This month we get to meet Brett Rogers, our Animal Control Officer at SAS. With almost 31 years of experience, Brett is not just a regular officer, but also a big animal lover. We are so fortunate to have him here for such a long time. Give him a fist bump next time when you see him at the shelter or Seattle parks!
Brett Rogers, Animal Control Officer II
How long have you been with SAS and what is your role?
I have been with SAS for almost 31 years, preceded by 3 years as an Animal Care Officer with SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., then 4 months with Tacoma-Pierce Co Humane Society. For the past 24 years I have been assigned primarily to parks leash law and licensing enforcement minus a couple of years as a Field Enforcement Supervisor.
What was the path that got you to animal welfare work?
While I am a big animal lover, I didn’t plan to have a career working with animals. Graduating from Juanita High School in 1977, I enrolled in the US Air Force and was trained as a Security Police Officer. In 1982, I was discharged from the military and used my G.I. Bill to attend college in the Spokane area working towards a degree in Physical Therapy.
I became friends with one of my computer science instructors who was a board member at SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. He introduced me to the organization and I started working there as a part-time license canvasser, then worked my way up to becoming an animal care officer. During my time at SpokAnimal, I alternated between part-time and full-time duties depending on my college workload. In the mid-1980’s, the Washington State Physical Therapy degree jumped from a 4-year degree to a 6-year one. Since this happened during a semester that I had inadvertently taken off, I took it as a sign that I was meant to be in humane law enforcement. Shortly thereafter I was hired by Tacoma Pierce County and then 4 months later by the SAS.
What is a typical day like?
I patrol parks on a daily basis. I work closely with the parks security department as we enforce all animal related park ordinances in Seattle’s 430 city parks. The parks we patrol are based on the complaints received.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is being able to work in Seattle’s pristine parks every day while interacting with some of the best dog owners around.
Who are your pets at home?
Over the years I have adopted several shelter pets. Currently my wife and I have a 5-lb Pomeranian we fostered as a bottle baby named Mrs. Pickles. She was the only survivor of her litter of three. Pickles has proven to be a very reliable burglar alarm. She even barks at me when I arrive home every day.
We also adopted a DSH grey/ black tabby we named Shao-Hu (Little Tiger) and a German short-hair pointer—Lola, who loves a good party and pretty much requires round-the-clock supervision. We kept the name given to her by staff from the emergency vet that treated her.
What are your favorite activities outside of SAS?
I spend much of my spare time hiking and mushroom hunting with my wife, as well as managing a huge organic vegetable garden.
Working at SAS for the past 31 years, I am fortunate to have witnessed how vibrant volunteers, a comprehensive foster program and low-cost spay/neuter services morphed this agency to a widely-recognized humane organization. I couldn’t be prouder to have been a small part of that transformation.