Animal Control Officer

About the role

Animal control officers maintain public safety by enforcing animal licensing laws and humane care regulations while on patrol.

Responsibilities

• Capturing and impounding dangerous or stray animals
• Investigating cases of animal cruelty
• Enforcing licensing laws and other state, county, and city laws and regulations that are applicable to the animal control program
• Providing expert testimony in court cases
• Rescuing trapped animals
• Writing incident reports
• Providing humane care to animals under their supervision

Requirements

• The job generally requires the ability to perform the following duties:

• Capturing and impounding dangerous or stray animals
• Investigating cases of animal cruelty
• Enforcing licensing laws and other state, county, and city laws and regulations that are applicable to the animal control program
• Providing expert testimony in court cases
• Rescuing trapped animals
• Writing incident reports
• Providing humane care to animals under their supervision

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: To pursue a career as an animal control officer, applicants must be at least 18 years of age with a high school diploma or GED and some experience with animals. Highschool Diploma or GED required. Experience with animals and a college degree preferred. Or any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Skills

• Knowledge of a wide variety of animal species, animal first aid, animal care and nutrition, humane capture tools and techniques, animal behavior, public relations, cruelty investigation procedures, and law enforcement.
• Emotional stability: Animal control officers often come across difficult situations involving animals in neglected, abused, or injured states. They must know how to work with any emotions that arise in order to be able to effectively assist these animals.
• Interpersonal skills: This job requires interaction with the public and requires the ability to skillfully navigate difficult situations.
• Physical agility and stamina: Animal control officers may work on their feet for long periods of time, and need to be able to bend, stretch, and climb under or over obstacles to get to animals in need of help. They must also be ready to safely handle frightened or aggressive animals.

Benefits

There is a high potential for injury when attempting to capture an animal under stress, whether that stress arises from abuse and neglect, or from being in an unfamiliar environment. Emotional stability: Animal control officers often come across difficult situations involving animals in neglected, abused, or injured states. They must know how to work with any emotions that arise in order to be able to effectively assist these animals. Interpersonal skills: This job requires interaction with the public and requires the ability to skillfully navigate difficult situations. Physical agility and stamina: Animal control officers may work on their feet for long periods of time, and need to be able to bend, stretch, and climb under or over obstacles to get to animals in need of help. They must also be ready to safely handle frightened or aggressive animals.

Pay

N/A

Schedule

N/A