PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — From barnyard animals to exotics and everything in between, ACCT Philly's animal care and control officers don't just wrangle dogs and cats on the streets of Philadelphia.
On Monday, ACCT Philly officers responded to a proud peacock strutting around Olney.
"And when they got there, he was just hanging out on the porch,” said Sarah Barnett, ACCT Philly's executive director.
"Our officers picked him up and brought him into the shelter. He seemed healthy. Obviously, we don't specialize in the care of peacocks, so we worked really quickly to get him to a rescue partner that knows that species much better than we do."
In 2024, the shelter took in 1,088 non-dogs and cats. So far this year, there have been a little more than 100 non-dogs and cats brought in, including one alligator, one African Grey Parrot, five chinchillas, four snakes, two iguanas and two sheep.
ACCT asks owners who can no longer care for their critters to reach out to its help desk at helpdesk@acctphilly.org. Resources can be provided to help owners keep the pet, or the shelter can take them in.
ACCT also needs animal care and control officers.
"They go out there, they don't know if that call is going to be about a peacock, a dangerous dog, an alligator, they never know what they are going to see or get. And they handle it," Barnett said, noting they operate 24/7. “It's perhaps the most important job when it comes to the public safety aspect of our role.”
For more information, visit acctphilly.org/careers/.