Animal Control Officer I

Essential Functions

• Enforces the provisions of federal, state, and local codes and ordinances providing for regulation, care, and registration of animals.
• Patrols County streets and responds to dispatched calls from citizens concerning animal control issues such as potential animal abuse, animal bites, stray/nuisance animals, wild/dangerous animals, and injured/dead animals.
• Organizes and prioritizes complaints; verifies vaccinations and licensing of animals; distributes and collects licenses from veterinarians.
• Attempts to keep the peace between complainants and animal owners; issues warnings and citations for violations of animal control laws and advises owners of their responsibilities; follows up as necessary.
• Tracks and traps/captures animals; assists with locating lost pets; may remove animals from roofs, trees, and under houses; impounds animals in violation of ordinances; assist with disaster animal response.
• Handles animals, restraining as appropriate; administers medical aid to injured animals; transports to animal shelter, veterinarian, or as otherwise directed; prepares and administers medications, vaccinations, and worming treatments.
• Assists in subduing feral animals; arranges quarantines with owners of animals for rabies observations; returns animals to owners after appropriate detainment or after having been found; decapitates and ships specimens to the state lab for rabies testing as necessary.
  Investigates, collects evidence, establishes files, prepare and type investigative reports, and compiles animal control related cases; prepares for, attends, and testifies in courtroom hearings and judicial proceedings as necessary.
• Educates the public on responsibility of pet ownership, animal care techniques and procedures, laws and ordinances, and pet adoption; handles public inquiries concerning animal services and pet adoptions.
• Observes and evaluates animals' behavior, characteristics, and interaction with humans to assist with determining adoptability.
• Receives and records call information in Chameleon database; prioritizes requested field services and notifies Animal Control Officers via two-way radio to respond to requests for service; ensures information in the Chameleon database is complete and accurate.
• Processes adoptions and impounded animals; identifies color, sex, breed of animals; scans animals for identification chips; places identification band on animal and cage card on cage; houses animals in proper area of kennel.
• Escorts the public and assists with looking for and reclaiming lost pets from the animal control center; accompanies owners visiting quarantined pets; monitors quarantined animals as required.
• Picks up and processes deceased animals from veterinarians; sedates aggressive animals for euthanasia; performs and/or assists with euthanasia of animals as necessary and in accordance with County policy.
• Transports euthanized animals to appropriate facilities for disposal; buries dead animals.
• Processes and maintains identification files and other required paperwork on all animals housed in the center; closes out complaints when resolved.
• Assists law enforcement and fire personnel in emergency situations including fire and hurricane evacuations; performs traffic control while attending injured animals; assists with evictions and injured/deceased humans involving animals.
• Documents all activity conducted in assigned position; takes photographs to document incidents. Permit & Licensing Compliance
• Organizes and prioritizes complaints; verifies vaccinations and licensing of animals; distributes and collects licenses from veterinarians.
• Inspects animal-related businesses, animal-related organizations, commercial and non-commercial breeders, rodeos, and declared dangerous dogs for compliance with animal control regulations and treatment of animals; send renewals; issue permits; issue citations and notices to comply for violations; work with other Divisions to facilitate permitting process.
• Attend off-site vaccination clinics and events to gain compliance of licensing and mandatory vaccination; data entry of licensing and vaccinations; send licensing renewals and late notices; follow-up on notices to comply for licensing, vaccinations, and permits renewals.
• Assists Animal Control Officers with patrols of county streets and responds to dispatched calls from citizens concerning animal control issues such as potential animal abuse, animal bites, stray/nuisance animals, wild/dangerous animals, and injured/dead animals.
  
  ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS
• Maintains, cleans, and disinfects vehicles, cages, and kennel areas; provides for the care of animals in kennel including obtaining food and supplies, feeding, and grooming.
• Provides educational exhibits; conducts facility tours; assists customers in front lobby.
  Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• One (1) year of related experience.
• Fingerprinting required.

Supplemental information

• Salary offers above the minimum pay grade may be considered based on qualifications.
• Essential Employees may be required to work during an undeclared or declared emergency. The County’s Administrative Office will determine who will be required to work on an incident-by-incident basis.
• This job posting is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position.