In 2024, animal control officers with the City of Amarillo (COA) Animal Management and Welfare Department (AAMW) responded to 16,730 calls for service from Amarillo residents.
In terms of basic math, this equates to more than 45 calls a day in the span of a year to AAMW officers – ranging from stray dogs to wild animals to animal welfare checks.
All the more reason to recognize Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week, which runs through Saturday.
“AAMW officers have a lot of responsibility as far as ensuring public safety and the safety of animals in our community,” said COA Deputy City Manager and Public Safety Director Andrew Freeman. “Being a first responder to the array of calls AAMW receives on a daily basis is only part of the job, though. AAMW officers are committed to returning lost pets to their owners or finding homes for pets at the shelter as soon as possible.”
From January 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2024, AAMW officers responded to 16,730 calls. The largest number of calls were for strays (4,684).
AAMW officers also returned 903 animals to their owners at the AAMW shelter and another 377 in the field.
Animal adoption is also a priority for AAMW officers. A total of 1,377 dogs and 1,102 cats were adopted from AAMW in 2024.
That’s 3,759 animals that were either returned to their owners or adopted from AAMWlast year.
“Being an AAMW officer is a calling,” said AAMW Director Victoria Medley. “AAMW officers are dedicated to serving the public by protecting not only our residents, but also the animals that call Amarillo home.”
For more information contact City of Amarillo Media Relations Manager Dave Henry at 806-378-5219 or by email at david.henry@amarillo.gov.
###