Wellesley Animal Officer Sue Web is set to retire this month after 45 years on the job keeping the town safe for residents by making sure that animals are kept under control, licensed, and vaccinated, among other duties.
In an email, Officer Webb says starting Stray Pets in Need (SPIN) is one of the projects she’s most proud of. The program, she says, makes sure “all unclaimed pets had a place to go for treatment and adoption so animals picked up by Animal Control are never euthanized due to lack of space or funding for medical treatment.”
She also cited promoting microchip clinics to implant tiny transponders in pets’ skin to aid in finding lost animals. Because of the program, she says the town has a very high rate of return to owners of both dogs and cats.
Officer Webb has also over the years stepped up coordination with volunteers and veterinarians to trap, spay/neuter, vaccinate and return feral cats to their feeders or colonies. The program experienced its intended gradual success, getting Wellesley to the point where the town no longer has colonies of feral cats.
One part of the job Officer Webb really enjoyed was the opportunity to tell young people about what she does. “When it was possible to go into the schools, I really enjoyed educating the kids and had developed different topic for each grade level so they learned something new each year I came to talk.”
As for the future, Officer Webb will continue her volunteer work with SPIN to coordinate volunteers to help with transportation of senior’s pets to veterinary appointments. She also coordinates foster for pets from domestic violence programs through Safe People Safe Pets.
“There are so many other issues I want to devote more time promote through legislation and networking with others,” Officer Webb says, as well as taking “some time to travel in my camper and visit friends and interesting sites around the country.”
As of her retirement date, Tuesday, January 5, 2021, that time will be hers.
We wish Sue well.
Think you can fill Officer Webb’s shoes? Here’s what it takes:
The Town of Wellesley is currently seeking an Animal Control Officer. The incumbent in this role will be responsible for enforcing Wellesley’s Animal Control By-law including Chapter 140, Section 136-175 of the General Laws of the State.
Under the general supervision of the Police Chief, this position provides a safe environment for its citizens and protects them against disease and uncontrollable dogs or other animals and determines if dogs or pets are a nuisance, miscreant of duly licensed within the meaning of the Animal Control By-law. The incumbent investigates and reports all animal bites to the Board of Health and is responsible for proper quarantine of the animals reported to have bitten a person for the mandatory 10 day isolation period and reporting to the condition of the animal at the end of the 10 day isolation period. Additionally, this position takes animal specimens to the State Diagnostic Laboratory in Jamaica Plain for evaluation that have been involved in biting situations of humans, assists at annual dog rabies clinics and makes annual inspections of all premises in Wellesley that keep domestic livestock. Additional duties include patrolling school playgrounds and other recreational areas in a specially equipped van to seek out and capture uncontrolled, stray, unlicensed and other dogs in violation of the By-law and transporting to kennel for impoundment or place in custody of a veterinarian for hospitalization, investigating complaints and taking appropriate action as warranted, including snaring animals with rope, net or other approved devices and place animal in caged vehicle or will issue citation notice or restraining order to owner in accordance with the Animal Control By-law and will follow up to assure owner is in compliance.
Congratulations on your well deserved retirement Sue. You will be missed and very difficult to replace. We’ve known each other since we were kids and I have appreciated you all these years!
Dear Sue,
Congratulations on your retirement!! So glad that you’ll still be volunteering. You’ll be a tough act to follow. Enjoy your special time visiting friends.
Happy Retirement, Sue! Thank you so much for your work to protect and advocate for non-human animals!
Sue is a wonderful person who never found any question silly. Like the time we had, what we thought was a sick hawk in a tree. She assured us it was probably digesting, we did’t want to know what? She was right, after a few minutes, off it flew
Thank you Sue for always being there…
She has been a great assert to the cause of animal safety and return. She is always one of my “go people” when I have a question about my cat. Enjoy your retirement Sue!
Sue Webb’s dedication to animal welfare has been superb throughout these years I wish her the best SPIN will continue to be supported by me and others who know the need will continue
We will deeply miss Sue’s professional skill, knowledge, and kind heart. Thank you for your great service, Sue, and wishing you the very best in your retirement.
It’s been great over the years to know Sue Webb. I hope that she enjoys traveling with her camper and still keeping her hand in with SPIN. Thank you so much for all your kindness to the animals and to us.
I’ve known Sue since kindergarten [year purposely omitted] @ Perrin Elementary School. Sue always seemed to be dedicated and “all in” to anything she did with regard to her profession. Year after year she also exemplified the finest volunteer dedication to the regional stray animal needs, including the establishment of a necessary nonprofit organization. Take a bow Sue … Congratulations on retirement.
Sue Webb is the best animal control officer I have ever met, heard of, or even imagined. No only does she know how to control dogs, cats, squirrels, skunks, bats, coyotes, raccoons and all our denizens, she cares about and respects them as well. She always responded to my wildlife queries over the years quickly and with so much useful information that I knew all of Wellesley’s animals, both wild and domestic, were in good hands. What a treat for Wellesley to have the perfect person for the job for so many years. I hope she has a fantastic retirement and a super party to kick off her new adventures!
Sue: Best of luck in your retirement. No other ACO can hold a candle to you. You are one in a million. It was always a pleasure working with you and helping when I worked at WNVH. You always did a great job with the benefits for SPIN. Ron and I looked forward to them every year. Take care. Wellesley will surely miss you!
Thank you, Officer Webb, for your devotion to your work and care for the animals in your trust. We have been the beneficiary of your help over the 35 years we’ve lived here, Our best wishes for a joyful retirement.
Jan and Steven Schwartz
Sue will definitely be hard to replace, I wish her well.
What a treasure Sue Webb has been for this town and for stray pets in need everywhere. She may call it retiring, but she will still be involved in animal rescue, I am sure. Thank you, Sue.
Sue is going to be hard to replace. She is a font of information and always responded quickly, no matter the situation. I wish her the very best on her retirement. She is great!