And the award goes to …
That’s a phrase that’s become increasingly familiar to employees at Pasco County Animal Services (PCAS).
The recognitions keep rolling in.
PCAS was named Outstanding Animal Care & Control Agency for 2021 by the National Animal Care & Control Association, and a couple of its top employees picked up awards, too.
Assistant Director Spencer Conover was named Florida’s Supervisor of the Year, while Dr. Christine Glenn was named Employee of the Year, for 2022.
“All of Pasco County, if you have any issue, dog or cat, it’s coming through our animal control,” Conover said.
The award-winning performance, he said, “has everything to do with our team. We’re not re-inventing the wheel here, we’re just doing the policies and procedures that we’ve collaborated on with a lot of other shelters.”
One thing that sets the shelter apart, however, is the passion of its staff and its volunteers, Conover said, adding that’s not found everywhere.
In fact, the shelter has 400 volunteers, and has received a Service Enterprise Certification through Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service.
The passion exhibited toward animals is not always acknowledged with awards, but does create a feeling of accomplishment, Conover said.
Animal care tech Amber Katona put it like this: “We always stay very busy, but seeing dogs and animals come through us, and seeing their attitude change and get adopted, that’s the biggest thing to see. We all work real hard to make sure they get new homes.
“We do a lot of great things that are super helpful to the community,” said Katona, who has worked at PCAS for four years.
The shelter sees more than 6,500 animals per year, and prides itself on keeping its modern facilities emptier than most.
“Empty kennels is always a good day for us,” Conover said with a smile. “We love empty kennels.”
To learn more about PCAS, its volunteer and adoption programs, and more, log onto PascoCountyFl.net/4510/Contact-PCAS.
Pasco Animal Services, by the numbers
- 93% overall save rate
- 90% save rate since 2019
- 97% save rate for dogs, among highest in Florida
- $100,000 in grant funding
- Over 900 trap, neuter, vaccinate and return surgeries for feral and community cats in 2021
- 400 volunteers
- 6,500 animals sheltered or seen a year
- 50 employees
- Two full-time vets
Delivering quality, consistently
Awards received by Pasco County Animals Services from the Florida Animal Control Association or the National Animal Care and Control Association, since 2014:
2014: Animal Control Officer of the Year: Martin O’Keeffe*
2017: Supervisor of the Year: Ron Altman*
2019: Animal Control Officer of the Year; John Douglass*
2019: Animal Control Officer of the Year: Michael Northrup**
2019: Employee of the Year: Gina Botticello*
2020: Supervisor of the Year: Gina Botticello**
2021: Animal Control Officer of the Year: Stella Ickes*
2021: Supervisor of the Year: Jessica Every*
2021: Outstanding Agency of the Year**
2022: Employee of the Year: Dr. Christine Glenn*
2022: Supervisor of the Year: Spencer Conover*
* Florida Animal Control Association
** National Animal Care and Control Association
Published April 27, 2022
