Dog Catcher

The dog catcher lived only a few blocks away from my house. He lived with his son, who was about my age, in a small rundown house filled with cats and dogs, and there were kennels in the yards and the whole scene was squalid and noisy. The dog catcher drove a questionably official vehicle, a van for transporting stray animals, and the van was littered with carbon papers, forms and an assortment of trash. Large, corpulent, with a walrus-like gray mustache, the dog catcher supposedly drank a lot, and spoke with a cockney (Yorkshire) English accent, and was divorced or separated and trying to raise his only son. The son was too intelligent and academically gifted for that sort of environment, and would hopefully be able to attend a high-ranked college on an academic scholarship and be lucky enough to move far away from the life he'd been unfairly dealt.

I began wondering if there is such a "trade" as a "dog catcher" anymore. I didn't think so. As mentioned in the following Wikipedia post, there are now "Animal Control Officers" and their role is slightly different.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_control_officer

The role of the Animal Control Officer has changed over the past few decades. Gone are the days of the big bad "dog catcher". Today's animal control officers focuses more on educating the public on proper animal care, and rescuing animals from dangerous or abusive situations. They also pick up dead or injured wildlife and stray animals for disposal or treatment. The position can either be held through the jurisdiction's police department, or contracted to the local shelter (usually the humane society or SPCA)

I recall there were more strays during the period of time when the dog catcher was in demand, and there was more fear of a public health hazard, particularly from rabid dogs who might attack. I'm sure with the proliferation of dogs and cats and other pets in our day, the Animal Control Office is likely more busy than before but with different challenges.

I think the old dog catcher near me had died early, but I'm not sure. I hope his son became successful and moved on.