Denver Animal Protection honored for dedication after receiving 60,000 calls for service last year
Rescuing animals from injury and disease are just a few of the issues an animal control officer has to deal with every day. This week, animal control officers are being appreciated for their hard work and dedication.
CBS News Colorado Traffic Reporter Brian Sherrod rode along with Denver Animal Protection Officer Jasil Ivory. Ivory has been an Animal Protection Officer for seven and a half years. Ivory tells CBS News Colorado on a normal day, he takes care of animals that might be starving, fighting diseases or need to heal from injuries. Ivory deals with much more on his worst days.
"Dealing with whether or not it's dogs off leash, dogs attacking people or cruelty," Ivory said. "All of that stuff is not good for the community."
Denver Animal Protection received around 60,000 calls for service in 2023 through their call centers. Most of the calls involve domestic animals like dogs and cats. In the ride-along with Ivory, he started his day with a different kind of call.
"The squirrel is kind of down and out," Ivory said.
Ivory received the call in a neighborhood in the Green Mountain Ranch area. Ivory believes the squirrel was injured by another animal. Ivory came to this neighborhood to treat the squirrel.
"The squirrel is kind of down and out," Ivory said. "Not very small. Not moving too much. Still breathing very slightly, but just not mobile. Just lying on its side."
The next step is taking the squirrel back to the shelter to take a look at him. Ivory hopes euthanasia is not the deciding factor. This is just one of several calls Ivory deals on a day-to-day basis. Ivory tells CBS Colorado, that at the end of the day, he loves his job.
"I love the excitement of the job," Ivory said.
