John Fischer takes the leash as Huntsville’s new Animal Services Director

For new Huntsville Animal Services Director John Fischer, animals have been one of the few constants in life.

Growing up as a military brat, he and his three brothers always found themselves making friends with the animals around them. From a family of armadillos in San Antonio to the Queen’s Muscovy Ducks in England, animals made him feel most at home.

Despite his busy schedule and having been in his new position for just two weeks, Fischer recently discussed his personal and professional background and what attracted him to Huntsville.

Tell me about your professional background before coming to Huntsville.

I started my career 26 or 27 years ago in sales for a uniform rental company. It was lucrative but unfulfilling work, and I had always wanted to work with animals.

One Saturday, I said, “If I can find a job working with animals by next Friday, then I’m going to quit my job in sales and go for it.” Sunday, I saw an ad in a local newspaper for a “monkey caregiver” making minimum wage, and I applied. I thought I bombed the interview because I didn’t know the difference between an ape and a monkey, but they took a chance on me and gave me the job.

I threw myself into that work, learned a lot and developed relationships. I then worked as a wildlife rehabilitator for several years, working with deer, skunks and other Texas wildlife.

Then, when my mom, who lived in Houston at the time, became terminally ill, my wife and I moved there, and I became a zookeeper at the Houston Zoo, where I took care of chimpanzees, orangutans and smaller primates, some of which had been previously used for medical or cosmetic testing.

When my wife and I welcomed our daughter, I decided to get a more “grown-up job” as a humane officer and worked my way up from there to the municipal animal services manager where I worked for seven years.

What did you learn from working with primates specifically that prepared you for this position?

My favorite animals to work with are chimpanzees. When working with chimpanzees, you learn quickly that you must be patient and what you think you know, you don’t know. I also learned that no matter the circumstances, you must react with the same tone and calmness when things are going great and when they aren’t. I think it’s also made me a better parent because it has taught me that no matter what happens, I have to be the constant.

What attracted you to Huntsville?

We were so tired of the constant heat in Texas. We didn’t just throw a dart at a map and say, “Here we go.” We looked at Huntsville and saw how fast it was growing, but more importantly, how it was growing the right way.

What is your vision for Huntsville Animal Services?

My first goal is to take care of the staff here. This can be emotional work, and if they don’t feel supported or heard, they will find another less stressful job.

My second goal is to expand our events and communications, specifically on social media. I was very impressed with the number of existing followers on the Animal Services Facebook, but now we must consistently communicate with them by sharing animal profiles and highlighting our staff and the services we offer.

What do you love so far about your new position as Director of Huntsville Animal Services?

Everybody on this team is a helper. There isn’t an organization that isn’t without growing pains or things they can do better, but the key is to having the right people in place and then taking care of them.

I’ve also been very encouraged by the community around the shelter. Everyone just wants to help animals.