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He was a friend to all animals, living and dead

By Andrew Meacham, Times Staff Writer
In print: Friday, May 16, 2008

Longtime animal control officer Robert Patrick works to subdue a frisky dog for an adoption.
	[Special to the Times]

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TAMPA — Robert Patrick, who collected roadkill with priestly benevolence, died on Friday of pancreatic cancer. He was 38.

People who Mr. Patrick and his wife met socially often paused when he told them what he did for a living as an animal control officer for Hillsborough County.

"Usually their response was, 'Well, somebody's got to do it,' " said Katy Patrick, 37. "And he'd say, 'Yes, and that somebody is me, and that's okay.' "

The job had its perks. Freedom to roam the county in an Animal Services van. A solitude that allowed him to complete all of his duties methodically: photographing and bagging the remains; archiving the photos for anxious pet owners to review.

Then there was the biggest perk of all: Retrieving dead animals sure beat killing them.

Mr. Patrick had worked in euthanasia, in a small room where the Animal Services staff lethally injects thousands of dogs and cats each year. It was tough on him. He saw the new job as a calling.

"If something happened to me," he told the Times in 2006, "I wouldn't want to lie by the side of the road for three months. I would want somebody to pick me up and take care of me."

More than once, supervisor Dennis McCullough encouraged Mr. Patrick to go for an investigator's position. "I figured it would be a step up," McCullough said. "He said, 'I'm giving these animals closure.' "

McCullough finally concluded Mr. Patrick was where he needed to be.

Mr. Patrick's cancer spread quickly. He struggled at first, asking Katy why God was punishing him.

As his body weakened, Mr. Patrick tired of staying home. He asked his mom to drive him to Animal Services.

"It wasn't, 'Hi, mom,' " said Judy Patrick, 57. "It was, 'Can we go to the shelter?' "

Mr. Patrick passed the time among the kennels, mingling with former co-workers. Right where he needed to be.

Andrew Meacham can be reached at (813) 661-2431 or ameacham@sptimes.com.