A plan to consolidate the duties of Fairfax County’s Department of Animal Sheltering (DAS) and Animal Protection Police (APP) is drawing some pushback from the local police union.
Last month, county staff proposed to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors that DAS take charge of both animal care services and enforcement of animal protection laws, which would be carried out by animal control officers (ACOs). The recommendation came from both DAS and Fairfax County Police Department leaders.
However, the county’s chapter of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association (SSPBA), the elected union for the FCPD, argues the planned consolidation would have substantial negative impacts on the department’s existing animal protection police officers (APPOs), the community, pets, and wildlife.
“ACOs have different authorities and are not considered law enforcement officers under Virginia code, which would be a fundamental change to the position as it has been historically implemented in Fairfax County,” SSPBA Fairfax County President Steve Monahan told FFXnow.
Under the proposal, animal control officers would have a similar scope of authority as APPOs and handle all calls for service, including investigations of animal cruelty, search warrants, and rabies vaccinations. Currently, the FCPD’s Animal Protection Police unit handles encounters between humans and animals, including potential criminal situations.
ACOs would still get required training through the Commonwealth of Virginia, but they wouldn’t go through the police academy as APPOs do. The FCPD would continue to assist with criminal investigations.
“The proposed reduction of legal authority of ACOs within DAS’s model would inevitably result in FCPD patrol officers being tasked with additional animal-related responsibilities despite not having the same level of animal-related training as our current, fully sworn APPOs,” Monahan said.
The SSPBA says ACOs elsewhere in the state regularly fight for better pay, benefits, and training. The union believes Fairfax County’s proposal would exploit officers by requiring the same work with less pay.
“The county is proposing to replace the current structure with one that includes positions with less enforcement authority, less training, and fewer employee benefits and protections than their predecessors,” Monahan said. “Typically, whenever employees are asked to do the same work with less protections and benefits, this results in a high turnover rate and significant difficulty in filling vacancies.”
According to the staff presentation on Jan. 30, the county’s decision to split animal care and control functions between the DAS and the police department in 2016 didn’t “result in a successful integration of two separate departments working together to provide animal services.”
DAS currently manages two public animal shelters, one on West Ox Road in the Fairfax area and a second campus that opened in Lorton last October.
DAS Director Reasa Currier told FFXnow that having animal care and control services run by two departments with different missions is expensive and ineffective.
“Uniting animal care and control services under one department and utilizing Animal Control Officers will bring our county in alignment with surrounding jurisdictions and industry best practices, allow us to expand service delivery to our community, and reduce costs,” Currier said.
Additionally, she expressed confidence that ACOs can fully enforce animal protection laws, investigate cruelty and neglect, and rescue and transport wildlife.
DAS is also working closely with the SSPBA to ensure that APPOs aren’t negatively affected by the change and that their pay and retirement stay the same, according to Currier.
“This proposed model positions the county to meet the diverse needs of our residents and has worked successfully for decades in Alexandria, Arlington County, Prince William County, Loudoun County, the District of Columbia, Montgomery County and in jurisdictions nationwide,” Currier said.
If the proposal is included in the county executive’s advertised budget for fiscal year 2025, which will be presented on Feb. 20, the Board of Supervisors can then decide whether to adopt it.
Photo via FCPD
Fairfax County wants to consolidate the duties of its Department of Animal Sheltering (DAS) and Animal Protection Police (APP).
Under the new arrangement, DAS would oversee both animal care services and enforcement of animal protection laws, which would be carried out by animal control officers (ACO), according to the recommendation from DAS and the Fairfax County Police Department.
Staff presented the proposed changes to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors at a safety and security committee meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 30).
In 2016, the county chose to split animal care and control functions between the DAS and the police department, a decision that did not “result in a successful integration of two separate departments working together to provide animal services,” the proposal says.
DAS currently manages two public animal shelters, one on West Ox Road in the Fairfax area and a second campus that opened in Lorton last October. The FCPD’s Animal Protection Police unit deals with encounters between humans and animals, including wildlife and potential criminal situations involving pets.
Under the proposed changes, ACOs would have “nearly the same” scope of authority as Animal Protection Police Officers (APPO) and would handle all calls for service, including for:
- Issuing a summons, obtaining search and arrest warrants
- Investigation of animal cruelty and neglect
- Investigation of animal fighting
- Investigation of animal bites
- Response to sick, injured, or stray companion animals
- Rabies vaccination and dog license enforcement
FCPD would continue to assist with criminal investigations, and ACOs would still get required training through the Commonwealth of Virginia, but they wouldn’t go through the police academy as APPOs do.
DAS Director Reasa Currier said having the two separate services has presented challenges for decades, and other jurisdictions that have consolidated their departments are seeing success.
“Jurisdictions that have recently moved to a consolidated model report significant benefits, including increased compliance rates, decreased shelter intake and a trusting community,” she said.
Describing animal services as a “highly specialized and technical field,” Currier said providing those services through one department “ensures we’re embracing industry best practices.”
She said the proposal would also enhance the health and safety of the community, and it’s in direct alignment with the county’s One Fairfax policy and equity goals.
In addition to their law enforcement duties, ACOs would connect pet owners with several services, such as free pet food and supplies as well as free and low-cost veterinary care.
“It is important to note that this proposed model does not replace enforcement for animal cruelty and neglect,” Currier added.
Deputy Chief of Police Lt. Robert Blakely said the changes would allow police officers to focus more on enforcing the law and would have very little impact on animals and people in the community.
“An animal control officer can enforce all of Virginia’s animal control laws as it pertains to domesticated animals running at-large and rabies vaccinations and county ordinances,” Blakely said.
Police Chief Kevin Davis said the people calling for service would see a similar process. For example, residents would still call the Department of Public Safety Communications through 911 or the non-emergency number, and the department would still dispatch animal control officers to respond to the scene.
“In the very few cases that police were needed to assist, police would then be added to that call, just as we are today,” Davis said.
The proposal could be included in the county executive’s advertised budget for fiscal year 2025, which will be presented on Feb. 20. The Board of Supervisors will then decide whether to adopt the reorganization.
(Updated at 1:05 p.m.) Fairfax County is ready to unveil its new, combined police station and animal shelter in Lorton.
The Fairfax County Animal Shelter’s Lorton campus and the Lorton District Police Station will get a grand opening celebration on Saturday, Oct. 28. The event will start with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by an open house with games, refreshments, tours and more from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The animal shelter announced on Wednesday (Oct. 11) that its Lorton campus will open for dog, cat and small animal adoptions on Thursday, Oct. 26, but all drop-offs should still be made at the Michael Frey Animal Shelter in Fairfax (4500 West Ox Road) through Oct. 31.
Located at 8875 Lorton Road, the 23,000-square-foot shelter features 44 dog kennels, 42 cat “condos,” two “catios,” a veterinary clinic and a 20,000-square-foot outdoor space for the animals.
The additional space will help relieve capacity at the Fairfax shelter, which has been strained by a post-pandemic influx of pet surrenders, particularly dogs. The expansion will also enable the Fairfax County Animal Shelter (FCAS) to provide services and housing for animals from Fairfax City.
“This facility will allow us to substantially grow the geographic reach and impact of our work for the residents of Fairfax County,” FCAS Director Reasa Currier said. “Not only will we be able to create even more families through adoption, but the second shelter will provide a hub for essential services including behavior and training support, veterinary medical care, pet supplies and other critical services that help keep pets with their families.”
Currier added that she’s excited to welcome South County residents “who may have not have had access to our resources and services before,” given the distance to the Fairfax shelter.
The animal shelter is co-located with the Lorton District Police Station, a 34,000-square-foot facility at 8855 Lorton Road. The Fairfax County Police Department has said the new South County station will improve service by allowing smaller patrol areas and reducing response times.
The FCPD has appointed Capt. Richard Morvillo as the station’s first commander.
“He is charged with beginning to develop community relationships with existing advisory committees and HOAs,” the FCPD’s public affairs bureau told FFXnow. “He also will serve as a conduit for any concerns brought to his attention to be relayed to the station commanders responsible for a particular area of the County until Lorton is fully operational.”
When fully staffed, the station will have 70 sworn officers and 10 professional staff employees. There will be about 20 to 30 officers working each day across two shifts, according to the police department.
As the FCPD waits for incoming recruits to alleviate a staff shortage, the new station will follow a phased approach, with officers from the Sully, West Springfield and Franconia districts continuing to patrol the Lorton District area.
“During the initial stages of the opening, the police department plans to begin front desk operations during the day and will have an emergency phone available outside during hours the station may be closed for community members to contact the police,” the FCPD said. “Coverage of the southern county patrol areas will remain the same until we begin transferring officers into the new station.”
In addition to Morvillo, the first phase of staffing includes a police lieutenant and former Fairfax County NAACP president Shirley Ginwright as a new community outreach specialist, On the MoVe reported.
The joint Lorton facilities broke ground in May 2021 after years of planning. The project cost an estimated $30 million for design and construction, funded by a $151 million public safety bond referendum approved by voters in 2015.
Dozens of dogs at Fairfax County’s animal shelter have become infected recently by a respiratory illness known informally as “kennel cough.”
While it’s common to see some canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) cases, the current wave has been exacerbated by more dogs staying in the shelter for longer periods of time, according to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter (FCAS).
As of yesterday (Thursday), 42 of the 67 dogs in the shelter at 4500 West Ox Road were symptomatic with CIRDC, which has cold-like symptoms such as coughing and a runny nose, Fairfax County Department of Animal Sheltering Director Reasa Currier told FFXnow.
“Every dog has received an individualized treatment plan from our veterinarian and most dogs are improving quickly without the need for medication,” Currier said, describing the symptoms as generally mild.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, CIRDC comes from a variety of viruses and bacteria and is spread through respiratory droplets. Dogs can catch it through close or direct contact with infected animals, sneezing and coughing, and exposure to contaminated objects, such as toys or water bowls.
Kennel cough doesn’t affect humans and other kinds of animals, but it can spread quickly in congregate settings like a shelter, in part because it’s contagious before symptoms appear. The illness also thrives in humidity and is “exacerbated by stress,” FCAS says.
The shelter says it has “robust daily cleaning protocols,” and staff have been “carefully monitoring all dogs for symptoms,” separating those that are symptomatic from the healthy animals.
However, the biggest challenge has been the size of the shelter’s dog population, which neared 100 dogs earlier this summer.
“[There are] more dogs in our care than the staff and facility can adequately support and dogs remaining in our care for extended periods of time,” Currier said. “Our animal population has increased by 25% over the same period last year while the number of days animals spend in our care has also increased as adoptions have slowed.”
Crowding is an issue at shelters nationwide, as some of the over 23 million households that reportedly adopted a pet during the COVID-19 pandemic reevaluate that decision.
The surge in pet surrenders reflects “complex social and economic circumstances,” led by people moving or encountering other housing-related challenges, Currier says. Though 70% of renters in Fairfax County own a pet, many apartments don’t allow pets, place restrictions on the size or breed, or require a fee or deposit.
Increasing costs for veterinary care and pet supplies, particularly food, may also affect someone’s ability to keep their pet, according to Currier.
In the hopes of encouraging adoptions and reducing surrenders, FCAS is promoting its available pets more frequently, reviewing its adoption process to reduce barriers, and providing more resources to pet owners, including free or low-cost vet care and free temporary boarding for those in crisis.
The shelter is also seeking volunteers who can foster large dogs and asking anyone planning to surrender a dog to try to postpone it for at least two more weeks. Owners are advised to ensure their pets are up-to-date on their vaccinations before turning them in.
“There is not one easy solution to the increase in homeless animals, but it is something we must tackle through multipronged efforts,” Currier said. “We appreciate the support we receive from our generous community who keep our pet food pantry stocked and our team of dedicated volunteers and fosters who allow us to continue to provide exceptional, individualized care to every animal who come in the shelter’s doors despite the growing need.”
A stray llama who was caught running on Fairfax County Parkway in the Fairfax Station area over the weekend has been reunited with her owner, the county’s animal shelter says.
Kolby, a 20-year-old female llama, was caught by Fairfax County Animal Protection Police near Popes Head Road Sunday evening (Dec. 18) after escaping her enclosure.
A combination of overhead and body camera footage shared by the Fairfax County Police Department shows officers chasing the animal in a wooded area before managing to corral her.
“A passerby saw a llama out for a jog on the Fairfax County Pkwy near Popes Head Road,” the department said. “After eluding our officers, the llama was found in a backyard and safely taken secured by APP.”
Llama Drama! Watch the full video here https://t.co/jacKulzGXU #FCPD
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) December 20, 2022
Police transported the animal to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter (4500 West Ox Road), where she got a temporary home in the facility’s barn.
“The llama was assessed by shelter staff and the shelter veterinarian and found to be in stable condition,” shelter director Reasa Currier told FFXnow. “The shelter staff provided her bedding, food, and water. Shelter staff immediately began searching for her family.”
To help locate a potential owner, the shelter turned to social media. Posts on Twitter and Facebook asking if anyone is “missing a llama” quickly gained traction.
“We have a stray llama” is the quote of 2022, and maybe a great way to summarize the overall year. https://t.co/QmTH7BRJa9
— Martin Austermuhle (@maustermuhle) December 20, 2022
It’s been a year for random animals roaming around the area – zebras in Prince George’s County, a black bear in Tysons Corner and now…?! https://t.co/8R77sBEddj
— Nicole Hawkins (@NicoleHawk) December 20, 2022
Namaste, llama stray 🦙 https://t.co/lYWj1hks24
— Council of DC (@councilofdc) December 20, 2022
In a welcome change of pace from previous unusual animal escapes in the D.C. region, Kolby’s adventure appears to have a happy ending: the shelter’s staff located her owner yesterday (Tuesday).
“He was eager to be reunited with his llama,” Currier said. “…Kolby received a lot of attention from the shelter staff and seemed to enjoy all of it.”
While not as common as horses or sheep, llamas are permitted as livestock in Fairfax County. The zoning ordinance allows up to five llamas per acre of land, provided the property is at least two acres in size — a rule that also applies to their cousins, alpacas.
Should any other llamas pop up and make a scene, Currier advises community members to contact Animal Protection Police, which can be reached at 703-691-2131 or FCPDAnimalProtection@FairfaxCounty.gov.
When Fairfax County’s new animal shelter opens next year, some of its first residents will likely come from across jurisdictional lines.
Last week, the Board of Supervisors approved an agreement with the City of Fairfax to provide services and housing to animals under their care. The city cares for fewer than 100 animals a year. In 2021, it cared for 31 dogs, 20 cats, and 11 other small animals.
On track to open in the spring, the new South County Animal Shelter in Lorton is expected to provide plenty of space for these furry friends.
“[The Department of Animal Services] already has a long history of supporting the City with meeting their animal welfare needs,” a county staff report said. “With the opening of the second facility in Lorton in Spring 2023, DAS will have ample space and appropriate staffing to accommodate additional animals from the City.”
The 23,000-square-foot facility on Lorton Road will be the second county-operated shelter, joining the existing Michael R. Frey Animal Shelter on West Ox Road in Fairfax.
The South County Animal Shelter will likely begin operations in late spring when construction is completed, DAS Director Reasa Currier confirmed to FFXnow.
The board is expected to approve about $2 million to help provide services, staff and maintain the shelter as part of a fiscal year 2022 carryover package.
“This facility will allow us to substantially grow the geographic reach and impact of our work for the residents of Fairfax County,” Currier said by email. “Not only will we be able to create even more families through adoption, but the second shelter will provide a hub for essential services from behavior and training support, veterinary medical care, pet supplies, and other critical services that help keep pets together with their families.”
Currier says the Lorton shelter will be “similar in size and footprint” to the Fairfax one, with 88 dog kennels, 42 cat condos, 2 catios, and a “state-of-the-art” veterinary clinic. There will also be an 20,000-square-foot outdoor space for the animals.
Like other shelters nationwide, the county’s lone animal shelter has faced its share of capacity challenges. Even before recent influxes of rescued beagles as well as cats and rabbits, there was a clear need for more shelter space in the southern part of Fairfax County.
“For too long, the many services and resources provided by [DAS] have been inaccessible for the residents in South County,” Currier said. “We are very excited about the location and are looking forward to serving South County residents and their pets. We are already hearing from residents who live nearby the new shelter who are eager to begin volunteering and participating in our programs.”
The shelter will share a new $30 million building with the South County Police Station, which will be about 31,000 square feet and is expected to open at the same time.
The building will have a number of sustainability features, including electric vehicle charging stations and space for solar panels, and energy-efficient systems. Landscaping will be made up of native plants and be bird-friendly.
The facility is on Lorton Road between the intersections of Workhouse and Hooes roads. Called the “Triangle” by the county, the parcel was specifically acquired in 2001 for public safety use.
In 2015, voters approved a $151 million bond referendum that included money to fund the Lorton project, which broke ground last May.
More rescued beagles are coming today to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. The arrival comes after a first wave of 16 dogs arrived at the shelter in early August.
The floppy-eared, tail-wagging beagles come from Envigo research facility in Cumberland after a judge ordered the facility to relate the dogs due to their inhumane treatment. The facility bred the dogs to be sold to laboratories for animal experimentation.
:Our newest ten are all boys, and they were quiet and well-behaved on the drive back. Once back at the shelter they were so happy to stretch their legs, play with each other, and get lots of attention from shelter staff,” according to the animal shelter.
Reasa Currier, the director of the animal shelter, says that the new beagles are not available yet. They will be neutered but should be available later this week.
The first wave of beagles were adopted “immediately and are thriving in their adoptive homes,” Currier told FFXnow. The shelter had “lines out the door of potential adoptors” for them.
The shelter is working with the Humane Society of the United States to bring the dogs to temporary shelters for adoption.
State Sen. Jennifer Boysko, a Democrat representing the 33rd district, is expected to attend a welcoming today for the beagles at the shelter. State legislators recently signed policies — known as the beagle bills — to protect dogs and cats who are bred for research.
This is likely the last wave of beagles that will be available for adoption of the 4,000 that were rescued.
Staff at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter are hoping that their space will be cleared up — mostly of adoptable animals — with the help of a special event this Saturday (Aug. 27).
In a partnership with NBC4, the shelter is hosting a “Clear the Shelters” adoption event on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the adoption center (4500 West Ox Road).
The shelter has nearly 300 pets that need homes. All fees that are typically required for adoptions will be waived.
“We are way over capacity and need the public to come out this Saturday and adopt one of these wonderful animals,” Reasa Currier, director of the animal shelter, said.
Among the available animals are over 80 cats that came from an owner that was simply overwhelmed with the pets. Animal Protection Police was called to remove the cats from the home, Currier said.
“They are beautiful, healthy cats who are thrilled to finally have a space of their own with a litter box, food, and a soft blanket. They’re shy and hesitant of new people, but with a little patience they’ll come around and make great pets,” she said.
The shelter was also recently approached by resident who is seeking to give away 30 rabbits in phases.
“Staff and volunteers have been caring for the rabbits who have arrived at the shelter, seeing to their daily needs, and introducing them to potential adopters. Some of the rabbits are lionheads, some have shorter fur, variety of fur colors and mostly rich soft browns,” Currier said.
Clear the Shelters is an annual pet adoption and donation campaign that was launched by NBCUniversal Local eight years ago. This year’s half-hour special features feel-good stories of animal rescues and adoptions. It’s hosted by “The Blacklist” actor Amir Arison.
The Fairfax County Animal Shelter is about to become a paw-pular place for beagle devotees, with 16 pooches saved from a Virginia research facility last month set to go up for adoption later this week.
On Monday morning (Aug. 8), a number of the spirited, tail-wagging beagles made their first public appearance since arriving at their new, temporary home. Dogs with names like Rosebud, Mint, and Bergamot hopped around in the grass, gnawed on a toy, and sat in their water bowl outside of the facility.
“[They] are putting their paws on grass for the first time,” shelter director Reasa Currier said as several floppy-eared puppies pranced around her feet. “They were uncertain about the sun, uncertain about the outside. All of this is brand new.”
Last month, a judge ordered the release of thousands of beagles from an Envigo research facility in Culpepper, Virginia due to the inhumane treatment of the dogs.
In recent weeks, local shelters stepped up to help the rescue effort and find the dogs forever homes. This includes the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation in Falls Church, the Fairfax-based Homeward Trails, and the county animal shelter on West Ox Road.
The first wave of 16 dogs arrived at the shelter Thursday (Aug. 4). They ranged in age from 3 months to 6 years old. The beagles are currently receiving medical attention, tons of love, and just being allowed to adjust to life “being a dog,” Currier says.
She noted that the plan is to spade and neuter them this week, so they can be put up for adoption likely later in the week.
The beagles are here! 🐶 We welcomed 16 beagles into our shelter a couple days ago, and we’re thrilled that they’re safe in our care. It was quite the journey, from transporting them back to the shelter, settling them in, and starting to get to know their sweet personalities. pic.twitter.com/SX8l3nelKy
— Fairfax Animals (@fairfaxanimals) August 8, 2022
The phones have been “ringing off the hook” with calls from prospective puppy parents nationwide, Currier says.
The county shelter has an open adoption process, meaning people can walk in, fill out paperwork, meet with a counselor, and walk out with a new furry family member within the hour.
That process will remain the same for the beagles and will operate on a first come, first adopt basis. All the dogs are expected to be adopted very quickly, so Currier suggests monitoring the website to stay up to date on their availability.
For those that might miss out on the initial round of adoptions, more beagles are expected to arrive at the shelter in the weeks ahead. Read More
For the first time, animals from a research facility will be up for adoption at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.
Roughly 4,000 beagles from a research facility will be transferred to the shelter. A spokesperson for the animal shelter says staff and volunteers are excited to welcome the animals to start the “next chapter of their lives.”
“Once we know them, we’ll be able to help match them with awesome new families who can show them what it means to be a loved pet in a real home,” the spokesperson told FFXnow in a statement.
The beagles were rescued from inhumane conditions inside a research and breeding facility in Cumberland earlier this month. Homeward Trails, a shelter based in Fairfax Station, is helping the Humane Society of the U.S. find permanent homes for them.
In May, federal officials seized 145 dogs and puppies that law enforcement officials said were in acute distress. The rescue comes after federal inspectors found dozens of violations of federal regulations at the facility over two years.
For example, a female beagle’s paw was trapped in shoddy flooring for so long that she became dehydrated, according to a report from the New York Times.
Even though the beagles are from a breeding and research facility, no special protocol will be followed. The Fairfax County shelter plans to follow its standard adoption protocol.
Organizers are encouraging residents to consider adoption and support the shelter by volunteering. A wishlist for foster homes and the shelter is also available online.
The shelter doesn’t have a firm timeline yet on what the beagles will arrive or how many, according to a shelter spokesperson.
