Animal-control supervisor John Tavius Howard outlines services, team and outreach

John Tavius Howard, an animal-control supervisor, gave a public briefing describing the unit's mission, staffing and the types of calls it handles. He said the team's work focuses on protecting people and animals and promoting humane treatment, and that the unit has about 23 staff including dispatchers. "We're just here to protect and also, make sure that the welfare and well-being of everyone and all animals," Howard said.

Howard identified animal bites and potential rabies exposures as the number-one call type and said the office documents such incidents and coordinates with the Department of Health when necessary. He listed typical responses as bite/exposure investigations, neglect and cruelty investigations, and incidents involving animals at large or multiple animals on a property. He also said the office handles domesticated livestock calls and gave an example of a recent response that recovered more than 30 chickens and other fowl from one property.

Howard described routine coordination with other county departments, saying animal control commonly works with the police department, code enforcement, EMS and fire to remove animals during evictions or from abandoned properties. He also said the agency has shifted more effort toward education and prevention this year, including visits to elementary schools, pop-up information tables at public-safety events and distribution of resource packets, pet food and leashes. Residents were given a QR code to request agency participation at community events.

The presentation did not include formal motions or votes. Howard said Director Wallin could not attend, and he invited residents to contact the office directly for event requests or to report incidents.