Meade County now has certified animal control officer
By KAREN KENNEDY Back in 2000, when Pets in Need Society of Meade County formed, one of its goals was for Meade County to employ a certified animal control officer. This goal has finally become reality. When Tom Brady was hired as animal control officer in June, he was eager to begin the necessary training he felt would help him do the best job possible. In July, Brady completed Level 1 training offered by the National Animal Control Association, which was formed in 1978 for the purpose of helping its members perform their duties in a professional manner. Level 1 training consists of the basics of being an animal control officer including how to operate and properly clean a kennel, catch animals, and information concerning the laws surrounding animal control. In mid-October, Brady completed Level 2 training in Columbus, Ohio. Level 2 training teaches animal control officers about search and seizure techniques, as well as how to testify in court, handle the media, and interact with the public, particularly in difficult situations. After Brady successfully completed the test for Level 2 training, he officially became a certified animal control officer. Only a few days after Level 2 training, Brady jumped right back into training mode, this time completing Level 3 training, which teaches animal control officers how to euthanize animals. While Brady is now fully certified for euthanasia, he has not yet begun this aspect of his job because he must wait for clearance from both state and federal agencies and the county judge executive. Brady admits euthanasia definitely won’t be his favorite part of the job, yet he also realizes it is necessary and offers some benefits to the county animal welfare program. With Brady now certified to complete this task, the county will realize a substantial cost savings as opposed to hiring a veteriniarian to perform euthanasia. KRS states animals must be held for five days before they may be euthanized, and Brady will be able to perform the euthanasia when the five-day mark is reached instead of waiting for a veterinarian to complete the task, thus giving him the ability to put a deathly ill and suffering animal out of its misery quickly and humanely. This will also free up space in the shelter and allow those animals somewhat more adoptable than others a little more time to find homes. If a particular animal is extremely adoptable, said Brady, he won’t put it down after five days and will work hard to find it a good home. One such animal currently at the shelter is a long-haired, red, white and black cat named Piper. She’s a beautiful cat about 1 year old who has a very sweet, affectionate, easygoing disposition. Piper is litter box trained and gets along just fine with dogs. Any cat or dog adopted from the Meade County Animal Shelter is eligible for a free spay or neuter paid for by Pets in Need Society, so this is an added bonus to adopting Piper. Anyone in search of a truly great cat is welcome to visit Piper at the shelter. The Meade County Animal Shelter has two recent additions worth noting. There are now three large runs and one huge fenced in area behind the shelter. These areas allow the dogs to go outside for some fresh air and exercise. The Class D inmates who care for the animals at the shelter have built a 12-by-16 foot green storage shed which stores pet food, dog traps, pet taxis, and other supplies. The inmates did a super job constructing the shed, and Brady is very pleased with their work. Although much of his day is spent picking up and interacting with animals, paperwork is an important part of Brady’s job. “Everything has a paper trail,” said Brady. There’s a daily run list that documents the specifics of all the animal runs Brady makes during the course of a day. A financial report is submitted to the judge executive’s office on a biweekly basis. On the shelter bulletin board hangs a “Lost Pet List” for those wishing to post information about a missing pet. The “Pet Request List” on that same board lists the names of people who are looking to adopt certain types of animals. Shelter staff can reference this list when cats and dogs come into the shelter and help match animals with new owners. “We have lots of good animals we’d like people to adopt,” said Brady. Meade County Animal Shelter hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The shelter is located on Fairway Drive behind Meade County EMS. November is Animal Shelter Appreciation Month, and the Meade County Animal Shelter is accepting donations of cat and dog food (dry and canned), puppy food, kitten food, scoopable cat litter, Clorox Bleach, paper towels, Pine-Sol, and flea and tick spray. These items are appreciated not only in November but throughout the year.
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Photo by Karen Kennedy