Animal Control Officer Supervisor Miya Hurley says that the unit's No. 1 priority is keeping the public safe and ensuring all animals are treated well.
From capturing a stray peacock to finding a trailer to transport an injured horse to the N.C. State Veterinary School, the Raleigh Animal Control unit is prepared for anything. The unit, part of the Raleigh Police Department, saves pets in danger, protects human and animal health and safety, and helps lost pets get home. The team also enforces laws and ordinances, and helps wildlife, livestock, and exotic animals, in addition to cats, dogs, and other pets.
“No two days are the same – and that’s why I love what I do,” says Miya Hurley, animal control officer supervisor.
Hurley and her nine colleagues are currently celebrated due to the National Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week. The week recognizes the work of animal control officers.
In Raleigh, the officers handle calls that involve:
- Stray animals;
- Abandoned animals;
- Injured animals; and,
- Suspected animal cruelty cases.
Animal control officers are part of the Special Operations Division. They give civil citations and conduct investigations. They take out search and arrest warrants and serve those with their law enforcement colleagues. “We pick up abandoned animals, from ferrets and cats to lizards and birds, and we investigate suspected animal cruelty cases,” Hurley summarizes.
Team members also work closely with RPD patrol officers and detectives, who sometimes encounter mistreated, starving, or vicious animals.