When the 37-year-old mother of two isn’t at her farm in Chestnut tending her horse, goats and several cats, she is usually at work with her two dogs, Hefty and Lucy, at her side at the Animal Control office at 1515 N. Kickapoo St.

Farmer, who worked as the assistant warden before assuming the warden’s position five years ago, previously operated a pet grooming business called Rags to Riches. Her career has followed a path which began with a childhood love of her pets. “I’ve always liked animals,” she said. “I was always very interested in dogs. If I could go back to school, I would be a vet.”

Her job as animal control warden requires a variety of skills, and sometimes the most patience is required not in dealing with the animals but with the customers.

[Shelia Farmer shows off some cuddly 
animals looking for homes.]

During one hour of a recent spring day, in between juggling constant phone calls, she helped a grandmother pick out a new kitten for her granddaughter; continued training Michele Mote, the new assistant warden; assisted a woman looking for a new kitten to replace her family cat who had just died; and helped two teen-age girls hoping to adopt a new kitten. Five phoned-in complaints were waiting for responses, and a friend stopped by to help let the dogs out for a walk around the yard. That was a typical day at work for Farmer.

As warden, her duties include responding to phone calls concerning abandoned or lost animals, handling animal adoptions, doing paperwork, cleaning and maintaining the dogs and cages, janitorial work and a variety of other tasks. Besides Mote, Pam Wallen works as a part-time assistant.

“It’s a lot of time and paperwork, in between answering calls and cleaning. Every day is different. Some days are slower than others, especially in the winter. Spring and summer are non-stop. We have to go all over the county. Sometimes calls come in from one end of the county, followed by another call at the other end of the county. We only have one vehicle,” she said. The office, which is funded through the Logan County Board, is in the process of updating computer equipment to increase efficiency and reduce the amount of time spent on paperwork.

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Despite the obvious parts of the job description, which would tug on anyone’s heartstrings, Farmer said “finding the animals homes so they don’t have to put to sleep” is the best part about her job, while “dealing with irate people who get upset and putting the animals to sleep” is the worst part of her job.

Even though her work hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, she is on call 24 hours a day.

Farmer said she has noticed an increase in local awareness about the office, and therefore more people are adopting animals than in past years. “There has been an increase in adoptions, but there are more animals brought in, so the number is about the same,” she added. She receives Christmas cards and thank you cards from happy customers who have adopted homeless animals from the office. “Surprisingly, more people are adopting adult dogs, because they don’t want to train puppies.”

However, people often bring in animals for the wrong reasons, and there is a misconception about the animal control office’s purpose.

“They think we’re an adoption agency. Our function is to control the animal population. We’re not a shelter. We hold them as long as we can, but they do have to be put to sleep,” she said, and people looking for new homes for their pets or found animals should contact a no-kill shelter for that purpose.

Even though being an animal control warden may seem like a difficult job for a young, petite woman, Farmer said the former warden was also a woman, and it has never been a problem, with customers or animals.  She has never even suffered a dog bite answering a call. “You can’t be afraid. Most of the dogs are pretty cooperative,” she said. “Remarkably, I’ve never been bitten.”

[Hard at work in her office]

When she does have spare time, she likes to go fishing and spend time with her children.

[Penny Zimmerman-Wills]