Muskegon County Animal Control Officer Peterson an unsung Hero.

Officer Tiffany Peterson with a lost dog

We see the trucks go by and say there goes the "dog catcher", but that is not even close to the job these committed officers do.

Inside those trucks are dedicated animal loving individuals that sometimes care more for that furry little creature than the person that owns it does. Their job has more heart aches and tears than it does smiles. They many times are the last face a pet sees before it dies in road after being hit by a car, but they are also the one that rescues your pet before it gets hit on the day the gate didn't latch on your way to work or the kids forget to put Rover back inside before getting on the bus.

But I wanted to tell you about a special officer that I have seen several times have that special connection with the animals she works with. Tiffany Peterson is an Animal Control Officer with the Muskegon County Sheriff Department.

I have see up close and personal at an accident that I called in how a frightened animal responds to Officer Peterson even in the worst of circumstances. But recently she was able to go past the normal so called "dog catcher" job and reunite a family.

Over two and 1/2 years ago Zoe was dog dog-napped, taken from her loving home, the family was grief stricken but Zoe was never recovered. Recently after years of neglect Zoe, although now called something different, was finally taken to the vet because of her sad neglected condition, and a micro chip reveled that she was the long lost Zoe. Officer Peterson immediately responded to the call and rescued Zoe from the person that had taken her to the vet. (It was not determined if that person was in fact the person that took the dog or the person that ended up with the dog.)

Officer Peterson returned Zoe to her tearful, joyful family. Zoe was treated to an aloe/oatmeal bath, and put on a prescription from the vet to recover from the neglect.

 The family will be sending Officer Peterson pictures of Zoe in a  few weeks, they say "she will be shiny and pretty again in no time!"  Zoe's family said "...it was an unforgettable day, thank you to Office Peterson from the bottom of my heart. Our dogs are our family." 

Thank you to Officer Peterson for a job well done in reuniting this family, as a dog Mom, I agree with this happy family, dogs are are family too.

Commissioner Susie Hughes