New uniforms for Pasadena Humane animal control officers signal aid
Starting Monday, February 16, Pasadena Humane’s Animal Control Officers will be wearing new navy uniforms. The updated look is more practical for handling animals, working in all kinds of conditions, and responding to complex situations, while also making it easy to see that they proudly represent Pasadena Humane.
Starting next week, you’ll notice something different when you see our Animal Control Officers out in the community: new uniforms.
We’ve updated our uniforms to better support the day-to-day work our ACOs do in the field. The new design is more practical for handling animals, working in a range of conditions, and responding to complex situations while also making it clear that they represent Pasadena Humane.
But the uniforms reflect more than a new look. They reflect how animal control work has evolved and how we approach it today.
It’s important to be clear from the start: Enforcement remains a critical part of our approach to animal control, and we use it when necessary. Our officers continue to take cruelty, neglect, and public safety concerns seriously, and they act decisively when those situations arise.
What has changed is that enforcement is no longer the only approach we rely on. Today, our ACOs are trained to be problem-solvers first, using education, resources, and support alongside enforcement when warranted.
Animal control is often the first, and sometimes the only, interaction people have with Pasadena Humane. These encounters matter because they shape how people understand our role in the community. That reality makes how our officers show up, and how they respond, especially important.
Historically animal control work across the country has been largely enforcement-driven, with officers focused on citations and impounding animals. Over time, we’ve learned that this approach alone rarely serves the animal, the owner, or the community well.
As a result, our approach today is more intentional. We are focused on meeting people where they are and addressing problems before they escalate. When officers are able to educate and offer practical solutions, outcomes are often better for everyone involved.
For example, when a dog repeatedly escapes its yard, our response isn’t automatically a citation. An ACO may work with the owner to understand why the fence is failing and help identify practical solutions. Or, when a pet owner is struggling to afford veterinary care, we may be able to connect them with low-cost services before a treatable condition turns into neglect.
Most pet owners want to do right by their animals. Often what’s missing isn’t care or concern; it’s access to information or resources. When officers are able to educate and connect people with help, problems are more likely to be resolved early. That prevention keeps animals in their homes whenever it’s safe to do so and reduces the need for more serious intervention later.
When collaboration isn’t appropriate, our officers act decisively. Our ACOs are trained investigators who complete state-mandated training and ongoing professional development. When there is evidence of abuse or willful neglect, they document it thoroughly and pursue enforcement action, including citations, impoundment, and filing criminal charges when warranted.
Knowing when to support and when to enforce isn’t always easy. It requires experience, sound judgment and strong leadership.
This work is demanding. ACOs respond to emergencies involving critically injured animals, investigate disturbing cruelty cases and make high-stakes decisions under pressure. They do this work with professionalism, empathy and resilience.
Pasadena Humane has served this community for nearly 125 years. With that history comes responsibility: to protect public safety, support people, and safeguard animal welfare in real and practical ways.
Our updated uniforms are one visible sign of how this work has evolved. Beginning Monday, February 16, our Animal Control Officers will begin wearing the new uniforms in the field. If you see them in the community, know they’re there to help.
Pasadena Humane provides animal care and control for Altadena, Arcadia, Bradbury, Glendale, La-Crescenta-Montrose, La Cañada-Flintridge, Monrovia, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre and South Pasadena.
Chris Ramon is president and CEO of Pasadena Humane.
This blog post originally appeared as a column in the Pasadena Star-News on February 13, 2026.
