Beloved LG Animal Control Officer Eyes 2023 Retirement

If you live in La Grange and you don’t know Dean Ahlschlager, then you probably don’t own a dog.

“You can describe a dog to him and he knows where it belongs,” said La Grange Police Chief David Gilbreath.

That’s why the City of La Grange will have some big shoes to fill when Ahlschlager retires. He doesn’t just catch dogs, though. Deer, owls, racoons, opossums, snakes, turtles – Ahlschlager knows how to handle them all. The topic of Ahlschlager’s retirement came up at the City Council meeting last Monday, Feb. 14.

Gilbreath said Ahlschlager intends to retire in about a year and a half, which should give the City plenty of time to find a new animal control officer.

“He’s just like the meter readers – they might not know you, but they know your dog,” said City Manager Shawn Raborn.

Gilbreath said just about everyone in La Grange who owns a dog has Ahlschlager’s phone number. They often call him directly whenever they’re missing a pet. When that happens, Ahlschlager often knows where to find it. He’s probably saved residents thousands of dollars in rescue fees from the animal shelter