FROM HUMANE SOCIETY OF ELMORE COUNTY
April is a busy month where recognition issues important to animal caring people are concerned. So while this is a week “late,” thanking all of our Animal Control Officers for National Animal Control Officer (ACO) Appreciation Week should honestly happen 52 weeks a year. In Elmore County each of our city and county ACO’s work to enforce state and local laws, help animals in need, protect the health and safety of people, and resolve issues involving animals. We know their departments appreciate their contribution to public safety as they interact with people and animal alike, often in risky situations involving injured, scared or aggressive animals.
Animal Control Officers today do far more than the old “dog catcher” term implies. They deal with animal bite/attack cases, mediate disputes between neighbors over animal issues, round up loose livestock that have gotten out of pastures, investigate animal cruelty and neglect cases, help injured animals get to care, work with other law enforcement when animals are involved in larger criminal cases, etc. All areas of Elmore County have a containment law for dogs and Wetumpka and Tallassee add to that with a “leash law” for cats. City noise ordinances and barking dogs are often at crossed paths and some towns have limits on the number of pets in city zoning ordinances. And some, but not all of our cities restrict livestock within city limits.
Our Animal Control Officers are dedicated professionals who deserve respect from the public they serve – some have attended specialized animal control training at the state and national level to learn about things like safe capture techniques, animal identification, disease issues, legal issues, investigative techniques, court proceedings, rabies control, public education, wildlife and exotics, and so much more. Animal issues often put them in harm’s way from both animals and people and their call volume often means they have to triage cases to deal with the most serious, or potentially serious, the quickest. So please thank all ACO’s who work to help animals and people alike.
Back on 30 March the Wetumpka High School Varsity Boys and Girls Soccer teams hosted a tournament with Elmore County High School and entry was free with a donation to the Shelter. We literally FILLED an SUV with donations from this, even with a storm blowing in! Thank you so very much to the students, parents, coaches and teachers for thinking of us like this and bigger thanks to all who so generously donated as those donations truly make a positive difference!
Another shout out to Best Pawn for their fund-raising efforts on our behalf as their last fund-raiser brought in $1000 to help our pets & they have yet another ongoing! Thank you so much – we are humbled by your most awesome support!
And one other local business we want to thank is Lake Martin Mini Mall who let us bring some pups out this past Saturday and also took in donations to help us. Three pups had a great time meeting people, we received a wonderful load of food and supplies and $60 and it was a beautiful day to be back enjoying the company of fellow pet lovers!
Thank you to everyone who supports us in so many ways – events, donations, sharing our work, sharing our pets, volunteering, adopting, and just being wonderful pet loving people – means the world to us!
