Gott Retires From Stephen Memorial

Terry Gott has retired as the director of Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter.

October 31, 2021

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Listening to the scanner radio in Mahaska County, you often heard first responders call for animal control. That person, more often than not, was Terry Gott.

Gott, who says the strangest animal he has chased was a goat, shared that story and more with friends at a reception at Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter on Friday afternoon.

He most likely caught his last dog on Thursday, but over his career, Gott “guestimates” he’s caught approximately 2500 animals. “The majority of them were strays.”

When Gott finds an animal, he notices how scared they are. Unfortunately, some show that fear through aggression and that can make getting them on a leash difficult.

His training included aggressive dog training, which helped him identify the body language given off by the animal. Before his departure, he wanted the staff at the shelter to have that same training, and they did a virtual training seminar to get everyone trained.

Gott says one of his favorite things has been working with the community.

Helping others understand their newly adopted pet, or maybe a fur friend that they’ve had for a while, and giving advice has been a point of satisfaction.

Also, working with first responders and the camaraderie that he’s developed with them. “In the middle of the night, they’re calling you.”

Things like helping a dog find shelter for the night if their owner had gotten arrested has been part of the job for nearly a decade.

As he plans his first day of retirement, a trip to Kansas City was top on his list after a day of pheasant hunting. “I’m gonna do a lot of hunting and fishing.”

When he cannot travel or enjoy the outdoors, Gott enjoys repairing old firearms, some of which have been handed down through the generations.

Gott’s final word of advice for individuals who find pets is not to post that on social media, as the animal could be microchipped. “If you keep it and can’t find the owner, then you give it to somebody, and then they take it to the vet, and it’s got a microchip, you are possibly looking at theft.”

Gott says to do your due diligence in trying to locate the owner, as there could be legal consequences involved.

“It’s been an adventure,” says Gott in closing. “It’s not something I thought I would end up doing.”

“After two or three months of doing this, I just fell in love and decided, hey, I’m just going to continue with this. I didn’t think it would last for over nine years,” added Gott.

“Things change, and I’ve enjoyed it,” said Gott in closing. “