Written by Cassidy R. Wallace
Compiled by Kelly Koeller

On an average week, the Animal Help department receives 375 e-mails, phone calls and letters from people asking for help or for admission of an animal to Best Friends.

In October of 1999, Troy Lea (photoed above) became the first Animal Help Specialist. There are now 11 full-time specialists.

A specialist’s typical day starts out prioritizing new cases. They typically juggle around 25 to 30 cases at one time. Then they begin to correspond with their ongoing clients, which may take one simple e-mail or may take several contacts. At times it’s a matter of asking the right questions in the right way in order to move a case forward. Having to gather more information may be needed. It’s an ongoing learning progress, even for a veteran like Troy. This may require contacting one of our experts to find out the answer or contacting an outside source. The answer isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes it’s necessary to think outside the box. Their goal is to educate, provide resources and empower people to make a difference in their own communities.

One of the most common problems received are from people dealing with feral cats at a business or in a neighborhood. Another is doing damage control after vets have misinformed their clients about having to get rid of a cat due to a pregnancy in the family or how to handle dog aggression.

Being an Animal Help Specialist is one of the most stressful jobs at Best Friends. They can’t save every animal or help everyone and their case load never gets any smaller. It takes a very unique person to be able to handle such emotionally draining and extremely stressful situations on a regular basis. But it can also be very rewarding. Receiving a simple thank you or knowing an animal found a home because of their efforts can go a long way. The amazing people that are able to fill the role really want to be there and are making a true difference in saving animals.