Each day, Animal Control Dispatchers receive calls and send Fort Wayne Animal Control Officers to citizens and animals in need. Each call, every day, makes a difference and often saves the lives of animals in need.

The second full week of April each year, the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA) celebrates Animal Care & Control Appreciation Week. In addition this year, National Public Safety Telecommunications Week gives us pause to celebrate our dispatchers at Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control. Our dispatchers serve as the first line of communication with citizens both in person and on the phone. Our officers are out in the community helping animals in need day in and day out. In 2017, staff took in more than 2,000 animals in need.

“Whether it’s helping a pet be reunited with their owner, providing resources for people to keep their pets, or educating citizens on pet ownership, our officers and dispatchers go above and beyond every day,” said Director Amy-Jo Sites.

In 2017, dispatchers answered nearly 56,000 phone calls spending more than 2,000 hours on the phone with citizens. From those calls, our team of Animal Control Officers went out on more than 19,500 runs. Nearly 1,500 of those calls were to help animals who were victims of neglect or abuse. Officers put their lives on the line every day and last year they responded to 204 rescue calls, assisting in saving lives of animals in immediate danger.

Dispatchers and officers also work to educate the public about FWACC’s services and city ordinances. They often go out of their way to help families in need and do everything they can to keep pets with their owners.

Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control (FWACC) dispatchers are available Monday-Friday from 9am-8pm by calling 427-1244 Option 1. FWACC officers respond to calls seven days a week from 6am-1am with emergency service response from 2am-6am. An Animal Control Officer can be dispatched before and after our normal call taking hours by calling 260-449-3000.