Paul Holland Sheridan

Can you think of a particular instance in your job that really made an impact on you? One that you will definitely remember?
The animals that we seized at Lake Monticello are definitely in a cleaner, better home – most of them are at the Fluvanna SPCA, or a foster home. They were so neglected – it was horrible. It was animal cruelty at its worst. After handling those dogs, my clothing smelled so bad that I had to pull over on the side of the road because I thought I was going to get sick. As the personnel at the vet office were washing the puppies, the feces on their fur was so bad that their fur was stained brown. It was just 100% neglect.
What is rewarding about your work?
The fact that we try to work with citizens and help them. We want to help people, we don’t want to write tickets every day. Our goal is to educate the community. We are working with some families right now to try to get things better – to get some better living conditions for their animals.
Tell us about your family.
My wife Cameron and I have a horse barn in Kents Store. Cameron volunteers for 4H…she works with children and horses. We have been married for five and a half years.
So what has your career path been like?
While I was at Fluvanna County High School, I joined the Virginia Army National Guard as an 11th grader. The principal let me get out of high school a semester early so I could go to helicopter mechanics school for the UH 60 Blackhawk helicopters. Then I went to community college down in Chester for my funeral directing license. I had to leave college because I had an opportunity to get deployed with the Army and I went over to Bosnia for seven months as a Blackhawk helicopter crew chief where I made sergeant. So I was a sergeant in the Army National Guard and when I got out I went into the family business at Sheridan Funeral Home. I am a licensed funeral director and embalmer. Then I joined the sheriff’s office a few months ago.
In one short sentence, as an animal control officer, what do you want to tell the readers of the Fluvanna Review?
Feed and water your animals and provide them with adequate shelter – winter time is coming.