WILDOMAR – Animal control officers of Animal Friends of the Valleys are feeling a bit safer as they pursue their daily duties throughout the communities thanks to the generosity of Murrieta City Councilman Jonathan Ingram.
A total of nine custom fitted vests were presented to the AFV officers for use in the field at briefing Monday, Sept. 12, at the AFV Shelter facility in Wildomar and came as a total surprise to the officers present. “We wanted it to be a surprise” said Mo Middleton, ACO Supervisor for the department
It started with the question of whether local Police departments might consider donating used protective vests for use by Animal Control Officers. AFV Fund Raising Coordinator, Tiffani Young then asked Ingram if he might be able to help in determining if there were possible sponsors available to assist in acquiring the gear.
As a result, given his love for animals and with a deep respect for those individuals serving in uniform, he eventually made the decision to provide the vests himself to the officers and pay for them out of his own pocket.
Additional support for the donation was provided by a local Murrieta outdoor sporting goods store Brass & Bass whose owners Bill Nichols and Chris Andrews were able to provide the vests at wholesale.
Animal Control Officers are often dispatched or called to situations similar to those worn by Sheriff deputies and police officers. Given the potential risks to any type of law enforcement personnel, the addition of this layer of safety was considered beneficial as these ACO officers are consistently dealing with the public as do any other law enforcement agency and encounter situations that are potentially just as harmful.
“We are so thankful for the support of Council Member Ingram for our AFV programs as well as his appreciation for our uniformed officers in the field,” AFV Executive Director, Willa Bagwell said in response to the donation.
Animal Friends of the Valleys serves and provides animal control services for several SW riverside County communities as well as a broad range of services including, pet adoption, low cost spay and neuter services, animal rescue and foster programs.
AFV’s next event is Paws on the Promenade on Saturday, Oct. 22 featuring the Spooktacular Dog Walk. Pet costumes will be judged in six categories. Vendor booths are still available. Contact Events Coordinator, Tiffani Young at (951) 805-6239.
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