Animal Control Officer II

About the role

This posting will be open until filled. Application cut-off dates are the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month.

Responsibilities

• Investigate reports of animal cruelty, nuisances, and potentially dangerous animals; communicate with and advise owners of loose animals.
• Patrol City streets, neighborhoods, and/or other designated areas in order to monitor, remove, transport, and locate stray, vicious, trapped, injured, and/or dead animals.
• Rescue and impound stray animals; use remote chemical immobilization equipment; vaccinate, photograph, and process impounded animals prior to kenneling; transport injured animals to veterinary hospitals for treatment.
• Aid law enforcement personnel and other agencies by taking animals into custody due to death, emergencies, arrests, and/or police investigations. May be required to forcibly enter a residence to obtain an animal.
• Enforce City and State laws, regulations, and ordinances related to animal control.
• Compile case evidence and prepare animal control cases for court; provide court simony and render opinions on the nature of case animals.
• Issue warnings and citations for violations of animal control regulations and may be required to testify in court or at administrative hearings.
• Safely operate rifles, shotguns, and tranquilizer equipment to capture, humanely euthanize animals, or defend the public from vicious or uncontrollable animals as necessary.
• Educate and provide the public with information regarding animal control laws, licensing requirements, owner responsibilities, and appropriate animal care.
• Maintain and safeguard assigned equipment and supplies such as citation books, computers, controlled substances, and animal control vehicles.
• Operate a computer and a two-way radio to maintain close communication with dispatching personnel.
• May train others performing similar work.
• Prepare and maintain a variety of animal control records, documentation, and reports.
• Provide courteous and professional customer service to those contacted in the course of work.

Requirements

• Eighteen months of experience in animal care or animal control, of which six months must be in public contact work and the enforcement of rules and regulations.
• Possession of a High School diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.
• Driver License: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License at the time of appointment.
• Must pass a background investigation, which includes a criminal history check for job-related convictions, fingerprinting, drug use history, and polygraph.
• Felony Convictions Free of felony convictions under California Penal Code Sections 29900 and 29905.
• Must possess or obtain the State of California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Penal Code 832 (Arrest and Firearms) Certificate during probationary period and throughout the course of employment.
• Must possess or obtain the American Red Cross Standard First Aid Course Certificate during probationary period and throughout the course of employment.
• Must pass a medical and/or drug test.
• Must perform shift work as assigned, including days, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Standby duty is also required.
• Must be able to regularly lift, carry, restrain, and capture animals between 60-70 pounds; occasionally up to 100 pounds.
• Must be able to walk, run, stand, or climb on slippery, even or uneven, and paved or unpaved surfaces as welll as bend, stoop, squat, and crawl in small, low and/or confined areas.
• Must be willing to obtain a pre-exposure rabies vaccination, and when medically required, revaccination shots.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of: Occupational hazards and safety precautions of work around animals. Habits and characteristics of domestic animals and wildlife. Symptoms of common animal diseases. Principles and practices of customer service, including conflict resolution.
• Computer operations and applications. State laws and regulations related to animal control functions (such as rabies and search and seizures); current local animal control codes and regulations.
• Record keeping principles and practices. Laboratory analysis principles and practices.
• Skills in: Answering inquiries and providing factual and technical information. Handling criticism and hostility from citizens with tact and good judgment. Communicating clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. Collecting, compiling, and analyzing basic information and data. Making field contact with various animals, some of which may be hostile and/or injured. Using common office computer software. Safe and proficient use of specialized law enforcement weapons and equipment. Providing courteous and professional customer service.
• Ability to: Read, write, speak, and understand the English language at a level necessary for efficient job performance. Understand, retain, interpret, and enforce animal control codes, laws, case law, and regulations. Identify and report animal control problems encountered in the course of work. Safely care for and physically control live, sick, or injured domestic and exotic animals and reptiles. Humanely euthanize animals by the end of probationary period. Gather specimens for laboratory analysis and observe contamination protocols. Properly operate animal control equipment. Understand and comply with departmental policies, rules, and instructions. Establish and maintain positive working relationships with the public, community volunteers, and City personnel. Prioritize work; coordinate several activities, and follow-up as required. Timely prepare well-written, clear, concise, and well-substantiated reports. Assist with staff and volunteers training as needed. Efficiently and effectively perform assigned duties with considerable independence within legal and procedural guidelines.