Meridian man spots city workers dumping dead dogs

Published 10:02 am Thursday, September 8, 2016

A Meridian man’s sharp eye and tip to the city has ended the practice of Meridian employees illegally dumping animal carcasses just off the roadway.

Edgar Faulkner, who lives on Old 8th Street N., said he was returning home from eating breakfast at the Lost Gap truck stop on Aug. 25 when he saw two city employees dumping carcasses alongside the roadway close to the train trestle near Highway 80.

“I confronted one of them and one chuckled and said, ‘Nature would take care of it,’ ” Faulkner said. “Dog carcasses have been dumped since at least six months ago on Old Eighth Street Road. Then they started dumping them near the old graveyard near Highway 80, just before you get to Lost Gap.”

Faulkner said he contacted Meridian Police Chief Benny Dubose about the problem. City officials contacted the dog pound and the carcasses were retrieved and disposed of properly.

“When I went back out there, the dogs were gone,” Faulkner said.

Faulkner said he has observed other dead animals dumped along the road.

“I’ve seen dead deer out there and everything,” Faulkner said. “I thought it was too many dead animals out there and didn’t know what was going on until I caught them. I ride around a lot. That’s all I do is ride.”

Dubose said the employees involved face possible disciplinary action.

“Aug. 25, when I got word of this, I wrote a letter of recommendation requesting disciplinary action of the officers involved,” Dubose said. “Since that time, I thanked Mr. Faulkner for his letter.”

Dubose said the officers’ actions involving illegally dumping carcasses won’t be tolerated.

“That behavior is not acceptable. One reason is the obvious smell,” Dubose said. “Another is the potential spread of diseases. That is a public health hazard to me. This is important to me and it’s important to the mayor.”

Dubose declined to reveal what disciplinary action might be taken.

Dubose said he is waiting response from the officers involved as to whether or not they agree with the disciplinary action. They have the right to appeal any disciplinary action before Civil Service, Dubose said.

“It’s a process we go through. The process has been done,” Dubose said. “Nobody has been fired over this. It’s been handled.”