October 2018 The ACO Voice A Monthly Magazine from Animal Control Training Services The Only National Monthly Magazine Dedicated to Animal Control Shelter Technician Certification Congrats to Our Inaugural Class! The ACO Voice - Page 1
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Jeff s Corner Responsible Sheltering or Warehousing Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs? For the last decade, the "No-Kill" movement has found its way into most animal shelters all across the United States. The term no-kill is also associated with the save and rescue concept and the term "live release rate." Unfortunately, it at times can be at the expense of other animals and even human life. In September, a 64- year-old woman from Columbia, Maryland was killed after she fostered/adopted a dog from an undisclosed origin. She had the dog for two weeks when it attacked her, causing her death. In October, a similar incident occurred in Las Vegas, Nevada where a "rescue dog" was adopted from a local shelter and four days later attacked and killed 58-year-old Susan Sweeney. Are animal shelters, rescue and foster organizations really doing the right thing? Or are they simply warehousing animals without regard to animal and public safety? The evidence would suggest that due to pressure from animal activists and advocate groups that the latter is the case. It would appear that the value of the animal has been elevated above the value of human life. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race https://www.asp-usa.com/ ACTS Recommends The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual longdistance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome, entirely within the state of Alaska. Mushers and a team of 16 dogs, of which at least 5 must be on the towline at the finish line, cover the distance in 8 15 days or more. The Iditarod began in 1973 as an event to test the best sled dog mushers and teams but evolved into today's highly competitive race. Then a record, the second fastest winning time was recorded in 2016 by Dallas Seavey with a time of 8 days, 11 hours, 20 minutes, and 16 seconds. As of 2012, Dallas Seavey was also the youngest musher to win the race at the age of 25. In 2017, at the age of 57, Dallas's father, Mitch Seavey, is the oldest and fastest person ever to win the race, crossing Continued on Page 8 The ACO Voice - Page 3
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Shelter Technician Certification It was late July, in White County, Georgia, when ACTS graduated its first class of certified Animal Shelter Technicians following the completion of the new Shelter Technician certification course. Course developer and instructor, James (JT) Taylor, said he was very pleased with the outcome of the first few offerings and looked forward to presenting the program across the country. Taylor joined the ACTS team in the spring of 2018 to develop and then teach the Shelter Technician certification program. The three-day course consists of nine classes which are focused specifically on animal care in an animal sheltering environment and animal shelter operations. According to Taylor, society s expectations for animal care and shelter operations have increased greatly in recent years and this certification program hopes to prepare animal sheltering professionals to meet those expectations. In Pro-Active Animal Sheltering, the class explores methods of improving the quality and quantity of customer service provided to humans and animals in the community. Properly identifying an animal s breed and providing an accurate description of the animal is the essence of the Breed Identification and Description class. Providing daily animal care and providing animal friendly facility care and maintenance are the main topics of the Animal Care in a Shelter Environment and Animal Shelter Maintenance classes. Required animal shelter documentation is covered in the Animal Shelter Record Keeping, along with a discussion of various shelter software and digital record keeping systems, while an exploration of normal and abnormal animal behavior is discussed in Canine and Feline Animal Behaviors and Assessment. Taylor said the class looks not only at aggressive and unacceptable behavior, but also concentrates on enabling trainees to un- Continued on Page 7 The ACO Voice - Page 5
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derstand normal behavior in order to more accurately identify abnormal behavior. In Animal Disposition Options, the class uses the Animal Care and Control Continuum to discuss the differences between high-kill, lowkill, and no-kill animal sheltering, programs that will increase live release rates and proactive animal disposition options. Disease Exposure in a Sheltering Environment provides an in-depth look at a multitude of zoonotic diseases and animal diseases routinely found in animal shelters, and the Emergency Animal Sheltering covers mass animal impound situations ranging from hoarder case impounds to natural disasters, and provides an overview of how to set up an emergency animal shelter that provides for not only the animals being brought in, but the shelter workers as well. Taylor said, One of the most common themes through the course is the emphasis on being prepared for anything, any type of situation, any type of animal. During the White County, Georgia class, as if to support Taylor s assertion that animal control officers and shelter workers must be prepared to handle any type of animal, a black bear attempted to join the class. Taylor said the bear came wandering across the parking area one morning, while several trainees were in the parking lot waiting for the doors to open. Taylor, along with two White County Public Safety officials present, spread out across the parking area and drove the bear away from the building and out into a heavily wooded area nearby. Any type of training program that brings animal care and control professionals from all over the regions and country together provides an opportunity to learn how different situation are handled in different parts of the country. It also provides the opportunity to discuss how different animal species should be handled as well. As some animal species don t generally exist in some parts of the country, some shelter workers have little or no training or experience with handling or caring for unexpected species encounters. During an August training program in North Kansas City, Missouri, there was a lengthy discussion on handling and caring for exotic creatures, Continued on Page 8 North Kansas City, Missouri Class The ACO Voice - Page 7
such as large spiders, lizards and desert snakes. While these are commonly found as wild animals in the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico or in the high plains of Nebraska s Native American lands, they are found in ever increasing numbers as exotic pets in Midwestern and eastern states. As such, shelter professionals are finding these exotic animals in their animal shelters more often. The Shelter Technician certification program has proven to provide an excellent venue for shelter workers to learn from their peer s experiences, policies and procedures. Taylor said his hope for this new certification course is to help shelter managers and workers meet societies increased expectations through providing training that teaches a more proactive approach to animal care and animal sheltering. ACTS is already accepting requests to host the Shelter Technician Certification Program in 2019. Anyone interested in hosting or attending this training program should visit the ACTS website or email at info@aco-acts.com for hosting and scheduling questions. Bear Shows Up for Animal Control Training in Cleveland, Georgia - July 24, 2018 The ACO Voice - Page 8 Continued from Page 3 the line in Nome in 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes and 13 seconds. Dallas finished second, two hours and 44 minutes behind. Teams generally race through blizzards causing whiteout conditions, subzero temperatures and gale-force winds which can cause the wind chill to reach -100 F (- 73 C). A ceremonial start occurs in the city of Anchorage and is followed by the official restart in Willow, a city 80 mi (128.75 km) north of Anchorage. The restart was originally in Wasilla through 2007, but due to little snow, the restart has been at Willow since 2008. The trail runs from Willow up the Rainy Pass of the Alaska Range into the sparsely populated interior, and then along the shore of the Bering Sea, finally reaching Nome in western Alaska. The trail is through a harsh landscape of tundra and spruce forests, over hills and mountain passes, and across rivers. While the start in Anchorage is in the middle of a large urban center, most of the route passes through widely separated towns and villages, and small Athabaskan and Iñupiat settlements. The Iditarod is regarded as a symbolic link to the early history of the state and is connected to many traditions commemorating the legacy of dog mushing. The race is a very important and popular sporting event in Alaska, and the top mushers and their teams of dogs are local celebrities; this popularity is credited with the resurgence of recreational mushing in the state since the 1970s. While the yearly field of more than fifty mushers and about a thousand dogs is still largely Alaskan, competitors from fourteen countries have completed the event including the Swiss Martin Buser, who became the first foreign winner in 1992. The Iditarod received more attention outside of the state after the 1985 victory of Libby Riddles, a long-shot who became the first woman to win the race. The next year, Susan Butcher became the second woman to win the race and went on to win three more years. Print and television journalists and crowds of spectators attend the ceremonial start at the intersection of Fourth Avenue and D Street in Anchorage and in smaller numbers at the checkpoints along the trail. The race's namesake is the Iditarod Trail, which was designated as one of the first four National Historic Trails in 1978. The trail is named for the town of Iditarod, which was an Athabaskan village before becoming the center of the Inland Empire's Iditarod Mining District in 1910, and then becoming a ghost town at the end of the local gold rush. The name Iditarod may be derived from the Athabaskan haiditarod, meaning "far distant place."
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 October 29-31, 2018 - 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 Basic Animal Control Officer Certification Hosted by the Wexford County Sheriff s Office October 29 - November 2, 2018 - Cadillac, Michigan Schedule of Training: State Laws, County Ordinances and City Codes; Tactical/Interpersonal Communication; Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Basic Animal Control Officer Investigations; Evidence Law and Collection; Courtroom Testimony and Report Writing; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint Equipment Shelter Technician Certification Hosted by the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center October 31 - November 2, 2018 - 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 Basic Animal Control Officer Certification Hosted by Barrow County Animal Control November 5-9, 2018 - Winder, Georgia Schedule of Training: State Laws, County Ordinances and City Codes; Tactical/Interpersonal Communication; Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Basic Animal Control Officer Investigations; Evidence Law and Collection; Courtroom Testimony and Report Writing; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint Equipment Training Course for Animal Control Professionals Hosted by Westminster Animal Management November 29, 2018 - Westminster, Colorado Schedule of Training: Understanding the Link in Animal Abuse Animal Control Officer Protective Equipment Training Hosted by the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center December 3-5, 2018 and December 5-7, 2018 - Dayton, Ohio Schedule of Training: Baton Certification; Taser Certification; Pepper Spray Certification Basic Animal Control Officer Certification Hosted by the Yuma Police Department December 3-7, 2018 - Yuma, Arizona Schedule of Training: State Laws, County Ordinances and City Codes; Tactical/Interpersonal Communication; Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Basic Animal Control Officer Investigations; Evidence Law and Collection; Courtroom Testimony and Report Writing; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint Equipment The ACO Voice - Page 9
ACTS Training Schedule For a registration form, visit www.aco-acts.com or call 913-515-0080 Comprehensive Animal Management Certification Hosted by Cullman County Animal Control January 14-16, 2019 - Cullman, Alabama Schedule of Training: Advanced Case Supervision; Basic Budget Planning; Disciplinary Investigations; Equipment, Vehicles and Operational Needs; Evaluating Staff; Interviewing and Selection; Managing Generational Employees; Meetings: Individual, Specific Groups, Entire Staff; Policy and Procedures: Review and Development; Pushing Paperwork: Reports, Memos and Correspondence; Supervising Daily Operations; Training and Staff Development; Transition from Staff to Supervisor; Workplace Harassment and Violence Animal Control Officer Protective Equipment Training Hosted by Oak Grove Animal Control January 17-18, 2019 - Oak Grove, Missouri Schedule of Training: Baton Certification; Chemical Immobilization Certification Basic Animal Control Officer Certification Hosted by the Southwestern Community College - Public Safety Training Division January 28 February 1, 2019 - Franklin, North Carolina Schedule of Training: State Laws, County Ordinances and City Codes; Tactical/Interpersonal Communication; Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Basic Animal Control Officer Investigations; Evidence Law and Collection; Courtroom Testimony and Report Writing; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint Equipment Basic Animal Control Officer Certification Hosted by the Newnan Police Department and Coweta County Animal Services February 4-8, 2019 - Newnan, Georgia Schedule of Training: State Laws, County Ordinances and City Codes; Tactical/Interpersonal Communication; Officer Safety and Self-Defense; Basic Animal Control Officer Investigations; Evidence Law and Collection; Courtroom Testimony and Report Writing; Safe Handling of Aggressive and Dangerous Dogs; Safe Animal Handling/Capture and Restraint Equipment Training Course for Animal Control Professionals Hosted by the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center February 4-8, 2019 - Dayton, Ohio Schedule of Training: Comprehensive Animal Management Certification; Illegal Animal Fighting; Investigative Techniques for Cruelty and Neglect Complaints Shelter Technician Certification Hosted by Jessamine County Animal Care and Control February 25-27, 2019 - Nicholasville, Kentucky 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 The ACO Voice - Page 10