NACA is Born

The National Animal Control Association (NACA) was formed at a meeting in Englewood, Colorado on September 27, 1978. Its purpose was to provide training for those involved with the enforcement of animal related laws and to provide a means for communication between all agencies involved with animals throughout the world.

The creation of NACA is credited to Mike Burgwin, Director of a county animal control agency in the State of Oregon, because he was frustrated by the lack of a source for information on animal control. He felt as though he was forever reinventing the wheel when it came to animal control. Mike, along with some others, formed a state animal control association in Oregon, and it soon became obvious to him that if it worked that well in the state, why not take it nation wide?

To get the ball rolling, Mike contacted Warren Cox, the Director of the Animal Protection Division of the American Humane Association. Mr. Cox agreed to mail a letter, which Mike was to write to all animal control agencies on AHA’s mailing list. In the letter, Mike called for a meeting of like minds, and forty-nine people, representing twenty-four states, showed-up and voted to form the National Animal Control Association. Mike Burgwin was elected as the Chairman and his first responsibility was to write the Bylaws for the newly formed association.

NACA History 1979 – Present