Tewksbury, Billerica Animal Control Officer Honored As Year's Best

TEWKSBURY, MA — Ashley Chmiel, a Billerica and Tewksbury Animal Control Officer (ACO), has been named the Animal Control Officer of the Year by two prominent Massachusetts animal organizations.

Chmiel was presented with the award at a banquet last Friday hosted by the Animal Control Officers Association of Massachusetts.

The ACO of the Year award was established by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) and the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) to honor an animal control officer whose efforts in their local community have promoted responsible pet ownership.

According to those handing out the award, the honor goes to an officer who has shown a humane attitude toward the treatment and well-being of all animals, effectively enforced pet responsibility laws, conducted public awareness campaigns and maintained cooperative working relationships with agencies involved with animals.

"We are excited to recognize Ashley as the ACO of the Year. She exemplifies the traits ARL and MSPCA look for each year in an ACO," said Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy for the MSPCA. "When we gave out the award, many people came up to me to let me know that Officer Chmiel was a great choice and have shared stories about her work with me."

In Chmiel's nomination for the award, several examples were given showing her dedication to animals and the community.

Chmiel, the nomination form said, regularly helps to educate pet owners about responsibility laws through posts on the Billerica and Tewksbury Animal Control Facebook page.

One prominent example of Chmiel's stellar performance on the job came when she visited a Tewksbury home that had 97 cats. Tewksbury first responders had discovered the cats during a medical emergency call.

A woman who lived in the home and took care of cats had passed away, and her husband was left to deal with the difficult situation.

Chmiel worked with multiple nonprofit organizations to assist with the collection of the cats, the nomination form said. She also worked with the Board of Health and professional cleaners to improve the sanitary status of the home.

Once the cats were removed, Chmiel realized that the owner of the home, who had just lost his wife, now would be left completely alone.

So, Chmiel worked with shelters and veterinarians to identify two cats that, after being treated, could return to the home.

"As demonstrated by her handling a challenging (cat) situation with compassion, (Chmiel) truly supports animal welfare and helps those in her community," said Ally Blanck, director of advocacy for ARL.