Arlington's Diane Welch Named Animal Control Officer Of The Year

ARLINGTON, MA — Officer Diane Welch has been named Massachusetts Animal Control Officer of the Year 2019, Acting Chief Julie Flaherty announced Tuesday. Nominated for the award by Arlington residents, Welch will be recognized at the Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts (ACOAM) Certification Academy Graduation Ceremony and Awards Banquet on Friday, Oct. 25 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Marlborough, along with co-recipient of the award, Milton Animal Control Officer Nancy Bersani.

Welch is among those graduating from the ACOAM Certification Academy, a 96 hour, 12 week program which trains officers in a variety of areas, including animal capture techniques and strategies, livestock and exotic animal handling, wildlife issues, dog bite prevention, animal health inspector duties, rabies protocol and local bylaws and ordinances.

"We’re incredibly proud of ACO Welch, and the reputation she has built with our community as a kind, skilled animal control officer," Flaherty said in a statement. "We are so fortunate to have an ACO here in Arlington who has an incredible talent for working with animals, and also has the drive to include and educate our community as well."

The annual award is given by the Animal Rescue League of Boston and the MSPCA. It recognizes officers who are humane, enforce pet responsibility laws appropriately, offer public awareness and education programs and develop partnerships with other animal agencies.

Welch was sworn in as animal control officer in July 2018 and has since become well-known around Arlington. She has worked with local volunteers and trained them to transport injured animals to animal hospitals and assist when cats and dogs are missing or found, crafted educational programming for residents including a "Living with Coyotes" event and has utilized social media to further promote the humane treatment of animals and provide additional educational opportunities, according to a press release.

Welch has also made numerous visits to schools and local scout troops to discuss animal care and wildlife support. Each month, she posts a Facebook newsletter, including videos of animals, at the Facebook page @ArlingtonMassachusettsAnimalControl.

"In my 63 years, spent in rural, urban, and suburban settings in Massachusetts, I cannot think of another ACO I have known by name," Arlington resident Amanda Gazin wrote in her nomination of Welch. "I have certainly called them on occasion, and while almost all were helpful, none had the community presence and obvious total commitment to animals and to people that Diane Welch has."

Welch has been a state and federally licensed falconer for 25 years and has been called upon by the Massachusetts State Police numerous times to help capture and rescue injured birds of prey in the Danvers area. She previously served as the president of the Massachusetts Falconry and Hawk Trust.

Welch also owns a dog walking and training business, and has several years of experience working for the Burlington Science Center, where she cared for more than 60 animals, including snapping turtles and owls.