ARLINGTON ANIMAL SERVICES LEVERAGES TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE RESPONSE TIMES , HELP REUNITE OWNERS WITH LOST PETS AND MORE
A coyote , possibly injured , is reported close to an Arlington school playground during school hours . Within seconds of receiving the report , Amber Swindle , Animal Services dispatcher / code compliance officer identifies through Global Positioning System ( GPS ) the field officer positioned closest to the coyote ’ s location to respond to this high-priority situation . Within a few more seconds , a nearby Animal Control Officer is enroute to the location .
Technology is advancing Animal Services to a new level . As Swindle handles a multitude of incoming reports , she not only sees in real time the mapped physical locations of the shelter ’ s field officers citywide , but another map layer provides location information about every licensed pet in Arlington .
Earlier in the day , an officer spotted a Beagle loose in a neighborhood . Coordination by the field officer and Swindle determined that only a few blocks away , the map showed that a city license had been obtained for a pet Beagle . Through teamwork and technology , the Beagle was happily reunited with its family .
In the Spring of 2020 , Pawboost was introduced to the Animal Services website to help with reuniting lost animals . Between fiscal year ( FY ) 2020 and FY 2021 an average of about 10.75 % of dogs were returned to owners . Since implementation of the new mapping tools , FY 2022 into FY 2023 ( beginning in October 2022 ) the average is up to 23.95 % - a 123 % increase in the number of dogs reunited with their owners .