Animal Control Officer

Join Our Award-Winning Team!

We are looking for dedicated individuals to join our team as Animal Control Officers. This is primarily a field operations or shelter-based role focused on enforcing State Statutes, County, and City Ordinances related to animals. The job involves ensuring the health and safety of the public by enforcing animal control codes, issuing warnings, citations, and summons, and apprehending stray animals.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responding to Animal Control Calls: You’ll handle a variety of animal-related complaints and emergencies, ranging from stray animals to animal bites and aggressive animals.
• Ensuring Public Safety: Enforce animal control codes, issue warnings, citations, and summons, and apprehend stray animals to ensure community safety.
• Field Patrol: Patrol designated areas, seize and impound dogs that are not under control, and conduct checks to ensure compliance with dog licensing requirements.
• Investigating Incidents: Conduct investigations related to animal bites, scratches, and encounters, and complete incident reports as needed.
• Capturing and Transporting Animals: Safely capture, trap, and transport both wild and domestic animals—including potentially dangerous ones—to appropriate facilities.
• Educating the Public: Provide information and guidance to citizens on animal control regulations, licensing requirements, and responsible pet ownership.
• Record Keeping and Reporting: Maintain detailed reports, activity logs, citations, and other necessary documentation. You will also communicate via radio, phone, and in writing with team members and the public.
• Court and Administrative Testimony: Provide testimony in court and administrative hearings as needed.

Education, Experience, Licensing

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: High school diploma or GED (or equivalent).
• Experience: One year of experience in animal handling, enforcement, law enforcement, or a related field.
• Certification: Must possess or be able to obtain Florida Animal Control Association (FACA) Certification in Euthanasia and FACA Certified Animal Control Officer certification within one year of hire.
• License: Valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.

Preferred Requirements:

• Degree: A degree in Criminal Justice or a closely related field.
• Experience: Two years of experience in animal handling, law enforcement, military, or animal control is preferred.

Supplemental Information

• Many tasks in this role come with a high degree of hazard and uncertainty.
• Unique mental stresses related to animal control enforcement may be present.
• This position requires the ability to work under stress due to human and animal behavior, as well as strong memory skills, creative problem-solving, and effective decision-making.

Shift Details:

Training Program:

• During your first few weeks on the job, you will undergo training during daytime hours to ensure you understand all of the necessary protocols and safety procedures.
• Once fully trained, you will transition to the night shift, where you will gain hands-on experience in a variety of challenging environments while ensuring the public's safety and well-being.
• Work Hours: Officers are expected to work the night shift from 3:00 PM to 11:30 PM with rotating on-call emergency shifts from 11:30 PM to 8:00 AM.
• Days Off: Days off will vary based on the agency’s needs, either Friday-Saturday or Sunday-Monday, ensuring at least one weekend day off.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE/RECOVERY ACTIVITIES:

All County employees are required to work before, during, or after an emergency as needed. This may include temporarily being assigned to work and performing duties outside of the normal scope of their position, location and work schedule to fit the needs of the County and its citizens.

DISCLAIMER: The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this classification. All positions are subject to a criminal background check. A conviction in and of itself may not necessarily preclude employment. Some positions may be subject to a pre-employment drug screening. Certain service members and veterans, and the spouses and family members of such service members and veterans, who claim and meet eligibility requirements of veterans preference, receive preference and priority in employment and are encouraged to apply.