Fox’s Animal Control is ramping up casting ahead of its expected midseason debut.

The workplace comedy has recruited Crazy Ex-Girlfriend grad Vella Lovell to co-star opposite Joel McHale.

The straight-to-series single-camera comedy follows a group of local Animal Control workers whose lives are complicated by the fact that animals are simple, but humans are not.

Lovell will play the series regular role of Emily, the sweet-natured and endearingly awkward boss of the Animal Control precinct. She may be in over her head at the job, but she’s beloved by her team. McHale plays Frank, an opinionated, eccentric Animal Control officer.

Animal Control is an important show for Fox as it’s the independent network’s first wholly owned series from its recently launched Fox Entertainment Studios. The Moodys trio Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg and Tad Quill exec produce alongside Dan Sterling (Girls, The Office). McHale will also be credited as an exec producer.

Lovell’s credits include NBC’s Mr. Mayor and Comedy Central’s A Clüsterfünke Christmas. She also recurred in Amazon’s Jason Katims series As We See It and appeared in Hulu’s Dollface. She’s best known for her role as Heather Davis on all four seasons of The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. On the film side, she starred opposite Kumail Nanjiani in The Big Sick. She’s repped by Verve and Industry Entertainment.