Animal Services Officer

Summary

WORKING FOR THE CITY OF MCKINNEY

Working for the City of McKinney is more than just a job; it’s a chance to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. Proudly recognized on the Top Workplaces USA list by USA TODAY in 2024, our team is dedicated to making McKinney one of the best places to work, live, and raise a family. Join us and start making a difference today.

OUR CORE VALUES

City of McKinney employees work hard and at a very fast pace. However, we also look after and support one another. All of us are guided by four employee-inspired values – Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (RISE). We are also supported by servant-based leaders who foster and support a healthy, family-oriented culture. All new employees are expected to embrace and live by our core values and commit to helping us sustain our exceptional work environment as a high performance organization (HPO).

Summary Of Position

Under general supervision, the purpose of the position is to enforce the city ordinance regarding animal services. Employees in this classification perform technical and skilled level work. Position is responsible for addressing owner responsibility; nuisance complaints; hurt, stray, or unwanted animals and wildlife. Enforces state laws pertaining to rabies. Performs related work as required.

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES

In order for us to continue to achieve our primary function of making McKinney a better place to live, work, and raise a family, we hold these expectations for all employees.

• Learn and demonstrate an understanding of how team, department, and City goals are interconnected.
• Contribute to a positive work culture.
• Ability to assess his/her work performance or the work performance of the team.
• Contribute to the development of others and/or the working unit or overall organization.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team, to demonstrate team skills, and to perform a fair share of team responsibilities.
• Ability to continuously learn and develop through a mix of internal and external training opportunities, and if applicable, encourage subordinates to do the same.
  
  

Essential Functions/Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

When Assigned to Animal Control Officer

• Complies with all written City policies and procedures.
• Adheres to assigned work schedule as outlined in City and department attendance policies and procedures.
• Responds to public on calls regarding: stray, hurt or unwanted animals or wildlife; loose livestock; and, removal of deceased animals.
• Responds to public on nuisance calls regarding barking dogs.
• Issues citations for ordinance violations.
• Responds to, and investigates, cases of cruelty to animals.
• Sets traps for animals and appropriately handles animals once in possession.
• Enforces state rabies laws; educates and informs the public if rabies is detected or suspected.
• Works with the general public to provide information and education on animal services.
• Assists with administering shots, euthanasia, and performing related duties.
  
  

When Assigned to Animal Control Officer, Senior

Duties of Animal Control Officer carry over, in addition to:

• Documents accurate records such as call notes, bite reports, court documents, and other reports.
• Prepare cases for administrative proceedings and civil and criminal proceedings in Municipal Court. Execute warrants and testifies in court.
• Participates in providing training and guidance to Animal Services Officers and in coordination of employee training plans.
• Assists the Animal Services Manager in establishing standard operating procedure, setting priorities, and determining resolutions.
• Assists the Animal Services Manager with prioritizing and assigning cases to personnel.
• Assists Animal Services Manager with ordinance research and implementation.
• Serves as officer in charge when the Manager is not available.
  
  

Other Job Functions

• Perform other duties as assigned or directed.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, And Behaviors

• Ability to embrace and embody the City’s core values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (R.I.S.E.).
• Ability to communicate effectively with peers, supervisors, subordinates, and people to whom service is provided.
• Ability to produce desired work outcomes, including quality, quantity, and timeliness.
• Ability to plan and organize work, time, and resources, and if applicable, that of subordinates.
• The ability to work in a team environment; contribute as a team member and treat co-workers, subordinates and customers with respect.
• Build professional relationships with internal staff and customers.
• Offer flexibility and adaptability, especially during times of change.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data and/or information. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification, and in referencing such analysis to established standards for the purpose of recognizing actual or probable interactive effects and relationships.
• Requires the ability provide guidance, assistance, and/or interpretation to others on how to apply procedures and standards to specific situations.
• Requires the ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of descriptive data and information, such as city ordinance and the Texas Department of Health’s Health and Safety Code regarding the enforcement of the Rabies Act.
• Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Requires ability to apply principles of rational systems. Ability to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form. Ability to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.
• Requires the ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving a variety of generally pre-defined duties which are often characterized by frequent change.
• Requires the ability to perform coordinated movements involving placing and turning motions, such as utilizing a snake tongs, restraint poles, traps, tranquilizer guns and syringes/needles (euthanasia).
  
  

Required Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any work related experience resulting in acceptable proficiency levels in the below Minimum Qualifications is an acceptable substitute for the below specified education and experience requirements.

High school diploma or GED required. Requires Basic Animal Control and Euthanasia certifications, or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire. Must have the ability to pass a physical appropriate to the physical demands of this position. Must possess and maintain a Class C Driver’s License in good standing. This position requires being on call on a rotating schedule and must be able to respond to call outs within 30 minutes. May be required to receive rabies pre-exposure vaccinations.

When Assigned to Animal Control Officer, Senior

Minimum qualifications of Animal Control Officer carry over, in addition to:

• Three (3) or more years of recent animal control experience.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Bi-Lingual (Spanish-English) preferred.
  
  

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Must pass a drug screen and background check.
• Must have Class C Texas Driver’s License
  
  

Physical Demands/Supplemental

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Positions in this classification frequently bend, stoop, kneel, and reach animals in order to clean animal housing areas and provide general care and perform medical procedures. Positions in this classification frequently lift, move, and carry animals and/or supplies that typically weigh up to 100 pounds. The position requires firm grasping and wrist extension and rotation on a frequent basis.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The position is frequently exposed to loud noise such as barking of dogs and other animal noises. The position works outdoors as well as indoors and is subject to variable weather conditions (e.g. dirt, cold, rain, fumes, strong odors, smoke, toxic chemicals, pollen, dust, etc) and exposure to animal bites and scratches hazards (vicious, wild, rabid animals, dust mites, etc.), and potentially infectious diseases or allergies.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed as of the date of preparation and approval. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the position. Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by management. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and all requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

The City of McKinney is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) committed to an alcohol / drug free workplace and to providing equal opportunities regardless of age, race, color, gender, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.