Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services Team Wins Florida Animal Control Association Awards
By Wayne Ivey, Brevard Sheriff // February 22, 2018
recognized for outstanding innovation, dedication and finding forever homes homeless animals
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – This past weekend members of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services Team received recognition at the Florida Animal Control Association Awards (FACA) for their outstanding innovation, dedication and commitment to finding forever homes for our homeless pets.
During the awards ceremony members of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services Unit were recognized for their successful teamwork in achieving a specified goal and were presented with the “Outstanding Cooperative Team Achievement Award.”
In 2017, the Animal Services Team made a commitment to help more animals stay with their owners, as opposed to entering the shelters. In an effort to reduce the number of animals entering the shelter our team created the “Owner Surrender Mitigation and Resource Program.”
Since its implementation last year, the agency began providing services, education and other options to pet owners before the decision is made to surrender the pet, such as free basic training, food and health supplies and other valuable resources. Since its inception, the program has been extremely successful, with an average monthly success rate for dogs at nearly 80% and cats at approximately 75%.
Because of their innovative “outside the box” thinking along with successful teamwork, our Animal Services Unit is able to offer services that not only help animals, but also aids our citizen’s in their ability to continue as pet owners.
In addition to receiving our team award, one of our very own volunteers, Mick Karolick was recognized as the “Outstanding Volunteer of the Year.” Mick, who joined us in 2015, volunteers his time assisting BCSO Animal Services, Florida Wildlife Hospital, and the Florida Trail Association. He has volunteered well over 650 hours of his time assisting at our Animal Care Center as well as offered his home to foster kittens.
Please join me in congratulating Florida’s Animal Control Volunteer of the Year, Mick Karolick as well as our entire BCSO Animal Services Team for receiving this very prestigious award and for all they do each and every day to help homeless pets in our community.
– Sheriff Wayne Ivey
CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS
