Mesquite, TX – February 4, 2021 – An organization is only as good as the people that work in it, and this year three Mesquite Animal Services Officers have gone above and beyond to help animals in need. Sr. Animal Officer Laddie DeSio, Officer Melanie Stockman and Officer Jeffrey Stillinger recently received thanks from the community for helping two dogs whose owner was in the hospital with the coronavirus.
In early January, a Mesquite resident saw her neighbor getting into an ambulance to be taken to the hospital. The next day, the resident saw her neighbor’s two dogs running loose but she was able to catch them and put the dogs in the backyard. Later that day she saw an unknown woman walking around her neighbor’s house and they started talking. The resident learned her neighbor’s husband had recently died from COVID-19 and their son, who lived in Virginia, couldn’t come to Texas because he also tested positive for the virus.
The resident and her husband told the officers they would watch over the dogs while her neighbor was in the hospital. But to her surprise, Officers DeSio, Stockman and Stillinger didn’t let her take on the job alone. All three officers continued to come by the house and check on the pets, often giving them fresh water and food. The officers and the Mesquite residents would communicate through notes, updating each other on the pets.
One night, when North Texas had the cold rain and snow, the Mesquite resident placed blankets in the shelter for the pets. When she returned early the next morning to check on the dogs, she saw she wasn’t the only one thinking about them. She found extra blankets in the shelter and their food had been moved into the shelter with them.
The Mesquite resident said, “I've worked with Animal Services on numerous occasions when I was a police officer. The above listed officers have set the bar. I am proud to know that the City of Mesquite has such determined and committed officers that work as a team.”
Maria Martinez, Director of Neighborhood Services said, “I am honored to highlight the fantastic work by members of Mesquite Animal Services. They are just a few examples of the incredible men and women who perform their duties in such an exemplary manner day in and day out.”
Sr. Animal Officer Laddie DeSio
Officer Melanie Stockman
Officer Jeffrey Stillinger