by naca-web | Jul 13, 2023 | Blog, Humane Highlights
Officer Robbin Snapp
Robbin Snapp, (Bracken County (KY) ACO). A colleague of hers had to this share about Office Snapp… “She’s worked in our shelter for 4 years with just volunteers and has improved our adoption and rescue programs all on her own. We are working towards expansion and improvements to our shelter, and she just never quits. I am the Bracken County Judge Executive over her department. I would like for her to know that I and the Bracken County Fiscal Court greatly appreciate her dedication, her vision for the shelter, and her endless efforts!”
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by naca-web | Jun 23, 2023 | Blog, Field Services, Training
Unlocking Success: The Power of Professional Certification
By National Animal Care and Control Association
Obtaining a national animal control officer certification from NACA offers several important benefits for individuals working in the field. Here are some reasons why obtaining the certification is valuable:
Professional Recognition
National certification in Animal Control demonstrates your commitment to professionalism and expertise in the field of animal control. It serves as an acknowledgment of your knowledge, skills, and experience, setting you apart from others in the industry.
Enhanced Job Opportunities
Certification can give you a competitive edge and increase your chances of landing desirable job opportunities. Many employers, including government agencies, animal shelters, and law enforcement departments, prioritize certified animal control officers when hiring.
Legal Compliance
Animal control officers often have the authority to enforce animal-related laws and regulations. By obtaining national certification, you demonstrate that you have the necessary training and understanding of legal requirements, ensuring you can perform your duties in a lawful and effective manner.
Professional Development
NACA Certification requires continuing education and training, ensuring that you stay up to date with the latest industry practices, advancements, and legal changes. This commitment to continuous learning helps you enhance your skills, stay current in your field, and provide the best possible service to the community.
Public Trust and Confidence
National certification instills confidence in the public you serve. It assures them that you possess the necessary knowledge and expertise to handle animal-related issues with compassion, professionalism, and adherence to ethical standards. Obtaining a NACA certification helps establish trust and credibility, fostering positive relationships between animal control officers and the communities in which they serve.
Personal and Organizational Growth
Possessing a NACA certification not only benefits individual animal control officers but also contributes to the overall growth of the organizations they represent. Certified officers bring valuable skills, knowledge, and best practices to their roles, promoting efficient operations and improved outcomes for both animals and the community.
By obtaining a national animal control officer certification from NACA, you invest in your professional growth, demonstrate your expertise, and contribute to the welfare and safety of the animals and communities you serve.
by naca-web | Jun 15, 2023 | Blog, Humane Highlights
– Hardin County ACO’s –
This month we want to recognize the amazing officers with Hardin County, Kentucky. Jeff Reece, Chris Siler, and Shane Carpenter. The Animal Care and Control Department serves Hardin County with 11 employees and more than 50 volunteers. At any given time, they care for up to 200 animals in the shelter.
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by naca-web | Jun 8, 2023 | Announcements, Blog, Training
NACA BRINGS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (MHFA) NATIONAL CERTIFICATION TRAINING OPPORTUNITY TO ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS (ACOs) AND ANIMAL WELFARE PROFESSIONALS
To help equip ACOs to confidently and effectively respond when encountering human mental health challenges, the National Animal Control Association (NACA) is launching a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) national certification course initiative.
Mental health and substance use issues remain elevated in the United States three years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 90% of U.S. adults believing that the country is facing a mental health crisisi. As first responders for animal-related concerns in our communities, Animal Control Officers (ACOs) and other animal welfare professionals routinely work in situations in which people are experiencing high levels of stress; high levels of stress are a known contributor to and exacerbator of human mental health challenges. While responding to animal-related issues, ACOs and other animal welfare professionals hence find themselves in de facto first responder role for emergent human mental health challenges.
Just as those certified in CPR enables those without clinical training to assist an individual having a heart attack, Mental Health First Aid certification prepares participants to interact with and effectively support a person experiencing a mental health crisis. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) certification training entails a groundbreaking skills-based course that gives the tools to identify, understand and respond to someone who might be struggling with a mental health or substance use challenge — and connect them with appropriate support and resources when necessary.
Through the certification training, Mental Health First Aiders learn about: basic mental health signs and symptoms; the skills need to identify, assess, and provide appropriate support during a mental health crisis; how to link people to needed resources; and the necessity of self-care as a Mental Health First Aider. A five step skills action plan is taught to enable Mental Health First Aiders to easily retain and implement the appropriate skills as needed; the action plan is called ALGEEii:
“Never has it been more important for our communities to talk about mental health and substance use,” says Chuck Ingoglia, President and CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, which helped bring Mental Health First Aid to the U.S. from Australia in 2008. “This program is breaking down barriers and stigma so that together we can learn how to better support one another. Without mental health, there is no health.” Mental Health First Aid has become a full-blown movement in the United States — more than 2.5 million people — including first responders, educators, and members of the general public – are certified Mental Health First Aiders, and that number is growing every day.
The Mental Health First Aid national certification courses offered through NACA will be taught by certified Mental Health First Aid instructor Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach. Dr. Hoy-Gerlach is a licensed clinical social worker and human-animal interaction researcher with extensive practice experience in community-based crisis intervention work and suicide risk assessment. She is the lead author of Human-Animal Interaction: A Social Work Guide, published by the National Association of Social Work (the largest professional social work organization in the United States), and helps develop programs and policies that support the human-animal bond for mutual wellbeing through her social work consulting practice, OneHealth People-Animal Wellness Services (OHPAWs).
“I am thrilled to be able to partner with NACA to help support ACOs and animal welfare professionals in the critically important work they do for animals and people,” says Dr. Hoy-Gerlach. “Mental Health First Aid certification offers an effective tool to help address the human needs encountered in their life-saving work with animals.”
For more information or to participate in a Mental Health First Aid training through NACA, see: Mental Health First Aid Certification
by naca-web | May 23, 2023 | Blog, Humane Highlights
– Officer Jason Lessel –
Jason created the 1st Animal Control Division in his county. H is currently Chief Director of Animal Control for the Town of Plantersville MS. Jason is a certified police officer that works in both fields. He told us ” I work closely with police, and shelters to best protect all residents people, and pets.”
Thank you, Jason, for all you!
by naca-web | Apr 17, 2023 | Announcements, Blog, Training
“Attention animal care and control professionals!
Do you want to gain easy-to-use evidence-based tools and increase your confidence in and ability to deal with mental health situations in your work as an animal care and control professional? Do you want to be able to better support your co-workers and volunteers when they are experiencing mental health challenges, and/or more effectively handle mental health crisis situations you encounter on your field service calls? If so, national MHFA certification is for you and NACA in Partnership with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is forming a first of its kind to be offered strickly to animal care and control professionals!
What is Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)?
- MHFA is a nationally recognized set of go-to key skills – called an “action plan” – used to provide effective early intervention and help to someone developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.
- MHFA is a research-based strategy, listed on the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices.
How does one become nationally certified in MHFA?
To become a nationally certified MHFA provider, you must complete an MHFA certification course in accordance with national standards and content from the National Council for Wellbeing. The MHFA certification course offered through NACA is in full compliance with all national standards and content.
The NACA-offered MHFA certification course consists of:
- 2 hours of virtual self-paced content.
- 6 hours of virtual instructor*-led training via Zoom (includes a 30 min lunch and two 15 min breaks)
(TBD)
- 1 hour of post-Zoom self-paced content.
- $170
Upon completion of the MHFA certification course, you will be nationally certified in MHFA!
ACOs and other animal welfare professionals from anywhere in the United States are welcome to register! You must be 18 years of age or older to attend this course.
The instructor for the MHFA certification course through NACA is certified MHFA instructor Dr. Janet Hoy-Gerlach, a licensed clinical social worker and founder of OneHealth People-Animal Wellness Services (OHPAWS). Dr. Hoy-Gerlach has extensive experience in community-based crisis intervention and suicide/lethality risk assessment and has worked with and trained animal welfare and veterinary professionals nationally and internationally. She is the lead author of Human-Animal Interaction: A Social Work Guide, a book published by the National Association of Social Workers and serves as a subject matter expert on mental health benefits of the human-animal bond for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. Dr. Hoy-Gerlach lives in Northwest Ohio with her family, which includes three dogs and three cats.
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by naca-web | Mar 29, 2023 | Announcements, Blog, Dispatch Digest, News
April 3-6: NACA is sponsoring the Field services track at the HSUS Animal Care Expo and will be presenting. Watch our Facebook page for live updates!
Visit our resource library (for members) is continuing to grow – full of sample SOPs, training videos, operational resources, and advocacy resources.
NACA Circles is a community forum where ACOs can connect and chat with one another.
by naca-web | Mar 27, 2023 | Announcements, Blog, Position Statements
It is the position of NACA that every animal control officer should receive, at minimum, the below-outlined training. Requiring minimum training standards will increase safety for officers, animals, and the communities they serve. Furthermore, it is the position of NACA that officers should be required to complete continuing education units to remain relevant and current with national trends and evolving standards.
The recommendations outlined in this document are intended to serve as support to officers and agencies who are advocating for professional development training and funding for training for their officers.
Animal Control Officers (ACOs) perform a variety of services related to pets and people. They work long hours, in dangerous situations, in inclement weather, and oftentimes with inadequate resources, training, and equipment. Animal control officers in most areas are responsible for more than enforcing animal laws; they also assist law enforcement as the animal experts in their community, provide the services of social workers, risk their lives as emergency responders, mitigate community member conflicts, and much more. They work closely with the justice system, including prosecutors and judges, local and state law enforcement agencies, elected and appointed officials, the state veterinarian and health department, the local rabies authority, the fire department, code enforcement, and social services agencies. Although not traditionally classified as first responders, animal control officers perform essential work ensuring public safety for humans and animals.
Animal Control Officers should, at a minimum be trained on:
- Animal behavior and safe animal handling
- Communication and de-escalation techniques
- Public perception
- Multicultural community engagement; Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
- Animal first aid
- Basic animal investigations including but not limited to:
- Search warrants
- Evidence collection and preservation
- Report writing
- Courtroom procedures and testimony
- Animal health including but not limited to:
- Nutrition
- Disease recognition, zoonosis, prevention, and herd health
- Animal husbandry
- Local, state, and federal laws relating to animal cruelty and neglect.
- Rabies prevention and processes
In today’s world, it is vital that animal control officers are trained to safely perform their job. Ensuring minimum training standards are met across the nation will help improve accountability, consistency, retention, and reputation, and increase the professionalism of the animal control officer by proactively identifying skill gaps.
NACA recommends when selecting a training vendor other than NACA, that industry best practices are used in helping to determine your selection:
- Does the training provider understand the culture of today’s animal care and control
professional and the evolving complexities of the role?
- What accreditation do they offer?
- Approval or endorsement by NACA is a stamp of quality.
- Do the trainers possess the expertise and experience you are looking for?
- Do they offer multi-channel and innovative learning methodologies?
- Do they measure progress and record attendance?
- Can they customize their content to suit your agency’s needs?
- Ask for recommendations from other trusted professionals.
A list of NACA endorsed training sources can be found on the NACA Training webpage: National Animal Care & Control Association | NACA Professional Development for ACOs (nacatraining.org)
The National Animal Care & Control Association is committed to setting the standard of professionalism in animal welfare and public safety through training, networking, and advocacy.
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by naca-web | Feb 24, 2023 | Announcements, Blog
Why Animal Control? How about Animal Services, Animal Welfare or Animal Protection, etc.? We could still be the dog whipper or the dog collector? Between the 16th and 18th century the dog whipper was employed by churches in England to keep stray dogs away from church gatherings. The dog collector was part of the 1811 “Law Concerning Dogs” in Manhattan. That law was enacted to help “control” the spread of rabies.
The dog collector would collect a $3 tax from the dog owner in the city. Talk about the first dog license! In that time anyone could kill stray dogs outside of the lamp district or any dog suspected of biting someone. By the 1830s the bounty for stray dogs was $1. In 1836, 8000 dogs were slaughtered. At that time most of the dog killers were children and many in of the affluent population were concerned that the children would grow up to commit other crimes. Though it was open season on killing dogs the population of stray dogs continued to grow.
In 1866 Henry Bergh created the American Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. That began to change the fate of animals in America. You may be asking yourself; what does this have to do with the name, Animal Control? I have gone back and forth on this and even created a list with over 30 names that define our profession. Animal Control is the most common, recognized, understood and accepted name in our profession. The truth is no matter what we are called it comes down to how we interact with our community, that is how we’re remembered.
I found a love for this job in 2009, I became a volunteer at a local animal shelter. A longtime family friend encouraged me to become an animal control officer. I started to do ride alongs and immediately fell in love with the idea of helping animals and people. This job has a purpose! My first job was a seasonal position with a Humane Society. I was an Animal Control & Protection Officer. I was trained by a metalhead who seemed to hate people but like animals. He was and still is an awesome guy but carried himself in way that could rub the community the wrong way. Once you get past the beard and the New York accident you see that he has a big heart and loves the job. The problem is the community only gets to see that on a small scale. I can imagine anyone he has contact with respects him and has a better image of our profession. But if you saw him from afar you may make an assumption which would be incorrect.
The seasonal job came to an end and I joined a local department as an “Animal Control Officer”. The department was under the facilities section of the county. I met with the facilities manager on my first day who was wearing a flannel button up shirt with a red hat that someone contained his mullet. The first thing he said to me was; “so you’re gonna catch dogs for us”.
That was the moment I knew I wanted to help our profession gain the notoriety it deserves. I was floored that the manager of the department that housed animal control was that ignorant. I came into this profession enthusiastic, ambitious, eager and dedicated. I am happy to say that I am still here and promise to keep that energy moving forward.
I have made several sacrifices for this profession and if I was asked to do it all again, I would. I know there are many amazing officers that represent our profession and I am grateful for every single one of you! I am hopeful our paths cross someday so I can give you a hug, fist bump, handshake or just a head nod to thank you for your service. I am grateful for the National Care and Control Association for asking me to write this blog. I appreciate their hard work in helping our profession grow.
In 2019 I was asked to join a podcast called, The Humane Roundup as a guest. They wanted to have me on to talk about my involvement in the community. They saw my social media posts giving matchbox animal control trucks to kids and thought it was a cool outreach item. That was the second (technically third) episode of the podcast. I was invited as a guest and never left! The podcast has now spanned over four years and on January 1, 2023 we changed the name to the Animal Control Report to be more consistent with our listeners. But more importantly to champion the name, Animal Control.
The podcast is hosted by Ashlee Bishop (also a guest at one point) a Humane Officer in Wisconsin and myself. I am an Animal Control Supervisor in Colorado. We have over 158 episodes and have interviewed several amazing guests. Our podcast can be found on Apple Podcast, Spotify, our website (www.humanemain.com) or where ever you listen to podcasts.
Here is a list of my top 10 favorite episodes:
10. Episode 65. What’s in a Name – This episode discusses the different names in our profession and is fitting for this blog.
9. Episode 84. What You Know About Rolling Down in the D – We interview the Director of Detroit Animal Care & Control, Mark Kumpf.
8. Episode 66. We’re Not in Kansas Anymore – KC Pet Project joins the podcast to talk about their operations.
7. Episode 136 & 137. 40 Years in the Field – Lauren Malmberg talks about being in the field for 40 years. That took two episodes as you can imagine there are a lot of interesting things that happen after being in the field for 40 years.
6. Episode 118. City License Check Almost Turns Fatal – This is self-explanatory. Just an amazing episode with Halah Mir.
5. Episode 83. Carol F’n Baskin – Yep, Carol Baskin joins the show and talks about the Big Cat Rescue and more!!!!
4. Episode 79. Hunting Animal Fighters – The legendary David Hunt show to talk about dog fighting.
3. Episode 113. How to Become an Animal Control Officer – We discuss ways to break into the profession as our jobs don’t open that frequently.
2. Episode 87. Take a Bite – Dr. Ian Dunbar joins the show and talks all about bites, his bite scale and more.
Number 1!
Episode 149. The Misconception of PETA – Daphna Nachminovitch, the Senior VP of Cruelty Investigations blows us away with what happens behind the scenes of PETA. There are several parallels between Animal Control and PETA which you can hear on this episode.
These are my top 10 at the moment but the list is always changing. I encourage you to check out the podcast and please join us or send us a topic or guest you’d like to hear on the show. I am always available to help or just to chat with. Feel free to text or call me at 412-736-6263.
Keep it Humane Main! Daniel Ettinger
by naca-web | Feb 16, 2023 | Announcements
Today is the day… a little comic relief is here for animal control officers around the country! NACA is thrilled to be partnering up with @ComedyClubFox as we get ready to show the world the amazing, hard-working, dedicated, and yes, sometimes funny work of animal control!! Don’t miss the premiere of Animal Control TONIGHT at 9 PM ET…we know we’ll be watching!
But before the show airs…FOX Entertainment wanted to give thanks to the #realheroes!
Don’t forget to follow us on our socials (links are all down below) for more surprise content in the future and clips from the show!
And in case you haven’t heard the exciting news:
FOX Entertainment’s first wholly owned live-action comedy, Animal Control is an all-new single-camera workplace series that follows a group of local Animal Control workers whose lives are complicated by the fact that animals are simple, but humans are not. Joel McHale (Community) stars as FRANK, an opinionated, eccentric Animal Control officer who may not have gone to college, but is still the most well-read person in the room. A former cop, Frank tried to expose corruption in his department, but his efforts got him fired, which may explain why he’s so cynical and curmudgeonly. He has an almost superhuman ability to understand animals. Humans…not so much. Frank is assigned a new partner, FRED “SHRED” TAYLOR (newcomer Michael Rowland), an optimistic rookie who used to be a professional snowboarder. They both report into their sweet-natured and endearingly awkward boss, Emily Price (Vella Lovell, Mr. Mayor). Amit Patel (Ravi Patel, Master of None), an overwhelmed family man and Victoria Sands (Grace Palmer, Shortland Street), a free spirit, also are partners and great friends, even though their personal lives could not be more different. Rounding out the precinct is veterinarian Dr. Summers (Alvina August, The Boys), receptionist Dolores Stubb (Kelli Ogmundson, Cavendish) and Templeton Dudge (Gerry Dee, Mr. D), an Animal Control officer from a neighboring precinct with a real chip on his shoulder.
Animal Control is produced by FOX Entertainment Studios and executive-produced by Bob Fisher (Wedding Crashers, Sirens, The Moodys), Rob Greenberg (Frasier, How I Met Your Mother, The Moodys), Dan Sterling (Long Shot, The Interview, Girls, The Office, King of the Hill), Tad Quill (Scrubs, The Moodys) and McHale.
