Efforts to modernize and improve Meridian Animal Control got a much needed boost in August after Brian McCary was named the new animal control supervisor. McCary brings a long record of community service, law enforcement and previous animal control experience to the department.

“I served the citizens of Lauderdale County and the City of Meridian for 11 years both with the sheriff’s department and with Metro Ambulance Service,” he said. “Then I ventured to come to animal control for the county, where I worked for four years.”

During McCary’s previous animal control service, Meridian and Lauderdale County operated out of the same facility, with both governments contributing funding to the department. That agreement ended in 2021 after the county built and relocated to its own shelter in Marion.

When the city created the animal control supervisor position and began advertising the job, McCary said he had several people reach out to him about coming back to lead the department. Between responding to animal calls, coordinating with animal rescue organizations, searching for grants, interfacing with the community and maintaining the shelter, he said he knew the job was not going to be a normal nine-to-five position, and that was one thing he considered before applying.

“I knew that it was going to take a good majority of my time and a good majority of my life, and that is what we were willing to do,” he said. “I told my wife about it, and we’ve been down the public service road before, and just like with anything else, we don’t do anything half hearted. We devote ourselves full speed.”

Since taking over at the shelter, McCary has hit the ground running. One of the biggest things, he said, is the need to educate Meridian residents on the law. Many people, he said, simply don’t know the city’s animal laws exist.

Instead of punishing residents for laws they didn’t know were in place, McCary said his approach is to show compassion and educate people on the regulations. Once they are aware of the law, they can chose whether or not to follow it.

“There are times when we have to go further in that situation, but we do want to give everybody the benefit of the doubt the first time,” he said.

Some of the residents involved in animal-related cases are the same ones he dealt with as a county animal control officer eight years ago, he said.

Looking forward, McCary said he has several goals in mind. The first is a new animal shelter.

The current shelter, located on Cooper Street, was once the city jail, McCary said. The building is old, and isn’t suited for today’s standards animal shelters should follow, he said.

Veterinary schools and other organizations are constantly updating guidelines for maintaining a safe, clean environment, he said, and little issues like the floors not being sealed can grow into larger issues. Plus, McCary said, both Meridian residents and the animals that come through the shelter deserve proper facilities.

Another big goal, McCary said, is to implement an across-the-board spay and neuter policy so that every animal adopted out of the shelter is spayed or neutered before it goes to its forever home. Shelters throughout the region are overwhelmed by the sheer number of animals coming in, which is exacerbated by the lack of available spay and neuter programs.

If there is one thing Meridian residents can do to help the shelter, it’s to spay and neuter their pets, McCary said.

McCary said he has already identified several grant opportunities that could help fund spay and neuter procedures for some shelter animals. Additionally, the city and City Council are working to set up a way for the shelter to take donations to help pay for spay and neuter surgeries as well as other needs.

“The problems we have in Meridian didn’t happen overnight, and we’re not going to fix them overnight. But, it’s going to take everybody working,” he said. “It’s going to take this department, the City Council, the citizens. It’s going to take people willing to take donations. It’s going to take grants being written. There’s a lot that goes into it, and that kind of stuff doesn’t happen overnight.”

As he works to get the day-to-day work at the shelter organized, McCary said he plans to once again open the shelter up to volunteers and implement a volunteer schedule. In the past, volunteers just showed up, and while the help is always appreciated, a schedule will help the shelter staff know what has been done and help focus manpower, both employee and volunteer, where it is most effective.

Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to stop by Meridian Animal Control, located at 501 Cooper Street, from 10 a.m. to noon or 1-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday to fill out a volunteer form.

As a man of faith, McCary said he believes getting the job was not an accident. Making it through the initial application, the civil service test and the interview process, he said, was divine intervention.

McCary said the Bible has always been a source of strength for him throughout his working life, and scripture calls on believers to care for God’s animals. As the new animal control supervisor, he said, that’s what he plans to do.