SE Rankin Co. to Hire Animal Control Specialist
There has been a rash of animal control incidents recently in the Puckett and SE Rankin County area. Cows have been getting out regularly, and a beautiful white chicken has been running wild as well. There has been multiple issues with dogs as well. The residents of this area of The Valley have been up in arms; they have been posting vociferously in the Let’s Talk Puckett Facebook groups about the incidents. The area authorities felt is was tantamount to hire an animal control specialist to rectify the problems before things get out of control.
The SE Rankin County Commission (SERCC) along with the Town of Puckett has agreed to hire a part-time animal control specialist. The person will be paid $500 per month, and they will be on call 24/7. The position is not considered a law enforcement officer, but they will need to work and coordinate with law enforcement. The person will be provided a used truck, refurbished ipad, flip phone, along with other resources (no gun). Applicants that have canine, bovine, and poultry experience will be given the most consideration, and a college degree is not required but it’s desired.
A SERCC spokesperson said, “SE Rankin County has become ground zero for animal control incidents in The Valley and possibly the state of MS. We realized we had to do something about it. We monitor the area Facebook groups, and we felt some of the incidents could’ve really gotten out of hand.”
To apply for the position, applicants can go to www.sercc.gov, and click on Animal Control Specialist- Apply. SERCC is accepting applicants until September 22nd, and they plan to make the hire by September 29th, and the person will go to work on October 1st. SERCC will have a hotline for residents with an animal control issue to call- 1-800-CALLASC, and it will go live on October 1st.
The SERCC spokesperson also said, “Some have called this position a “dog catcher”, but that’s an insult. This position will need multiple skills in addition to dealing with animals; dispute resolution skills will very important as well as other relational skills. This person also needs to be level-headed and patient to deal with residents in tense situations.”
Residents of SE Rankin County and The Valley are glad this issue is being addressed. Hopefully, this will help maintain harmony in the community and tamp down the drama in the area Facebook groups, but time will tell.