Warning: This story and accompanying picture are rather graphic. They are likely to make you sick, sad, and angry. Angry enough that you are spurred into action to make sure that this never happens to another dog in Dallas or anywhere else.

That is precisely our intent.

June 28, 2002

Mariah's Story Begins

Note: This girl had no name, so to prevent her from being another nameless statistic we have chosen to call her Mariah.

The witness was at the front gate of the McCommas Landfill in Dallas when he heard a dog howling and screaming from a City of Dallas Sanitation Vehicle. The witness followed the truck around to the "Dog Pit" where he witnessed the Sanitation Worker dumping 50 to 60 animal carcasses while at the same time burying the injured suffering rottie as it continued to howl and scream in pain. As I have interviewed the witness, there is no doubt in my mind that the Sanitation Worker intentionally and knowingly committed this act of felony animal cruelty. This was torture. The witness actually climbed down into this horrific pit of decaying animals and uncovered the screaming dog in an attempt to comfort her while we were in route.

Mariah (circled in red) after having the carcasses of other animals taken off of her by the witness who heard her tortured screams.

As I arrived on scene I was met by the McCommas Landfill Manager, John Barlow. I informed Mr. Barlow that the Dallas Police Department had been called and that they were on their way. He stated that Dallas Animal Control had been called to identify the deceased rottie. At that time we requested that Dallas Animal Control also verify death on the remaining animals in the pit. Mr. Barlow agreed when DAC arrived and if they stated the dog did not come from Dallas Animal Control, then after the police had completed their part of the investigation at the scene, HSGD could transport the dog to a local vet to perform a complete Necropsy.

Three officers from DAC arrived and we were all escorted back to the dog pit. The witness identified the dead rottie and gave an account of what he had witnessed. A DAC Officer stepped down into the pit with us where he began to search the legs of the rottie for alleged shave marks from the euthanasia. Before he could complete this, a DAC Supervisor walked up and stated that this was not their dog. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!! I find this hard to believe as he was not close enough to make this assessment. When informed that we were awaiting the arrival of Dallas PD, the DAC Supervisor stated that they were removing the dog from the pit and transporting it to Forney Road. I explained to him that the Police were on their way and that this was a possible crime scene as a Felony had occurred. He said he had orders from his supervisor to remove the dog as it was the property of the city of Dallas. I requested that he radio his supervisor and relay my concerns. He did and they still removed the evidence from the scene. From that point forward the City of Dallas refused to cooperate with HSGD and continued to destroy the evidence.

"It's not our dog, but we're taking it anyway." Yes, I have issues with the actions they took. As I see it, regardless of where this dog came from, the City of Dallas on Friday evening believed it to be a threat, as they removed all evidence from the original crime scene. They cannot say they were ignorant as every step of the way they were reminded of the proper procedure of handling a crime scene dealing with Animal Cruelty. As I was told by Cheritta Johnson of Dallas Code Compliance, all decisions were being made by Ted Benividas, Dallas City Manager. Again, as any other investigator would, I have issues with the same agency that has committed a possible offense handling their own evidence. As I have worked in the Dallas area for over a year, DAC has NEVER pulled an animal out of a crime scene for a Necropsy. Every criminal report that has been filed in the City for animal cruelty in the past two years list DAC as the department called to pick up and dispose of the dead animals. This was the most mishandled and questionable case I have ever been involved with. So yes, be very upset by the actions of the City and let them know how corruption will not be tolerated.

Dee Stephens,
Chief Investigator

July 9, 2002

The Dallas Police, after saying at the land fill that they were going to file the report as animal cruelty, have actually filed it as "miscellaneous incident". They are saying that since the dog was going to be euthanized anyhow that it wasn't cruelty. So now the Police are saying that torture is an acceptable form of euthanasia, I guess.

Word is getting around about this atrocity. The Humane Society of Greater Dallas was answering phone calls all day. One call came in from the State Attorney's office in Maryland.

TC

July 10, 2002

There is positive news today. The District Attorney's office seems to want to get to the bottom of things. According to Councilwoman Veletta Lill, the information regarding possible official wrongdoing has been referred to the Public Integrity Section of the Dallas Police Department.

TC

July 14, 2002

The Animal Shelter Commission meeting was held last Thursday. The Chairman refused to open the meeting up to a discussion of the land fill incident. He reasoning was that it was under investigation.

Also the director of Animal Services, Sam Rice, was doing a blatant snow job on the commission. He tried to dazzle them with numbers and no substance regarding implementation of the 370+ recommendations in the Humane Society of the U.S. report from last Fall. My feeling was that he was stalling until the very end of the term for the commission and then will throw out all this information that they will not be able to verify.

Also there was two incidents a week apart involving misuse of a catch pole by the same Animal Control officer. In the first incident the dog died. Mr. Rice was supposed to report the outcome of his investigation into these incidents that occurred in March or April. He refused to do so. He said he hadn't completed his investigation after four months. This is not rocket science here and there wasn't that many people to interveiew to get information. It was real interesting during the public comment section at the end after Mr. Rice had stonewalled on this incident because the witness to one of the catch pole incidents spoke. She said the dog was completely docile and the officer had it gasping for breath and its eyes bulging out. She got choked up and paused. The Chair tried to move on and she forcefully said, "I'm NOT finished." No one tried to interupt her after that.

Also the Chief Investigator for the Humane Society announced to the commission that she will no longer try to work with Animal Control when there is a report of cruelty on behalf of one of their officers, but will go directly to the Police Dept. Public integrity section.

TC

July 23, 2002

More about the corruption in Dallas Animal Control is continuing to come out, I guess, because some people have had enough. There was an officer who was reported last November for dragging a dog by it's hocks. The person who reported it tried to go through channels and of course, nothing was done. Then when the cat was found dying in a cage becauses of the botched euthanasia in February, the dragging of the dog incident got into the media also. Then something was done after four months because of the media coverage and the offiicer was suspended. It turns out this same officer was reported prior to the dragging incident for slamming dogs against the wall. Guess what? Since this didn't make the media, nothing was done.

Also I talked to the assistant to one of the City Council members today. They had promised an update on the city's investigation last week. I never got it. It turns out the City Council cannot even get an update. I guess the city staff is hoping everything will just die down. What is embarrassing for the city though is that the attention being shown nationwide and even worldwide is growing and the City Council is seeming to be impotent since they cannot even find out what is going on. The Assistant City Manage wrote them a letter on July 2, 2002, and they have not been able to get any information since then.

TC

July 25, 2002

Tonight on the local DFW news on Channel 8 there was a story about Haltom City Animal Control bringing a cruelty case against an individual for starving a dog. The dog is recovering. What I thought was interesting about this story is that the much smaller city of Haltom City has an animal control department that takes seriously their comminttment to animal care as well as control. They will charge someone who is obviously abusing animals. When I was at the Animal Shelter Commission meeting, Mr. Sam Rice reported that they had gotten a large number of owner releases. I think the number was something like 400 owner releases for abuse and/or cruelty and no criminal charges filed in any of these cases. What this means is that when animal control finds a bad situation they get the animal's owner to release the animal. More than likely the animal is then euthanized and the owner is free to go get another puppy or whatever to abuse. We have a new felony abuse law and the City of Dallas is not enforcing it. I'm sure all the groups and individuals who fought so hard for this law are not happy that it is not being enforced in Dallas.

Also it is with a great deal of sadness and a deep concern, that I announce that Dee Stephens has resigned her position with Humane Society of Greater Dallas. I am sad to see someone leave who was really making a difference by aggressively pursuing animal abuse wherever she found it. I am deeply concerned because I don't see that there is anyone else that will do what she has done in Dallas. As far as I know the SPCA is not really active in investigating abuse. The City of Dallas Animal Control has no interest in bringing abusers to justice. The Humane Society of Greater Dallas may pursue a few noncontroversial cases, but considering the close relationship that the leadership of the Humane Society has with Animal Control, there probably will not be much done to stop the abuse within the Animal Control Department itself. Sam Rice has shown he is not interested to stopping it in the general public or within his own department unless the media brings it to the public's attention.

TC

July 26, 2002

Most of you know about the incident at the land fill involving the screaming dog buried alive by the city sanitation worker. Dee Stephens, Chief Investigator, for the Humane Society of Greater Dallas was called to the scene and tried to investigate possible felony animal abuse. Animal control wound up removing the evidence before the police came, over Dee's objections and supposedly on orders of the city manager. Now I have information that when Dee called in that she was on the way out to the landfill, Pat Davis, President, of Humane Society of Greater Dallas in turn called Sam Rice, Director of Animal Control and warned him.

It is also my understanding that Ms. Davis has also been keeping Animal Control informed throughout the investigation. I have no confirmation of this information, but I believe it to be accurate. It might be something to ask Ms. Davis if anyone gets a chance. I do know that Dee turned in her resignation shortly after announcing to the Animal Shelter Commission that she was not going to try to work with Animal Control in the tuture on reports of cruelty and abuse within Animal Control. Instead she said she would go directly to the Public Integrity Division of the Dallas Police Dept. This was also after Sam Rice's stonewalling of the Commission regarding two catch pole incidents involving the same officer four months prior. In one of those incidents the dog died. Mr. Rice told the Commission he still had not finished his investigation after four months.

It is a sad situation that we have lost Dee since she was the only person actively pursuing cruelty investigation in Dallas involving citizens and Animal Control itself. It sounds like now that no one will be looking into cruelty within Animal Control anymore.

TC

July 27, 2002

Regarding my statement that Pat Davis, President of Humane Society of Greater Dallas, called Sam Rice and warned him that her investigator was on the way out to the land fill, I did hear from someone else on this today. This person told me that Pat's daughter was with her when the investigator called in about the live dog at the land fill, and the daughter urged her to call Sam Rice and let him know in case there were more live dogs out there. This person did not know anything about whether or not Ms. Davis was also keeping Mr. Rice informed throughout the investigation.

TC

July 30, 2002

I would like to take this opportunity to address the rottie buried alive at the landfill and my status at the Humane Society of Greater Dallas. I believe that my reputation as a Cruelty Investigator has been proven time and time again. My concern with the Landfill incident was never where the dog came from, but that animal cruelty occurred at the landfill and then the city tampering with the evidence. I have faith in the Dallas Police Department and Mayor Miller to hold people accountable for their actions in this matter. I did resign my position from the Humane Society of Greater Dallas because of my executive director's actions in this matter and her undying need to defend Sam Rice and Dallas Animal Control. Regardless of what was said the night of the original incident, there were more conversations between my the executive director and Mr. Rice that I feel compromised my investigation. Also after the animal advisory meeting I was told that I was to continue to work with Dallas Animal Control on cases involving their department. I have a problem with this because incident after incident they have only reacted when the media became involved. There are several outstanding Animal Control Officers working for the city but those that have lost their compassion and feel the need to abuse animals outweigh the good.

However, I created the Cruelty Investigation Division at the Humane Society of Greater Dallas. The logos, badges, cruelty notices, cruelty reports, and most importantly the strong relationship within the city of Dallas while pursuing aggressive prosecutions. And I can do it again. I know that I have made a difference in the past 14 months and have saved many animals from suffering. I would like to make it clear to the DFW area that I am still available for animal abuse investigations and guidance. I do not know everything but I can at the least direct you to the proper contacts. My email address will remain the same and as soon as funding is available a new animal cruelty agency will open with the same mission. The same personal service I provided and the same aggressive pursuance of animal abuse cases in the Dallas area. I have accepted a position with a Dallas Private Investigation Agency and will be very flexible with my schedule. I actually look forward to working for an agency that has benefits and legitimate work ethics.

I am truly sorry, I feel I have let the animals and the animal welfare community down by resigning my position. But my integrity is what makes me who I am.

Dee Stephens

Additonal Information Contacts

Tom Collinsworth at tomco917@earthlink.net

Dee Stephens at CrueltyDivision@aol.com

Donations Needed

The investigation is costing a great deal of time and money. Donations to help this investigation proceed until changes are made in the corruption in Dallas Animal Control can be mailed to:

Mariah's Fund
1208 Richland Oaks
Richardson, TX 75081

Letters and E-mails

Letter and e-mails to the Mayor and City Council would also be helpful. Please use the addresses and phone numbers listed to the upper left to send your letters, emails, and faxes to the council members.