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West Valley City Journal

The Brotherson name continues to give back to West Valley City

Feb 23, 2022 08:03PM ● By Darrell Kirby

Alex Brotherson, younger brother of West Valley City police officer Cody Brotherson, who was killed in the line of duty, solicited donations of food and money for the city’s animal shelter. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

By Darrell Kirby | [email protected]

Cody Brotherson gave his life in service to West Valley City and his younger brother is carrying on his legacy with a different kind of service to the community.

Brotherson, a West Valley City police officer, was killed in late 2016 when he was hit by a fleeing vehicle on 4100 South while putting down spike strips to stop the stolen car and its three teenage occupants.

Alex Brotherson, 24, a volunteer coordinator at the West Valley City Animal Shelter, collected $7,000 in donations to help purchase food, medicine and supplies primarily for dogs at the shelter. On a Friday afternoon in February, a semitruck escorted by police and animal control vehicles with lights flashing pulled up to the animal shelter where several pallets containing 30- to 35-pound bags of dog food were unloaded and carried into a shelter storage garage by a line of police and animal control officers.

For Alex, the effort was in memory of Cody and to carry on the entire family’s fondness for animals. “All of our family, we love animals with a passion,” he said. “My brother would have helped with this.”

Alex has gathered food and supplies for shelter animals before, but not to this extent.

“I wasn’t expecting this much food right here,” Alex said of the 50 bags of canine cuisine stacked behind him. “I was expecting just a little.”

“For how many animals we have, I’ll bet (the food will last) a couple months,” he estimated.

Alex launched the donation campaign on social media, requesting financial and any other help in stocking the animal shelter with much needed food for what has lately been an increase in the shelter population. The word spread and contributions came in from as far away as Tennessee. The money helped with the purchase of the food and retailer PetSmart also donated some bags of food.

Animal shelter director Melanie Bennett believes it’s the largest single donation to the facility.

“This will help us tremendously,” she said. “We’ve been overloaded with animals the last year or so.”

Bennett said the public can return the favor to the shelter by adopting a pet. “These animals need homes. We’ve had some that have been here for weeks, sometimes months.”

Furry shelter dwellers aren’t the only ones who will benefit from Alex Brotherson’s initiative. “It made a difference on me…emotionally,” he said.