A day in the life of a DAS Ranger

Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a Domestic Animal Services (DAS) ranger looks like? For Ranger Elly, every day is different.

The work DAS rangers do is fast-paced and challenging. Rangers like Elly often work on an 11-hour four-day roster, working on-call which means no day is the same. Rangers tend to perform several different duties, spending some time in the office. Most of the time, however, they are out in the field completing hands-on work. Some day-to-day duties may involve responding to dog attacks, animal nuisance complaints or assisting with lost and impounded dogs.

Elly has been working as a ranger for a couple of months. What you might not expect is that she has a Communications and Media degree.

“I applied for the role after uni and went through the competitive online application process. I wanted to do something that was challenging and rewarding. I believe they look for a diverse skillset in the role. I also decided that I didn’t want to be working in an office all day. The work I do as a Domestic Animal Services ranger has a positive impact on the community. The role is so diverse, and I know I’m making a tangible difference,” Elly said.

“The field work is often dynamic and compassionate. I love working with animals. It’s amazing to be an advocate for the voiceless while also connecting with community members,” Elly said.

Elly enjoys being a ranger. Like any job, it does have its difficulties.

“Being a Domestic Animal Services ranger can have its challenges as well. We deal with confronting situations, like dog attacks. A small percentage of the community don’t always work with rangers in a safe or appropriate way. We work daily with members of the community who don’t meet key elements of compliance in pet ownership. An important reminder to the community is, all cats and dogs need to be registered,” Elly said.

Many Canberrans understand the work the rangers do. However, there are certain myths about her work that Elly hopes to bust.

“I think some people think we go out of our way to infringe people or take their dog away, but we don’t. This is only done when necessary. We spend a lot of time working with the community. One of our priorities is to educate the community first and foremost,” she said.

Besides Rangers, there are a lot of other people working behind the scenes at DAS too. There is a kennel team who care for the dogs at the shelter. There are also team members who manage adoptions, work with the community and run educational programs.

“I sometimes think people misunderstand our work. We’re a big team which involves lots of different people doing great things. We’re fortunate to have a lot of dedicated volunteers. They help walk the dogs and enrich their lives while they are with us,” Elly said.

The next intake of Domestic Animal Services volunteers will be in August. It will bring fresh faces and new energy to the volunteer team.