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Job Swap: On Patrol With Pflugerville Animal Control

Updated: Monday, November 12 2012, 09:29 AM CST

The job of an Animal Control Officer in Central Texas is never dull.   Each day brings a new adventure with officers never knowing what to expect.  They respond to calls that range from wildlife to the usual stray cats and dogs that have been separated from their owners.   Jacqueline Garcia has been an Animal Control Officer for the City of Pflugerville for the past seven years and was drawn to this line of work by her love of animals.  “As a child, I was always bringing animals home that were sick or lost and asking my Mom if we could help them”, Garcia says.  Now the residents of Pflugerville turn to her and her team for help.

It takes a lot of work to care for the animals they find.  With dozens of dogs and cats on site, each day begins with a rigorous cleaning of the entire facility and getting the dogs outside for exercise.  But Garcia says that one of their biggest responsibilities is trying to reunite the lost animals with their owners or find new homes for them to go to.  Responding to a call of a lost Himalayan cat, Garcia is encouraged that a cat of this breed will have a microchip that will make it easy to contact the owner.  After a quick scan, however, she finds that the cat has not been chipped and will therefore need to return to the shelter where she will be cleaned and fed.  It’s a revolving door of residents that are cared for by a professional, attentive staff.

For information on lost pets in Pflugerville visit https://www.facebook.com/PflugervillesLostPets

If you are interested in adopting an animal, visit http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/TX930.html

By Hunter EllisJob Swap: On Patrol With Pflugerville Animal Control