FAST FACTS:
The new director gets his first introduction during the big adoption day celebration. Mayor A C Wharton recruited Matthew Pepper from Shreveport, Louisiana to lead the embattled facility.
"My goal in a very short period of time is have the mayor say why can't that department be run more like the animal shelter," Pepper told the crowd.
In October the sheriff executed a search warrant at the shelter when a tipster complained about starving animals and abuse. That eventually led to criminal indictments against the shelter's former director, veterinarian and a supervisor for animal cruelty. Wharton brought in Pepper to turn things around. He knows the eyes of the
"We want your eyes on us and we're not going to hide anything. Does that mean nothing ever is going to happen wrong? Absolutely not, but if it does I'll be the first to say something happened wrong and this is what we've done to prevent it from happening again," said Pepper.
Wharton said the difference will be in the details.
He said, "It will be detailed oriented from every procedure from when you feed, when you clean, when you give the meds, just everything simply because those who live here cannot speak for themselves."
Those attending adoption day say some improvements are already evident when you walk in the door. With the new HVAC unit installed, there's virtually no smell. This makes the animals even more irresistible.
Connie Werner brought children from Willow Oaks Elementary to be a part of the ceremony but she ended up taking home a dog, also.
She said, "I think he's got a lot of experience from what I've read turning around facilities so I think he's going to be really good for the shelter."
Director Pepper says he plans to have an open door policy at the shelter.
- Mayor introduces new animal shelter director
- New director knows eyes on him and facility
- Adoption day crowd notices differences already
The new director gets his first introduction during the big adoption day celebration. Mayor A C Wharton recruited Matthew Pepper from Shreveport, Louisiana to lead the embattled facility.
"My goal in a very short period of time is have the mayor say why can't that department be run more like the animal shelter," Pepper told the crowd.
In October the sheriff executed a search warrant at the shelter when a tipster complained about starving animals and abuse. That eventually led to criminal indictments against the shelter's former director, veterinarian and a supervisor for animal cruelty. Wharton brought in Pepper to turn things around. He knows the eyes of the
"We want your eyes on us and we're not going to hide anything. Does that mean nothing ever is going to happen wrong? Absolutely not, but if it does I'll be the first to say something happened wrong and this is what we've done to prevent it from happening again," said Pepper.
Wharton said the difference will be in the details.
He said, "It will be detailed oriented from every procedure from when you feed, when you clean, when you give the meds, just everything simply because those who live here cannot speak for themselves."
Those attending adoption day say some improvements are already evident when you walk in the door. With the new HVAC unit installed, there's virtually no smell. This makes the animals even more irresistible.
Connie Werner brought children from Willow Oaks Elementary to be a part of the ceremony but she ended up taking home a dog, also.
She said, "I think he's got a lot of experience from what I've read turning around facilities so I think he's going to be really good for the shelter."
Director Pepper says he plans to have an open door policy at the shelter.
