A Penny For Your Thoughts

Big, brown, paw prints led into the board room of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments last Friday for the presentation of the first annual COG Animal Services Awards. The room was filled with animal control officers, animal shelter volunteers, and other interested parties for what was believed to be the only regional animal awards in the nation.

The COG Animal Services Committee was established in April 2000 to provide an opportunity for the animal services community in the region to meet on a regular basis about mutual concerns on the protection and care of animals and related public safety and health concerns. I still remember when the idea of a special committee was first raised. At the time, the animal issues in the media and the community seemed to center around deer, geese, and pit bulls. I suggested that the idea be expanded into a proposal for further consideration, and was pleased that the COG Board approved formation of the new committee, which reports to the Public Safety Policy Committee that I chair.

In the past five years, the COG Animal Services Committee has worked on a model “dangerous dog” ordinance, animal disaster planning, and the reduction of wildlife-vehicle collisions. In working with the animal services community, it is apparent to me that these are workers who have dedicated themselves to the betterment of the animals and people who share our communities. That is why Friday’s awards ceremony was so poignant. It provided an opportunity to celebrate and thank these unsung heroes.

Liz Crenshaw of Channel 4 and committee chairman Rodney Taylor from Prince Georges County presented the awards.

Honored as the Administrative/Customer Service Team were Faye Logan and Adina Howard of the Prince Georges Co. (MD) Animal Welfare League. The Adoption Team award went to a large group of people from Frederick Co. (MD) Animal Control. The Animal Care Technician Award was given to Eugene Hill with the Washington Animal Rescue League, a popular choice it seemed, who had a large entourage applauding his selection. The Washington Humane Society received the Humane Education Team award, and the law firm of Covington and Burling received the Corporate award for their pro bono work on behalf of animal issues.

Fairfax County Animal Services Division did very well, winning the Volunteer Team award and the Animal Rescue Story award. The latter involved chasing down and removing a young black bear from a county shopping center, and successfully relocating him to the mountains. I was surprised to be named the 2004 Elected Official of the Year!

In addition to COG, sponsors for the Animal Services Awards included the Petco Foundation, American Humane Association, and the Humane Society of the United States. These sponsors, the nominees, and all the animal services community reflect what Abraham Lincoln said many years ago: “I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.” Supervisor Penny Gross may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov

Supervisor Penny Gross may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov