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The Floyd PressThu Oct 30, 2008
- 08:20 AM
by Wanda Combs
Editor
Joyce Spencer has been named Virginia’s Animal Control Officer of the
Year. She received the award at the 30th annual conference of the professionals
October 21-24 in Fredericksburg.
The Dr. Kent Roberts Award, named after an Emeritus Associate Professor at the
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, is presented each
year to an animal control officer nominated and selected for her/his
accomplishments and devotion to the job. Spencer, who works in a two-person
department at the Floyd County Animal Shelter, has had the sole responsibility
of handling duties at the Shelter since April of this year. The other officer,
Garland Nester, has been on leave since May pending an investigation into a
shooting death. Just recently, the county has hired Darren Marshall, who had
previous experience at the Shelter, as a part-time employee.
Spencer said she was surprised when she heard her name called out for the award
last week. She cried and was speechless. She appreciates the honor and is very
proud of the award. “I love my job,” she added.
On the way home from the conference, Spencer got a call from Floyd County
administrator Dan Campbell, who congratulated her on the award.
On Monday Paul and Cathy Shaut of the Floyd County Humane Society stopped by
the Shelter and were also giving their congratulations. The Humane Society
takes pictures of the animals brought to the shelter, tries to get them
adopted, and provides foster care.
“I think it’s absolutely fantastic. I’m very proud of her,” Cathy commented
about the animal control officer’s award. She praised Spencer’s work at the
Shelter and added, “She has been very good to the Floyd County Humane Society
as well.” Paul said local animal control and the Society are learning to work
together.
Spencer works in a job once reserved for males and still dominated by them. She
attributes her interest in such work to her father, who was a part-time animal
control officer for Christiansburg, and also to her love of animals extending
back to childhood.
She has been an animal control officer for 13 years. She was working for an
attorney when she met Radford’s Chief of Police, who later offered her a job as
an animal control officer in that locality. She also worked as an animal
control officer for Montgomery County before taking the Floyd County
job four years ago.
Spencer, who commutes from her home in Blacksburg
to Floyd, has two children and three grandchildren.
“Every day is different,” Spencer said of her work with animal control. She
explained she never knows when she will be called out to work. The night before
the conference last week, she got a work call at 6:00 and didn’t get back home
until 10:00.
Her work can involve calls for “anything the county’s got” – from dogs and
cattle to emus and wildlife.
Spencer has never been bitten by a dog, but earlier this year, a feral cat bit
off her finger. Fortunately a doctor was able to reattach it.
The hardest part of her job, Spencer remarked, is euthanizing animals.
She appreciates the “good working relationship” with the local humane society
and said her favorite part of the job is getting animals out of the shelters
and finding them a home.
http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/state_animal_control_officer_of_the_year_spencer_surpised_with_virginia_hon/news/3883/
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