City welcomes new SEAACA officer

Simone Robinson with SEAACA (Southeast Area Control Authority) is welcomed to the city of La Palma by La Palma City Council during its Tuesday, Aug. 3 meeting. For SEAACA information, call 562-803-3301 or visit seaaca.org


Story and photo by Loreen Berlin

City of La Palma announces new SEAACA Officer Robinson Animal Control Officer Simone Robinson, 26, with SEAACA was introduced during La Palma City Council meeting Monday, Aug. 3. Robinson was born in Whittier and attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, later attending Santa Monica College. "I started volunteer work at a shelter and later applied for a job with SPCALA as a kennel attendant," Robinson said. "I worked for SPCA for three years and was apart of their disaster response team." Robinson said she was put through disaster response training and also attended a number of animal behavior classes offered at SPCA. "I was fortunate enough to participate in the relief effort after Hurricane Katrina and during the San Diego fires," she said. "After three years with SPCA I signed up for Balu Dog Trainers Academy in Athol, Idaho, where I spent three months studying K-9 behavior and training shelter dogs in basic obedience." Robinson said that her experience was rewarding because the training made the shelter dogs more adoptable and two of the three dogs were adopted while she was there. "After leaving Idaho I applied for an Animal Control Officer position offered by SEAACA, which is the South East Area Animal Control Authority. "SEAACA is one of the most professional animal control agencies around today, which is one of the reasons I decided to work for the agency." Robinson was hired exactly one year ago and said she has experienced a variety of cases during that time. "I remember the first time I made the paper - I was called out to rescue a rooster that had flown into a swimming pool - the rooster had trouble making it out and so I went into the pool and saved the little guy, who we ended up naming 'Splash." Robinson said that you could probably say that she is willing to go great lengths to help out our furry and feathered friends. "After being with the agency for a year, an opportunity came up to apply for a dedicated position with the City of La Palma. I was selected out of three other officers to interview and was chosen by the city to be the new dedicated officer," Robinson said. "I don't receive the normal amount of traffic I used to when servicing our other cities, so I spend most of my time patrolling parks and giving presentations to schools, camps and clubs," she said. "It's very important to educate the new generation on animal welfare and the responsibility it takes to own a pet." Robinson said that most of the animals that end up at in shelters are not strays; they are animals people decided not to care for anymore. " I'm hoping to educate enough people so that we can prevent this ongoing problem. I am very thankful to have a city that allows me to help make a change." For SEAACA information, call 562-803-3301. For La Palma City information, call 714-690-333. Loreen Berlin can be reached at loreenberlin@verizon.net