Fairfax to rename and restructure animal services; staff outline training, hiring and protections for current APPOs

Risa Currier, director of the Department of Animal Sheltering, told the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 11 that the county will rebrand the agency as the Department of Animal Services as part of a consolidation that moves field services out of the Fairfax County Police Department.

Currier said the consolidated field services division will mirror existing policing-era operations while expanding outreach and resources that keep animals with families. She said the department cared for nearly 5,000 animals at the county—s two shelters in the prior year and provided support to an additional roughly 5,000 families through vaccination clinics, spay/neuter vouchers, pet food assistance and other programs.

Since adoption of the FY2025 budget and the approved transfer of positions, the county has hired a chief field services officer, Thomas Engle, who previously oversaw a similar transition in Montgomery County, Md. Currier said recruitment for the Animal Services Officer (ASO) classification has begun; negotiations with the Southern States Police Benevolent Association (SSPBA) over the transition—s effects…