:13):
So instead of having that resource that should have been
there for them, they they had to turn the dogs out.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
To the streets literally say bye bye.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
People finding strays tried to take the dogs into the
and to to this day get turned away at the shelter.
We don't have room go put it back where you
found it.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
Because we have community sheltering, right, which is basically let
it loose the.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Correct So the animals.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Is it not just are we not just any day
away from some four year old getting mauled it's had
wild dog. Well, then how is the city not getting
sued for them?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
I don't understand it. We've had people mauled and killed,
people have lost limbs on limbs on dogs that Memphis
Animal Services should have picked up and right now I
will say I feel comfortable saying that I think Paul Young,
(07:12):
the new mayor, understands the issues. I don't think he
is a fan of these policies. We have an interim
director now that replaced the gentleman that made that mistake.
It may be Animal Services, So they've really taken a
look at these policies, and unfortunately, until they get a
(07:32):
new director in, we really won't know what direction they go.
But I in conversations feels as though he understands the
effect this has had on the underserved areas and cautiously
optimistic that a new direction will happen. But we have
(07:54):
got to get back to animal control meanwhile.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Correct And the reason I went off on this tangent
a little bit is, you know, people need to understand
that once again, this is a systematic issue that affects
the neediest among us, absolutely, and it does affect your neighborhood,
and it does affect your children, right, and it does
affect people. It's not just and I don't mean to
(08:22):
say that, I be careful saying one I'm about to say,
but it's not just we need to care for the
dog on the tree. It actually is a much bigger
issue than that.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
It's a broken window, you know what I mean. It's
and of course, being in the underserved areas every single day,
you just see so much is chipped away on what
is acceptable in the underserved areas versus what's acceptable in
(08:54):
East Memphis.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
This wouldn't happen in Germany.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Absolutely, this wouldn't happen in even East Memphis.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Okay, but you said you scream at somebody. Can you
imagine every homeowner in East Memphis. All they would have
to do would raise hell for two days and this
probam would be over.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
But the people in the underserved community don't have that
access or voice.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
No, and so the dogs and they make the calls
and they don't get responded to, and it's it's blatant,
and it's it's been a huge issue. I mean, I've
I've really this has been a point of contention for me.
And I mean we did a documentary on it, just
this issue. It's called the Memphis Underdog.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
The Memphis Underdog. Nice title, but we're not talking about
the dog. We're talking about the people dealing with the dogs, right,
that's the underdog.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Absolutely, it's the whole the whole piece, all.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
Of the pieces to you. This is happening right now
in Little Rock and Birmingham and Louisville and Nashville and Montgomery.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
This limited intake. Like I said, these large organizations push
this and use COVID to launch it, and it's spread
like wildfire. I'm not kidding. I mean, and it's for
the you know, for an area in Connecticut, community sheltering
is wonderful. I mean, a dog gets loose up and
(10:17):
mystic right though they're off walking to the dog, he'll
have somewhere to stay for the afternoon and be home
by the end of the day. In Memphis, no, and
we have packs of dogs, which is very dangerous. These
aren't poodles. And we've left it to the underserved areas
because they could a national story.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
I once inter you're a guy who started a bunch
of charter schools in Detroit, and when you're starting them,
the guy who helped them do it said, all these
kids are carrying around sticks to school. And he said,
why are the kids carrying sticks? And it's you how
to protect themselves from these dogs?
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Right? Okay, this is really stupid. It's it's disgustinating that
I'm so glad we're doing this because everybody listens needs
to be aware. Well, I mean, and the truth is
I was not. Yeah, no, I guarantee you if there
are a pack of dogs running around our neighborhood at
LISTA Courtney would drive to City Hault and race, she
(11:13):
would either end up in jail or with a dog
catcher in our neighborhood one of the too.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
It's it's absolutely it's wrong. It's what's happened in these
areas just I mean, and you watch so many different
things that have happened with the economy. I don't think
our city really has a pulse on how bad it's
gotten for these families that have literally moved in with
other family members in a do plat. I mean, you
might have twelve people, you know, with children, and they
(11:41):
try to surrender their dogs because they couldn't take care
of them. And we're turned away, I mean every day,
turned away. And it's I mean, I've come up on
properties and they've got their toddlers out front with stray
pit bulls running around. They've called and called and called,
and the shelter I mean even they pull up like
the dog's healthy. It's nice. I'm sorry, we can't take
(12:03):
the dog. It's horrible.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
It's horrible for the dog, it's horrible for the people
live in the neighborhoods. It's not good for children having
to walk around with sticks to beat off the dogs.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Well, and there's wonderful that teach our children, right, right,
in so many different ways. I mean, there's just so
much to it that is teaching these children that the
animals are dispensable.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
I mean, it's just and so it's dawning on me
as I'm listening to that. All fours Rescue is absolutely
about trying to rescue pets and provide owners with the
things that they need and education and everything else. But
through spade and neutering and microchipping and all of this
work that you're doing, you're also trying to through this
(12:53):
improve the lifestyle and some of these neighborhoods for these kids.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Right, absolutely correct, right, And it's you know, this is
a frontline approach to try to help keep these pets
out of the shelter and help keep me, if it,
animal services from having to go to that address. And
that's that's been you know, an issue. You know, I've
been told you know, you think you're the animal. You
(13:21):
think you're an animal control officer. No, I don't. But
when I call for you, guys, I expect you to
do it. Do your job because you know what I'm doing.
If I'm calling you, it's bad. So you guys should absolutely.
Oh yeah. Some some hate me, some love what we do.
But it's you know when when what happens when an
(13:43):
animal is going to suffer because you want don't do
your job, some someone's got to bring a voice to that.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
And that's the way it works, you know, I believe
it or not. This may shock you. It's kind and
cuddly and sweet and low key as I am. Some
people eat me.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
No, I don't say I make it.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Hate you sudden, it's just no know. Yeah, but we
also pay him. That doesn't count.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Well. I'm just a firm believe you know. If you
don't have a few haters, you're not really doing anything right.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
Maybe I need to do like the super Bowl and
come up with a wrap and does everybody that hates me.
We'll be right back. Here's here's something that wow. As
(14:49):
of September twenty twenty four, I know that's a little dated,
but that's the last, I have you have distributed or not?
You all fours Rescue as di stibude one thousand, six
hundred and eighty doghouses. You've gotten one thousand, five hundred
dogs spade neuter, You've gotten two thousand, four hundred and
(15:13):
sixty dogs unchained. That's insane. That's a lot of dagumb dogs.
And what do you I also want to know what
do you do when you come across a cat that's
in a bad problem? Do you deal with that too?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Well, we do help some cats, but typically, you know,
it's just roaming cats and Memphis cats are free to rome.
It's perfectly legal, so unless they're injured, we really don't,
you know, get involved.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Once again, if they're not spade or neutered and they're
roaming every year, there's a litter creative right of all
these animals. Well, now how does this not perpetua? Listen? Absolutely,
these dogs, the sixteen hundred and twenty four sixty, these
numbers are beautiful, okay, but it's still when two dogs
(16:06):
can make five and that's happening every single day. I mean, well,
this is the dog population.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
This one will mesmrize you. One female dog in her
offspring in six years can produce up to sixty seven
thousand dogs. One female dog in six years.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Say that one more time, one female.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
One female dog and her offspring can produce up to
sixty seven thousand dogs in six years. Do you know
sixty seven thousand people that can take a dog?
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
And that's that. So we leave these dogs right. Well,
one thing too that I think as we look at
animal control and what really should happen to get our
country honestly, not just here, but we have to stop
thinking that everybody needs to have a pet. Not everybody
(17:11):
needs to own a pet. Some of these people that
do have dogs have no business. They don't they you know,
there is no educating them, and they neglect. I have
had people laugh because they forgot to feed their dog,
and you know, or just you know, lock them up
in a crate and leave them out back. They're tired
of them.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
And why why even get a dog?
Speaker 2 (17:33):
Right? I mean it's because we have we have really
taught neglect by refusing intake well.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Candidly, why would I give a crap about my dog
if nobody else seems to give a crap about all
these dogs are around the neighborhood, you.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Report a neglect situation and the animal controller officer comes
to your property and yes, the dog is starved, but
they have a doghouse. So the shelter tells you to
leave that. You know, their supervisor tells them to leave
the dog. You've taught them that that's acceptable. You've taught
the children in the house that's acceptable.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
How many dogs as a shelter hold.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
It should hold about one hundred and eighty one hundred
and eighty, and they've been housing almost double that, okay,
which is ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (18:23):
And sixty right, Okay, here's the thing. How much money
are we as taxpayers paying for this facility that's housing
three hundred and sixty of the sixty seven thousand dogs
that are probably run around out there. The animal control officers,
(18:43):
the cost of the fuel, insurance, and maintenance on these
vehicles that we send out to people to tell them
we're not doing anything, and the salaries of the people
running this place that is absolutely.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Doing nothing nothing.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Correct. This is insane.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Yeah, it's it's a department. That's well, it's it is.
It's been a problem, you know, when they honestly took
this direction after COVID. It, I mean, these it directly
impacted the underserved areas. It they reduced the complement of officers,
(19:23):
So I mean, it was all a dynamic to absolutely
reduce the intake at the shelter. And it's impacted not
only Memphis but nationwide. So we've had areas that, you know,
we the northern areas usually can take dog transport dogs
up north to you know, they their shelters are empty
and and people love to, you know, take in a
(19:47):
rescue dog. And even that has been at a standstill
since COVID because of the volume dogs nationwide because of
these policies.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Okay, Bill, I looked it up nationwide. So an estimated
seventy million dogs and cats are homeless. Seventy million, Yeah,
and it's estimated that a mere six point five million
of them lined up in a shelter.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Well, that's the sixty seven thousand, that's that's right, over
and over again that I mean, those numbers are crazy,
all right. So let me just ask this question. Let's
say you chip a dog, correct, so we know that dog,
and that dog's been refused shelter, and that dog mauls
(20:32):
one of these toddlers in somebody's front yard. Can you
not prove that the municipality shirked their responsibility on that
dog because they refuse to take them into their tax
paid for shelter and therefore are responsible for the injuries
to that child.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Oh you absolutely can. I mean not, you know, you
can folly you the calls of the reports made by neighbors.
You know, maybe a dog that's jump the fence now
runs around, stray, what have you. But yeah, I mean
it can be done. It just has I don't know,
it's crazy the links here, but one of the families
(21:12):
that it was their dogs that kept getting out of
the fence. Neighbors had reported it. We had provided them doghouses.
We'd come up on the property four or five dogs
in the backyard and there were no they didn't have
any shelter. So you know, of course, knock on the
door and grandma tells us my grandson put these dogs
(21:33):
out here. I'm not really a dog person. I just
dumped food out the back door, but I have been
calling the shelter to come get them and they're refusing
to pick them up. And you know, we give at
least provide shelter so they have something this is when
they first launched these policies, and within a few months
(21:53):
the dogs had mauled someone in the park neighboring their property.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
Okay, so who got suited?
Speaker 2 (22:00):
The family? They were taken to jail for manslaughter. The grandmother,
her daughter, and the grandson.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
They were taken to jail for manslaughter. Yes, are you
kidding me? Which, to be honest with you, they made
the decision. I mean, let's talk about personal responsibility. Made
the decision to buy the dogs. They knew they had
a dog problem. But if the grandmother really did try
to ask the shelter, what does she if she goes
(22:30):
in the backyard of the twenty two and puts a
bullet in each one of these dogs, says, she's going
to jail for that, right, So what does she do? Seriously,
what does the woman do?
Speaker 2 (22:38):
This is a.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Problem everyone having been offered absolutely no legal opportunity to
do something about them. Now, okay, this is ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Now. I think eventually the charges were reduced, but they
were initially taken to jail. Absolutely not absolutely not.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
Wi is why does that the city bear some responsibility
because they refuse the dogs?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Yep? And there I just don't know enough about, you know,
the attorney relationship with the city. I think that there's
a dynamic there with so many of the attorneys that
you know, they have cases for the city, so they
can't sue the city. So I don't really know the
(23:25):
dynamic there. But I of just common sense, right, I
don't understand how it hasn't happened. But it's the number
of distrays that we have in the streets, the packs
of dogs. You have females that go into heat, and
these males get very aggressive. They may not be aggressive dogs,
but with a female in heat, that's a completely different ballgame.
(23:47):
With a pack of dogs, I'm not going up to
that pack, but they bounce around a neighborhood. And I
can't believe we haven't had more incidents, and we may have,
we just don't know.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
And meanwhile, somebody lost their time.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
At yes, yeah, that was a different property. They had
had calls on that and on those particular dogs, and
this the dogs belong to the family, but just that
somebody accidentally left the toll there out and in the
front yard and the dogs jump the fence.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
And so when you hear these stories and you hear
all fours Rescue League, and you think, oh, that's nice,
it's a sweet lady run around given away dog houses.
It's actually much much, much much.
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Deeper, deeper than that. Yeah, it really is. We've you know,
when you're you see this every day and you're involved
in in these neighborhoods, you you really get to know
the neighbors, get to know, you know, just you I've
watched what's happened in the communities, just you know, the blight,
(24:55):
and it's it's really hard to watch and and see
what it's especially watched with the animals that they're just
there's no help. And we've tried to go to city council,
We've tried to you know, bring the attention, and you know,
it's like I said, I'm cautiously optimistic that mayor Young
(25:18):
understands the reality of these policies, but up to now
they still continue the same, you know policy just limiting
the intake at the shelter.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I Meanwhile, you're still got a group of bloody do
good or volunteers running around out there looking for dogs
unchained and talking kids in the neighborhoods. And these doghouses
cost about one hundred and thirty hundred and forty bucks piece.
Dog Food's not not cheese cheap.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
No, the this span neuter is not. You know, while
we provide it free, it's not provided to us free.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
It's just like Hollywood Feed or anybody give you a
break on dog food.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Yeah, we honestly neither broken bags and things like that.
You know a lot of the rescues, yeah do yeah,
they do help with that.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
That's still a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Oh yeah, well they don't always have it, so we
we do have to buy it on occasion.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
So yeah, where does all that money come from?
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Like I said, we do most of our fundraising through
social media. We do have donors that have funded our
pit Stop they're somewhat that's that's our spaan neoter program.
So we how I initially real names.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
You really are, well one of our When you said
there was another one, she said earlier, I don't remember
another name you came up with. It was school, but pitt.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Stop Yeah, pit Stop, yep, that's our spam neoter program.
So we initially started just you know, I'd set up
partnerships with various veterinarians around the city just to at
least get one or two appointments, so we do that
throughout the week, but we have partnered with a few
veterinarians to do pit stops, so we do a clinic
(27:03):
once a month to do a larger volume at one time.
And so we've just really started those clinics, doing about
twenty dogs initially and the goal is to get to
about fifty dogs at least for those clinics. But yeah,
it's still not free. I mean we pay the veterinarians
and the you know, vetex and supplies and whatnot, but
(27:25):
all of our resources we provide for free. Two pet owners.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
We'll be right back. How did I mean fifteen years ago,
which you've ever thought?
Speaker 2 (27:50):
No, No, I mean you know, of course I didn't
realize the need, just how many are on chains and backyards,
and and just how desperate the situations. I really had
no idea are underserved areas you know, had so many
(28:12):
issues and the dogs just fall prey to you know,
the poverty and the lack of education, especially you know
when it comes to owning a pet. What's next, Well,
you know, constantly working to grow our outreach. We do
large vaccine clinics with the Health Department, So we partner
(28:34):
with them so that we can reach more get the
word out about the space our span neuter and we're
actually looking down to for a facility. We have warehouse space,
but we're looking for a facility. No, no, I'm not
looking to house any dogs that We want to be
(28:55):
able to operate our pit stop clinic and do that,
you know, on a larger scale, and eventually have neighborhood
centers in the underserved areas to not only provide the
resources in the neighborhoods, but employee some of you know,
like I said, we bring in, you know, some young
men that and do really good with dogs, and and
(29:18):
I think we can reach more people, especially the children.
One of the main things I want to do is
provide free training for their pets. And the requirement will
be that it needs to be a child with their dog.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Why wouldn't elementary schools love you coming in with a
little puppy the second and third graders and teaching them
about the dogs.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
We actually go to a school tomorrow, you do that? Yeah, yeah,
so we don't. We were looking to grow that but
uh yeah, so we're going into.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
The volunteers are working with you.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
We probably have about twenty five volunteers.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
Well, you could certainly use a home.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Gosh, oh absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
So anybody listen to us in Memphis loves pets and
hart for all of these systematic issues.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
I mean, it's and the volunteers will tell you once
you go out, it's it's hard to stop. I mean
it's you do get drawn in, and you know, they
constantly if they can't continue to go. We have people
come from out of town to come go out with
us in the streets. I have a family that comes
in from Rhode Island yearly. This is their family vacation.
(30:29):
They come in to spend a week with us in
the field.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
Are you kidding me? Well, somebody from Rhode Island can
come help in Memphis. What's Claudia does get out there?
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Yeah, she's come out. Yeah. Now, I'll say that some
people have a hard time. I've had people come out
that they just cry the whole time. You just they
can't handle these dogs.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
They cry.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
So they help in other ways, you know. But it
is a requirement of mind. If you're going to volunteer
with us, you have to go at least one time
with me in the field so that you know what
you're working toward.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
You're really passionate about them.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
Yes, absolutely, you.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Know, Alex fill verify that one of I have a
lot of little riffs. You know. One of them is
most thanks. I really appreciate it. No, actually believe that.
I don't believe that a producer, it could make it
sound better, but whatever. But one of them is this,
(31:31):
I believe amazing legacy events happen when somebody's passion and
discipline and by discipline, I don't mean doing things right,
I mean their abilities. When somebody's passionate and discipline intersect
with opportunity. And I think that's exactly what happened to
you fifteen years ago when when your friend called you
(31:52):
and you rolled up and these little kids rolled out
of the house and went two doors down. You were
passionate about dogs, you had the ability to help, and
you saw an opportunity.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Yeah. Well, I mean there's no question that was a
monumental moment in my life standing in that backyard and
I never stopped after that, and doing this work in
these areas has completely changed me as a person, my
outlook on everything. So it just you know, you see
(32:25):
so many wonderful people, but they don't have the resources
and they're happy and still you know, trying to make
ends meet every single day. And if you can, you know,
even if it's just a matter of helping them with
an AC unit for their house, and that makes their day.
(32:45):
I mean, you just build on that and try to
make a difference, just even for you know, a family
given out. You know, we provide the kids with books
and things like that, and you just watch the kids
light up that you just cared enough to give them,
you know too. I mean, and I've been feeding a
(33:06):
dog on the side of the road and look up
and watch a kid that's in a car just staring
out the window watching me feed that dog, Like what
is she doing? And I can see the connection the.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Yeah, I thought about this, but I'm gonna ahead and
say it. Prior to my time of Manassas, I would
have told you that this is the freest country in
the world with the free education system. I didn't come
from much of nothing, and if you just are willing
to work hard and put yourself up by your bootstraps
(33:44):
and dig in, everything will work out. But the zip
code at the time of my birth was not New Chicago.
It was East Memphis, right, And I have learned and
developed what I think I'm talking about myself a little bit.
(34:06):
Here is depth of understanding that the vast majority of
my peers, even when they are inspired by the stories
they hear because they have been willing to get off
their asses and go into these areas, really do not.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Understand, do you. Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (34:25):
Because what you just said to me, you bring true
to me.
Speaker 2 (34:28):
Speak to it. Well, I mean, you know, most of
our peers don't even drive through these areas, much less
get out in the backyard. So without standing in that backyard,
you really don't get it.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
And well, but they explain it to us on Fox News.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Yeah, well a picture, even our pictures. You think you
get it, don't You can ask Claudia. You don't get
it until you're out there.
Speaker 1 (34:55):
The thing you said, that's striking, and I agree with
it one hundred percent. These are wonderful people who are
trying to be happy, who do genuinely care about their children,
about their neighborhood, and about their pets. Yes, but when
it's between that last three bucks on the twenty eighth
of the month, buying enough macaroni to feed everybody in
(35:18):
the house versus buying some dog food right, What do
you do going.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Out right when well, I mean, we encounter somebody that
their lights are out, they're living literally with no utilities
and have a dog in the backyard.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
And people will say, well, why'd they buy the damn
dog in the first place.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
I can tell you they didn't buy it. Neighborhood passed
it out from that litter over there down the street,
and they were kind enough to take it in, to
take it in to try.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
And here we are, and there's just so much preconceived
notion that is just wrong, and some misconceptions about the
vast majority of people in these neighborhoods.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
And that's so and again, like I said, it changed
me as a person, and it's easy to make by
that tell me just you know, I didn't know either.
I didn't. I had no idea that people, you know,
lived in a duplex with twelve family. It was just
inconceivable to me that we're in the USA, in you know,
(36:29):
twenty twenty five and people are still having to live
in these conditions that you know, the the roof is
falling in and a landlord's getting away with it. I mean,
it's how is this even possible that we have katrillionaires
in this country and we have people that still live
in some of these conditions in Memphis.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
How no idea this is not just moving.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Oh absolutely, I know that.
Speaker 1 (36:55):
But I mean take the top one fifty cities in
this country.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
It's in all of it is it is, and it's
but for me personally, I had no idea this happened
in Memphis. And when I to this day, I might
be working in a backyard, and I mean it happens
to me probably multiple times a day. I just look
up and thank you God. I love I love what
(37:20):
I'm doing. I love to interact and help these people
have the resource. They're so appreciative. I mean, it is
the majority of the people that I work with, and
I love it. I love to in some way help
and help them provide better care for their pets, but
(37:42):
make life a little easier for them in some way.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
Yeah, that's absolutely beautiful if somebody wants to support you
financially or get off their butts and come help you,
because there's plenty of people could do it on the
weekends or an evening or whatever. How did they find
Susie Well?
Speaker 2 (38:02):
Our website is all fours Rescue dot.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Com that is at all with a four Yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
A l L number four S rescue dot com. Okay,
our email is all fours rescue at yahoo dot com and.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
That comes right to you.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Good. So people can call you. People, you can email
you and get your number, call you, talk to you whatever.
Can they donate on that website? Yes, yes they can, Susie.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
Awareness is part of it. So it's, you know, just
getting the word out with you guys that the issues
exist not only here but in Memphis and what these
areas are facing and and bringing the awareness not only
to the dogs, but these the underserved areas.
Speaker 1 (38:49):
You are You are inspirational and it is cool. And
when I first heard from Alex that we were going
to be talking to a woman about doghouses, I thought,
how deep is that gonna get? It turns out pretty deep.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
You should come out sometimes.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
You know what I'm going to tell Lisa about you.
Lisa would be a dog advocate in the biggest way.
If she's yeah, I would love to do that.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Yeah, she should come out. It's it does mean, it's yeah,
there's it's it's life.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
Altering till Claude to call Lisa out.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
Yeah, she'll do it. I mean Claudia loved it. She did.
She jumped right in, you know, she rode along one
time and that was it. She was in.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
Claudia said, I don't know how to describe her other
than a bad a woman dedicated to her cause. I
went out with her one day and it was scared
less a few times.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
It's probably a good thing and a bad thing, but
I don't get scared easily.
Speaker 1 (39:58):
So Susie thinks your story. Thanks for the work you
do and thanks for your time.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Thank you, thank you for having me honored.
Speaker 1 (40:09):
And thank you for joining us this week. If Susie
Hollandbach has inspired you in general, or better yet, to
actually take action by volunteering with All fours Rescue League,
donating to them, or starting something like it in your
own community, getting involved with an existing rescue group, or
(40:30):
something else entirely, please let me know about it. I'd
love to hear about it. You can write me anytime
at Bill at Normalfolks dot us, and I'm telling you
if you email me, I will respond. If you enjoyed
this episode, please do us a favor, Share it with
friends and on social subscribe to the podcast, rate it,
(40:53):
review it, join the army at normalfolks dot us. Consider
becoming a premium member. There all of these things that
will help us grow an army of normal folks. I'm
Bill Courtney. Until next time, do what you can
Host
Bill Courtney
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