Courtesy Photo Alpena County Animal Control Officer Michelle Reid works at her desk at the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday. On Monday, Reid was named the Animal Control Officer of the Year by the Michigan Association of Animal Control Officers.

ALPENA — Alpena County Animal Control Officer Michelle Reid dedicates a large portion of her life to protecting animals and advocating for them so they can live safe and healthy lives.

On Monday, Reid was named the Michigan Association of Animal Control Officers 2022 Officer of the Year.

She was presented the Darrian Young Award, named after the former Monroe County Sheriff’s Office animal control officer who was involved in an accident and died in 2020.

Reid was nominated for the award by some of her peers around the state, but she was unable to attend the ceremony in Lansing. She said she learned about receiving the award on Monday night and was moved emotionally by it.

“It is surreal and totally unexpected,” Reid said. “It is an honor to be recognized by your peers, many of whom were also deserving. This is a field that is misunderstood by many, so it is an honor and a pleasant surprise.”

Reid has been with the Alpena County Sheriff’s Office for six years and has helped animals that were victims in numerous hoarding cases and works with the public to teach them proper care for their pets and the importance of spaying and neutering animals.

She said she loves her job, but it can take an emotional toll because of the number of homeless animals in the county as well as the neglect some of them endure.

“During the incident you become professional, but it does impact you afterward,” she said. “There are things that you never can unsee and never truly get over. There are a lot of tears that come from this job.”

Reid said she wouldn’t have won the award without the hard work and dedication of those she works side by side with daily. She said she is blessed to have others around her that also care for the wellbeing of animals, especially ones who are mistreated.

“There is no way I could do what I am able to do without my staff, volunteers, a prosecutor, and judges on the bench who are typically very good about enforcing animal welfare laws,” she said. “They all make my job a lot easier.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.