December Dispatch Digest
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November 2022 Dispatch Digest
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October Humane Highlight: Bryan Harkey
Meet Bryan! NACA’s October Humane Highlight
Bryan Harkey
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Departments Animal Care and Control
Bryan Harkey is the Field Operations Manager for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Animal Care and Control Division. Bryan has been with this department for almost 24 years and started his career as an ACO. During his tenure, Bryan has been involved in community outreach, multiple emergency response deployments, and countless misdemeanor and felony animal cruelty cases. Currently, Bryan oversees the division’s entire enforcement section which also involves hiring and training new Animal Care and Control Officers.
Being a member of NACA has provided an opportunity to get to know and learn from like-minded animal welfare professionals. NACA has also provided opportunities for my staff to receive national accreditations and attend online training that are specifically related to their profession.
September 2022 Humane Highlight
Meet Officer LaDue, NACA’s September Humane Highlight!!
Officer LaDue is an Cruelty Investigations Officer in KCMO through KC Pet Project’s Animal Services Division. His daily focus is to investigate cases of animal cruelty and then pursue those cases, when appropriate, at a municipal or state level. He is a highly dedicated animal welfare professional and strives every day to make a positive and lasting impact on the animals and people within my community. He is currently ACO I and ACO II certified, in addition to being a Fear Free Shelters Graduate!! In addition, he holds other prestigious in-house and local qualifications.
When asked about his membership to NACA he had this to share with us! “NACA has connected me to a community of animal welfare professionals and provides comprehensive training that proves time and time again to be valuable both while handling the administrative part of our job as well as while providing field services. I am proud to be a member of NACA and to be certified through them. Thanks to NACA I have been getting to live my dream and have learned to perform my duties in a positive as well as effective way.”
Thank you, Officer LaDue, for your dedication to the work, the animals, and the communities in which you serve. NACA is honored to have you as a member.
August 2022 Humane Highlight – Melissa Miller
Melissa Miller
Director of St. Clair County Animal Control
Melissa is the Director of St. Clair County Animal Control in Michigan. In addition, she is a Certified Behavior Consultant (Canine), Former Director of Detroit Animal Care and Control, and she has been active in disaster response as a Sr. Field Responder for HSUS for 8 years.
When asked what being a member of NACA means to her she told us this “To be a part of something bigger than myself, a collective that creates best practices and position statements that support my passion for creating humane, safe communities. Being a member provides access to a knowledgeable, experienced National base of colleagues who have encountered similar challenges and opportunities. The advice and collaboration within NACA are invaluable in developing my division’s mission and vision.”
Thank you, Melissa, for your dedication to the animals and people in your community and beyond, we are so thankful you are a member of NAC
Humane Highlight – July 2022
Summer Piper
San Diego Humane Society Emergency Response Team Volunteer
Summer is a vital member of the San Diego Humane Society’s Emergency Response Team (ERT). She has the role of Lead Scout in the Fire Animal Search and Rescue Team that focuses on evacuating large and small animals from areas that are behind fire lines and currently evacuated as a result of wildfire activity. In addition to assisting with wildfires, she is also active on the Technical Rescue and Water Rescue Teams where she utilizes her high level of training and specialized equipment to extract animals from any type of hazardous scenario or environment.
When asked about her experience as a NACA member she had this to share with us “NACA provides a way for us to show our determination to animal care and advocacy by living a standard that is regarded amongst our peers and like organizations.”.