New interim director for Memphis Animal Services

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The City of Memphis announced on Friday that they have appointed a new interim director of Memphis Animal Services pending the outcome of an investigation into the shelter’s current leader.

Mary Claire Borys will oversee the daily operations of MAS on an interim basis.

According to her LinkedIn page, Borys has served as the Manager of Strategic Initiatives with the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development since June 2017.

The announcement comes after the current director, Ty Coleman, was put on leave and placed under investigation.

Coleman was appointed as the official director of MAS by Memphis Mayor Paul Young in January of this year.

Before working in Memphis, he worked as an animal services manager in Midland, Texas. He was let go less than a year after starting the job, but when asked why, the city did not provide us with any further details.

Coleman was put on leave with MAS after the shelter confirmed a dog named LuLu died on June 24, while in their “outdoor play yard.” MAS said that “preliminary assessments suggest it was heat-related.”

Heat values hovered around 105 degrees that day, according to WREG Weather Experts.

It’s unclear how long she was outside. MAS stated there will be an “internal and external” review and vowed to “include more shade.”

Just days later, Coleman was placed on leave pending an investigation.

The mayor’s office said the focus of the investigation is “broad.”

WREG has been reaching out to Coleman since June 6 to speak to him. We tried contacting him again after he was placed on leave.

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