What would you do in this situation: Six Shooter Canyon callers reported that the hapless Javelina fell into a sinkhole about 20 feet deep and could not escape? County Animal Care and Control personnel arrived on the scene and, with the help of partners from the Arizona Game and Fish Division, rescued the javelina. This process took him three hours to complete safely and carefully.

“A frightened javelin was stuck in the bottom of the sinkhole. As you can imagine, there were various obstacles to overcome,” explained Animal Control Officer Manuel Riddle. “The pit itself had a single perimeter, and the sinkhole was lined with boulders, concrete foundations, pipes and tree roots, all of which made recovery difficult for us. For his own safety, and that of ours, he sedated the Javelina, using a secure pulley system to lift the javelin up and down and move it to safety. We remained there for some time, observing at a safe distance, until his power wore off and he regained consciousness.”

Another day in the life of the dedicated team of officers and staff at Gila County Animal Care & Control. It’s a challenging job, but the daily satisfaction comes from rescuing stray dogs, reuniting them with concerned owners, and helping find new loving homes for adoptable animals. and bring a share of the reward.

April 9-15: National Animal Caretaker Appreciation Week

One of Gila County’s most popular and growing communities on social media is facebook.com/GilaCountyAnimalCare/, with 3,800 followers dedicated to reuniting lost pets with concerned owners and adopting them. We help find new permanent homes for adoptable dogs and cats. Another reason to love and follow this page. Posts throughout April will spotlight each of our dedicated officers during national observance of National Animal Care Officer Appreciation Week. Learn about Officers Manuel Riddle, Anthony Pascalic, Tina Cummings, Jared Garcia and Eric Kenny and their work.

Can a job lead to a career?

Yes – just ask John Castaneda, Program Manager, Animal Care & Control. After 28 years of service, I was named Arizona’s Animal Control Officer of the Year last year.