Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Broward County Animal Care. All opinions and views are if the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
Broward County Animal Care handles everything from animal emergencies to bite calls, and officials want residents to know they are just a phone call away.
Phil and Anthony from Broward County Animal Care joined a recent segment to talk about what their team does and when residents should reach out.
According to the officials, an emergency is defined the same way traditional emergency services would define one — any immediate threat to the safety or life of an animal or a person.
Residents can report emergencies or concerns in two ways: by calling 311 for the county call center, or by dialing Broward County Animal Care directly at 954-359-1313, extension 2, for field services.
Officer Castaneda said one of the most common calls their team responds to, which residents may not expect, is animal bite calls.
"I think one of the biggest things that the community doesn't realize that we do is handle bite calls when people are injured or bitten by an animal," Castaneda said.
Phil Goen, Field Services Manager, also shared a story that reinforced why the work matters. He responded to a call alongside the Broward Sheriff's Office involving several dogs that were being housed inappropriately by their owner. He removed a female dog from a plywood kennel that had no windows and later witnessed her adoption into a new home.
"Seeing the difference between how scared she was when she came off the scene to watching her kind of grow and blossom and go into a great home really made a difference for me," Goen said.
Officials want residents to remember one simple message when they see an animal in distress.
"If you see something, say something. There's no situation that's not important enough for us to go out on. If you're not sure, just give us a call," Goen said.
More information is available at broward.org/animal.
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