Outgoing State Sen. Patricia Blevins has been named as the new Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) Director.
Blevins, an animal advocate for many years, championed an expansion of the state animal welfare system now under the Delaware Division of Public Health.and one of the strongest supporters for overhauling the statewide animal welfare. She will take over at the end of January.
She succeeds Hetti Brown, the original executive director, resigned the position in December 2016 to move to the Midwest. Blevins lost her bid for re-election in November.
Blevins served for nine years as executive director of the Delaware Helpline and three years managing the Denison Branch of Girls, Inc. She also served on the Elsmere Town Council and as Mayor of Elsmere.
In 2012-2013, Blevins chaired the state Animal Welfare Task Force, which reviewed the effectiveness of animal control programs in Delaware, as well as examining strategies to increase spay/neuter programming and animal cruelty investigation and prosecutions.
“We are so thrilled that Patti Blevins was willing to join us,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “She has the combination of leadership, budget, and management experience, plus a deep knowledge of the Delaware animal system and its strengths and challenges that we need. We were sorry to lose Hetti Brown and wanted to fill her shoes with someone who will continue to chart this new path. As one of the original architects of the constantly evolving animal welfare system, Blevins is the perfect replacement.”
