Attention City counsel members and candidates; The following is a letter in part of a application I have submitted to our Mayor with regard to my interest in pursuant of the Animal Control Officer position. Attention; To whom it my concern September 2014 I am a proud citizen who has grown up in this community. I have seen great development and a community spirit that is unbeatable. With this being said, I am sadden to see a dark spot tarnishing the city I love. On any given day I can spot one if not twenty stray and feral cats roaming our city streets. These animals have been forced to make their homes along the river bank, in abandoned yards and parks. Theirs is a fate of harsh survival in the coldest inhumane conditions. I beg to ask the question, does our city council really care. Furthermore, I have witnessed animal abandonment cruelty and neglect by irresponsible citizens with little or no consequences being enforced. This situation is critical and can be rectified with a dedicated, consistent and reliable Animal Control Officer. Thus I submit my resume and the following cover letter with my sincere request for consideration for the position of Pembrokes’ new Animal Control Officer. My understanding of being an effective Animal Control Officer is first and foremost having compassion, understanding and a love of animals. These attributes I have in spades. Secondly, I have strong community ties and a multitude of supports. One being a property that I can utilize which is fully equipped with a unit to house and care for the animals while carrying out all required administration. Another quality I possess is a willingness to learn. Continuous training while on the job I will work directly with our citizens regarding animal control issues. Lastly, I have been involved with various animal rescue projects and I understand that being an effective Animal Control Officer I must continue to nurture my progressive attitude towards building and maintaining community partnerships. I believe it is my responsibility and calling to advocate on behalf of our animals, wild and domestic. Due to injury sustained while I was working as a Firefighter for the Pembroke and Hearst Ministries of Natural Resources, I have had to leave that profession. I now find I am in a great space to venture into a new career without restriction. I will devote myself to carrying out all responsibilities with professionalism and a dedication to affect positive change. This entails continuing further education regarding animal first aid, capture and containment techniques, humane euthanasia delivery, also documentation procedure, evidence collection in conjunction with cruelty investigations, and follow through in handling animal hoarding and puppy mills. I am assertive and I will administer warnings and citations disciplined and governed by our municipal by-laws keeping confidentiality at the highest level. In closing, I believe an Animal Control Officer cannot afford half measures with little consistency or reliability. This is a big job and one that I will do with passion and love. This endeavor can no longer only consist of picking up dogs running off their leashes and turning a blind eye to the ever growing feral populations or the inhumane euthanasia that continues to take place. I will canvas the neighborhood, working with other By-Law Officers enforcing animal licensing and placing a huge emphasis on regulating spay and neutering. Cooperation from our City Council in reworking some of the By-Laws would help facilitate these changes. This ‘old school’ attitude of “out of sight out of mind” must change. I will use this opportunity to re-educate our citizens by reaching out and partnering with the schools, our veterinarians, the SPCA, rescue organizations and our various local businesses. I will be accountable and reachable by staying transparent in my practices, allowing community participation. I have seen great involvement from our animal loving community in the caring of our feral cats. I will also have an accessible and friendly office with an interactive webpage. I have heard it said, “To affect change we must be the change we would like to see.” This I plan to do and with your consideration, we can make a difference. I look forward to meeting with you in the near future. Sincerely, Kelly Dermann Ph: (613)585-0058 or (613)639-1000 Email: [email protected]
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 18:24:04 +0000