- Associated Press - Saturday, January 4, 2020

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) - In his three years as an animal control officer, Geoff Bechtel has found dozens of lost cats and dogs.

Within minutes, the Harrisonburg Police Officer usually has them cuddling up with him for a photograph to be posted on Facebook in hopes of finding their owner.

“People, my whole life, have called me the animal whisperer,” Bechtel said.

Originally from Los Angeles, Bechtel moved to the Harrisonburg area in 2011 to be closer to his family. His parents retired to the Shenandoah Valley about 15 years ago.

He started working at HPD in 2012 as a patrol officer. In 2016, HPD decided to add a sworn position to the animal control unit. At the time, the unit only had a civilian employee, which couldn’t carry a firearm or issue criminal charges.

When the position opened, Bechtel said he had to apply.

“I always wanted to do two things: be a police officer and work with animals,” he said.“I’ve been obedience training dogs and rehabilitating sick animals since I was 3.”

Since taking the job, he’s had plenty of work. Animal cases in the city are the third highest call for service behind security alarm activations and traffic crashes.

“We can see anything from dog bites to buzzards in an attic,” Bechtel said.

While most calls are for lost pets, he occasionally runs into some sticky situations.

His first call for service was for a snake in the middle of the intersection of Mason and East Market streets.

Without hesitation, he jumped out of his patrol car and scooped the reptile up. He later relocated the snake to a safer spot.

“No animals scare me,” he said. “I’m not afraid. Spiders, in my house, I pick them up and take them outside.”

Last year, Bechtel was dispatched for a loose cow near Hillandale Park. Unlike most animals he comes in contact with, this one wasn’t so friendly.

“It was attacking cars … attacking people, charging fire hydrants,” he said. “The owner said, ‘she’s evil, she’ll try to kill you.’”

After trying to round up the bovine, she disappeared in the woods behind Dogwood Drive. She wasn’t seen again for another month when she, along with her newly-born calf, wandered out by Heritage Oaks Golf Course.

“She got around,” said Bechtel, adding that they were able to safely capture her and return her to the owner.

While many of his cases involve reuniting lost pets with their owners, he also handles animal abuse cases.

In June, Bechtel investigated the killing of a dog found in Denton Park - a pocket park located downtown on South Main Street across from the Massanutten Regional Library.

Bechtel’s investigation determined the terrier mix’s death was caused by blunt force trauma.

He charged the dog’s owner, a local homeless woman, Brendalee Vince, with felony animal abuse resulting in death. The woman was released on bond from the Rockingham County Jail but has failed to return to court.

In another case, Bechtel received calls about a homeless person and panhandler, Jacob King, kicking and dragging a six-month-old puppy.

Bechtel seized the dog and obtained a court order barring King from possessing a dog.

Even though he sees some of the worst abuse toward animals, Bechtel said he tries to remember that most treat their pets well.

“You just have to put it aside,” he said. “You can’t let emotions overpower you.”

He said he tries to focus on the positive. He said the story of the seized dog had a happy ending.

Mackenzie Grimes, an administrative assistant for HPD, adopted the English shepherd. She named him Koda.

She said Bechtel has a calling for the job.

“He’s a huge asset for the department. It’s not an easy job,” she said. “He has a knack for handling animals.”

She said Bechtel’s always fighting for the neglected or abused animals.

“I can’t even imagine (how he deals with it), but they’re lucky they have him in their corner … to be an advocate and a voice,” she said. “He always steps up and goes to bat for any animal.”

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