February 2019 The ACO Voice A Monthly Magazine from Animal Control Training Services The Only National Monthly Magazine Dedicated to Animal Control The Importance of Activity Statistics The ACO Voice - Page 1
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Saying Good-Bye to Two Old Friends By John Mays, ACTS For over 30 years, I have personally used and promoted Pneu-Dart products for Animal Control professionals. Within the ACTS Chemical Immobilization Certification program, we have featured both the Model 176B and 179B CO2 projectors. In November of 2017, Pneu Dart, Inc. discontinued the sale of the Crosman Model 176B and 179B CO2 projectors. This was a proactive measure, said Pneu-Dart President Blair Soars. These two particular projectors were influenced by ambient air temperature and because we can t control Mother Nature, we made the decision to discontinue the sales of these models as the industry deserves more than the projectors can provide. Current holders of the Crosman 176B and 179B CO2 projectors will continue to receive services related to their projectors as parts and service will be provided into the foreseeable future. However, the migration to more modern equipment became necessary for our Chemical Immobilization Certification program, thus ACTS has officially retired our Model 176B and 179B CO2 projectors. While we are sad to see these workhorses leave our program, we are excited about the introduction of the X-2 Gauged CO2 Projector - the most innovative and practical gas-based RDD Projector. Constructed of durable 6061 machined aluminum and coated with a sharp, elements-resistant anodized finish, the X-2 is the finest and most versatile RDD Short Range Projector ever built. Fret not if you continue to use the 176B and 179B CO2 projectors at your agency. ACTS will continue to offer instruction on the use of these delivery devices for years to come. If you are not familiar with Pneu-Dart, here is a short history. Pneu-Dart, the manufacturer of remote drug deliv- Continued on Page 4 The ACO Voice - Page 3
The ACO Voice - Page 4 ery solutions serving clients worldwide, celebrated its 50th anniversary back in 2017. Founded in 1967, Pneu- Dart started as a small basement operation in a rural community in central Pennsylvania, developing remote drug delivery devices for the livestock and wildlife industries. Its success over the years has been based on its core mission: providing customers with what they want and what works. So, just what is Pneu-Dart? An enormous corporation with hundreds of nameless faces shuffling into the giant building in the morning and out again as the buzzer sounds at quitting time? Images of stockpiled products in giant warehouses across the United States comes to mind as does a myriad of robotic-like employees taking, making, and shipping orders to customers who are merely order numbers. Right? Wrong. So very, very wrong. Pneu-Dart is not a huge corporation but rather a locally owned and operated company located in a single building tucked into the countryside of Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The American flag flies above the Pneu- Dart flag next to the pond that greets the Pneu-Dart team every day. Their employees make the scenic drive to work in the morning, past rivers, mountains, and grazing deer. They work together to process, manufacture, and ship each order with the utmost care and proudly note that no one customer or associate gets lost in the shuffle. Over the past five decades Pneu-Dart has enjoyed steady growth due to invaluable feedback from Animal Control Officers, ranchers and rangers. These ideas have greatly improved the product line yielding a multitude of milestones. During recent years Pneu-Dart undertook several building expansion projects, with an eye toward providing increased manufacturing production. With a commitment to excellence, high standards of professionalism and dedication, Pneu-Dart s workforce grew from 20 associates to more than 70 full-time employees. The year 2016 was a particularly busy one for Pneu- Dart when, in January of that year, the company took the proactive measure of designing, creating and presenting the first RDD (Remote Drug Delivery) on-line educational program. This digital tutorial provides in-depth training and best practices for the use of RDD products. In February of the same year, Pneu-Dart announced a nonprofit endeavor, The Treat Right Foundation. As a service to its customers, the company established a 501c3 organization designed to support the National Future Farmers of America and the National Wildlife Federation, two very deserving nonprofit organizations. In October of 2016, Slo-Inject RDD Technology was placed into production. Slo-Inject provides customers with an innovative RDD that reduces the rate of injection and minimizes potential for bounce-outs, while presenting virtually no tissue damage to the animal. The company takes pride in the products that they produce and they stand behind them. Each customer who calls or places an order with them gets personalized care. Their longtime customers, such as ACTS, have become more like family members than numbers. At Pneu-Dart, they have an extraordinary respect for their customers. It s more than a company/client relationship, it s a partnership created together with their customers to produce the most reliable and cost-effective products on the market. At Pneu-Dart their motto is not just a string of words, it s a way of life You Can t Afford to Miss. For more information about Pneu-Dart, Inc. and their products, please visit www.pneudart.com or call 570-323-2710. Pneu-Dart in 1967
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Jeff s Corner By Jeffrey Clemens, ACTS License Fees Out of Control Within the name itself Animal Control, one area that is getting out of control is the amount that departments are charging to license an animal. The original intent and purpose for licensing a dog can be traced back to two essential concepts: identification and proof of a rabies vaccination. In the beginning, the license fee was a flatrate minimal fee charged by the local animal control agency. There was no difference between an intact dog versus one that was neutered. Over time, the fee structure began to change resulting in an increased amount for a non-neutered animal. On the surface it appeared as if there was a discount being offered to anyone who altered their animal. However, in reality, it only appeared that way when compared to the inflated price of a license for an unaltered animal. In the beginning, the difference in the amount was based on a 50% discount for an altered animal. ($10.00 versus $20.00). Currently there are agencies that are charging in excess of $100.00 dollars for an unaltered dog. Try as you might to justify this cost, but it is nothing more than penalizing a person for which they have committed no crime. The St. Bernard to the Rescue Located high above in the alps between Italy and Switzerland, a rugged pass was named after a monk by the name of St. Bernard of Menthona. In the 17th century a mastiff breed was crossed with the local dogs from the Swiss countryside resulting in what we know today as the St. Bernard. They were also referred to by their common name, "Drooler." In addition to providing a companionship and guarding servitude nature, they were used as search and rescue dogs for persons lost or trapped in the snowy mountains. The St. Bernard has an excellent sense of smell being able to locate persons buried in up to 20 feet of snow. With their large size (adults weighing up to 200 lbs.) and long-haired coats, it is reported that when they located a person, they would lie down on or next to the person and keep them warm until additional help arrived. It is thought that the dogs also wore a small Continued on Page 8 The ACO Voice - Page 6
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keg or barrel around their neck that contained either brandy or wine to warm the wayward traveler. Whether this is true or not is still up for debate. Preventative Measures Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that can affect the nervous system of any mammal, including humans. Rabies-infected animals typically spread the disease through their saliva. It can be transmitted to humans when they bite a person, or when the saliva from a rabid animal comes in contact with a person's mouth, eyes, nose or a fresh wound. The last thing that any pet owner would want is for their dog to contract the rabies virus. The virus can be fatal for both humans and animals. For this reason, a rabies vaccination is required for all dogs 3-4 months of age that reside in a rabies endemic area. The vaccination is not a 100% guarantee that the animal won't contract the virus, but provides a high level of protection against acquiring the virus. However, more effective in the prevention of acquiring and spreading the virus is the compliance of the leash law. When a dog is prevented from running at large and coming into contact with the various wildlife species that carry the virus, this becomes the frontline protection from contracting the rabies virus from the start. It may surprise you that there are still quite a few counties throughout the U.S. that do not have an existing leash law. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! https://www.asp-usa.com/ ACTS Recommends The Importance of Activity Statistics Although we are already two months into the 2019 calendar year, it's not too late to start compiling your agency s activity statistics. Most departments use software programs to log and record licensing, ownership information, impounds and calls for service, also known as complaints. The stored information is useful in terms of professionally developing the department and the staff. The statistics become the unit of measure to show the need for additional staffing numbers as well as meeting necessary training needs. When calls for service are evaluated, the data can assist with the inventory of animal restraint and capture equipment and personal protective equipment to enhance the safety of both kennel staff and ACO's. Prior to computers and technology, actual paper records had to be maintained for 3-7 years. It was quite a task to categorize the paperwork, to say nothing of trying to retrieve it from the archives. Software programs such as Chameleon, Pet Harbor and Pet Finder allow for instant recovery of information by the user. The ACO Voice - Page 8
ACTS Training Schedule For a registration form, visit www.aco-acts.com or call 913-515-0080 Shelter Technician Certification Hosted by the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center March 4-6, 2019 and March 6-8, 2019 - Dayton, Ohio Schedule of Training: Animal Care in a Sheltering Environment; Animal Disposition Options; Animal Identification: Breed and Description; Animal Shelter Maintenance; Animal Shelter Record-Keeping; Canine and Feline Behaviors and Assessments; Disease Exposures in a Sheltering Environment; Emergency Animal Sheltering; Proactive Animal Sheltering Hosted by the Southwestern Community College - Public Safety Training Division March 4-8, 2019 - Franklin, North Carolina Hosted by the Dutchess County SPCA March 11-12, 2019 - Hyde Park, New York Schedule of Training; Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Chemical Immobilization Certification Hosted by Weymouth Animal Control March 14, 2019 - Weymouth, Massachusetts Schedule of Training: Interview and Investigation Techniques; Understanding the ADA and Service Animals; Sovereign Citizens Field Training Officer Certification Hosted by the Wheat Ridge Police Department March 18-19, 2019 - Wheat Ridge, Colorado Shelter Technician Certification Hosted by the Chino Valley Animal Shelter March 25-27, 2019 - Chino Valley, Arizona Schedule of Training: Animal Care in a Sheltering Environment; Animal Disposition Options; Animal Identification: Breed and Description; Animal Shelter Maintenance; Animal Shelter Record-Keeping; Canine and Feline Behaviors and Assessments; Disease Exposures in a Sheltering Environment; Emergency Animal Sheltering; Proactive Animal Sheltering Field Training Officer Certification Hosted by the San Joaquin County Sheriff s Office March 28-29, 2019 - French Camp, California Hosted by the Berwyn Police Department April 1-5, 2019 - Berwyn, Illinois The ACO Voice - Page 9
ACTS Training Schedule For a registration form, visit www.aco-acts.com or call 913-515-0080 Hosted by Rogers Animal Services April 8-12, 2019 - Rogers, Arkansas Schedule of Training: Challenging Encounters in Animal Control; Understanding the ADA and Service Animals; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint ; Pepper Spray Certification; Chemical immobilization Certification; Baton/Bitestick Certification Hosted by the Etowah County Commission April 22-26, 2019 - Gadsden, Alabama Hosted by the Lander County Sheriff s Office April 29 - May 3, 2019 - Battle Mountain, Nevada Chemical Immobilization Certification Hosted by the Lander County Sheriff s Office May 4, 2019 - Battle Mountain, Nevada Schedule of Training: Chemical Immobilization Certification Chemical Immobilization Certification Hosted by the Boulder County Sheriff s Office May 4, 2019 - Boulder, Colorado Schedule of Training: Chemical Immobilization Certification Hosted by Beaufort County Animal Control May 6-10, 2019 - Washington, North Carolina Schedule of Training: Citations, Dangerous and Vicious Declarations; Community Cooperation: Education and Outreach; Fitness and Nutrition/Stress Management; Firearms Training/Field Euthanasia; Tactical/Interpersonal Communication; Pepper Spray Certification; Illegal Animal Fighting; Animal Hoarding Investigations; Sovereign Citizens; Challenging Encounters in Animal Control Hosted by Centerton Animal Services May 13-17, 2019 - Centerton, Arkansas Schedule of Training: Comprehensive Animal Management Certification; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint ; Baton/Bitestick Certification The ACO Voice - Page 10
ACTS Training Schedule For a registration form, visit www.aco-acts.com or call 913-515-0080 Hosted by the Chino Valley Animal Shelter May 20-24, 2019 - Chino Valley, Arizona Hosted by North Little Rock Animal Services June 10-14, 2019 - North Little Rock, Arkansas Hosted by LaGrange Animal Services June 19-21, 2019 - LaGrange, Georgia Schedule of Training: Basic Animal Control Officer Investigations; Illegal Animal Fighting; Investigative Techniques for Cruelty and Neglect Complaints; Animal Hoarding Investigations; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint Training Program for Animal Control Professionals Hosted by Olive Branch Animal Control June 24-28, 2019 - Olive Branch, Mississippi Schedule of Training: Chemical Immobilization Certification; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint ; Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Baton/Bitestick Certification; Pepper Spray Certification Hosted by the Mundelein Police Department June 27-28, 2019 - Mundelein, Illinois Schedule of Training: Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint ; Basic Animal Control Officer Investigations; Challenging Encounters in Animal Control; Understanding the ADA and Service Animals Animal Control Officer Protective Training Hosted by Metro Animal Control July 22-26, 2019 - Gallup, New Mexico Schedule of Training: Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Pepper Spray Certification; Safe Animal Handling and Capture and Restraint ; Chemical Immobilization Certification; Baton/Bitestick Certification; Taser Certification The ACO Voice - Page 11