Sherri Warburton hired as chief of Delaware Animal Control
Kent County, DE – Delaware Animal Control, under the auspices of the First State Animal Center - SPCA (FSAC-SPCA) has hired Sherri Warburton as Chief Animal Control Officer. Captain Warburton brings with her years of experience in animal control, having worked with the former Kent County SPCA as an operations-training lieutenant/field sergeant from 2006-2010. Before rejoining the state’s largest animal welfare and adoption facility as Chief of Animal Control, Warburton was a probation and parole officer for the State of Delaware. She will oversee Animal Control in all three counties, plus the City of Wilmington. Delaware Animal Control is the enforcement agency for Title 7, Title 9 and Title 11 statewide, and other laws pertaining to animal welfare. Title 7 pertains to dog control – rabies vaccination enforcement, licensing, strays, etc.; Title 9 pertains to dangerous dogs, and Title 11 pertains to animal cruelty.
“I am honored to lead the men and women of Delaware Animal Care and Control in serving the citizens of Delaware,” Warburton said. “When we help an animal, we are also helping a family and in turn, making a positive impact in the community. We educate families on how to take better care of their pets, if we have received a complaint about how a dog might be treated. If the family can no longer care for the dog, or if it is an apparent cruelty case then we know we can give the animal a better place to live at the Animal Center and hopefully, be able to adopt it out to a family that can take care of it.”
Warburton said that animals are considered part of a family, but that families need to know the responsibility of taking care of a dog. Puppies grow, she said, and suddenly the dog needs to be walked and cared for regularly, and not all families are equipped or up to the task of providing that care and attention.
“On the other hand, my officers deal with aggressive animals as well, and community safety is our top priority,” Captain Warburton said.
“We are very pleased that Captain Warburton has rejoined our animal rescue family – she’s a great addition to our leadership team,” J. Kevin Usilton, Executive Director of FSAC-SPCA said. “She brings with her familiarity of our organization, a great work history and she is highly knowledgeable of and effective in the animal control arena.” Warburton will oversee a staff of 24 officers and 6 dispatchers.
Warburton, a native of Idaho, received her bachelors of science in Justice Studies at Lewis-Clark State College, in Lewiston, ID, where she also received an associates in behavioral science. Warburton, also a veteran of the United States Coast Guard, lives in Clayton with her husband David, cat "Pepper", and dogs "Sam" and "Chloe'".
The mission of the First State Animal Center and SPCA is twofold: they protect animals from people, by prevention of cruelty and suffering, rescue of the trapped or injured, emergency medical treatment, temporary housing for homeless animals and the reduction of homeless pet overpopulation through targeted spay/neuter and education programs; and they protect people from animals through their commitment in placing only stable, safe and well-adjusted animals into homes where they will thrive while simultaneously educating the public about responsible pet guardianship.