An exemplary educator that is inspirational, highly driven, compassionatethese are only a few words to describe Arlington"s Animal Services Manager Chris Huff. Programs designed to help all ages, ethnicities, and walks of life in the community are her target, in addition to helping homeless animals.
Huff"s initiatives with staff to achieve grant awards, in combination with partnerships she and her team continue to grow, have provided hundreds of thousands of dollars of no cost and low-cost services for pets. These initiatives support responsible pet ownership programs, educational classes for Arlington and Mansfield students, and pet therapy sessions for youth with autism and seniors in senior living facilities. These are some of the ways Huff reaches out to the community.
Alan Pierce, employed by the city for over 30 years in code compliance and now serving as off-site event administrator, states that Huff "puts her whole heart and soul into helping animals, staff and citizens, and she has grown a wealth of programs to help the community."
Most recently, Huff connected with Mansfield"s Ben Barber Career and Technology Academy to build an interactive partnership to help FFA Organization students, agricultural students and small animal classes while also benefiting the animals at Arlington Animal Services. Huff"s leadership and teaching skills are making a lasting impression on the lives of the people she touches along with her amazing team.
At a Mansfield Agricultural Advisory (FFA) board meeting on May 23, Huff received a special award for her service and outstanding contributions to the FFA. Huff was presented with the FFA 2015-2016 Honorary Chapter Degree. With this achievement, Huff was awarded a lifetime honorary membership in the Mansfield FFA.
"The coordination between the shelter manager and shelter staff with the Ben Barber principal and teachers took the dream of a partnership between students and animals and turned it in to an educational reality," Huff said. "This would not be possible without the collaboration and teamwork of shelter staff and volunteers working with me."
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Animal Services, News