Animal Care Specialist - Sheriff's Office

Cobb County Government•Sheriff's Office Marietta, GA

About The Position

The Animal Care Specialist cares for and helps ensure the health and safety of Mounted Patrol service mounts, while performing related administrative and technical duties for the Mounted Patrol Unit. The position works under the direction of the Stable Master, often in an assistant or support capacity. Duties include assessing horses’ health and condition, providing daily and follow-up care, administering and documenting medications and treatments, maintaining supplies and records, supporting training for horses and deputies, and assisting with unit events and appointments. The role also helps maintain accurate records for State Department of Agriculture review and performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Some vocational or technical training in equine care.
Two years of experience in equine care.
Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
Ability to perform tasks requiring moderate-high physical effort, including climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, prolonged standing and walking, jogging, and horseback riding; tasks may involve lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling objects or horses weighing up to 100 pounds.
Ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odors, and visual cues or signals for some tasks.
Ability to communicate orally for some tasks.

Responsibilities

Assist with behavioral, undersaddle, and ground assessments of Mounted Patrol horses, establishing and updating records on their health, psychology, nutritional needs, training regimen, and physiological condition.
Conduct daily horse checks, including picking feet, treating thrush and rainrot or mudrot, grooming, treating wounds, and noting new wounds, ailments, or abnormal behavior.
Assist with care of sick or injured horses, administer medications, monitor vital signs and reactions, change wound dressings, facilitate veterinary care as directed, document care in veterinary logs, and evaluate horses’ temperament and disposition.
Assist unit Sergeants and the Stable Master with administrative tasks, including preparing purchasing and service approval requests, submitting and tracking supply orders, picking up supplies, and recording and storing items.
Help train Mounted Patrol deputies in animal care and job-specific skills, including riding, basic equitation, trail safety, sensory training, equine psychology and physiology, and horse care and maintenance.
Assist with training service mounts under saddle and on the ground in new or unfamiliar areas, arenas, round pens, trails, and other training locations.
When authorized, help prepare, facilitate, and break down unit events, zone patrols, veterinary and farrier appointments, saddle fittings, clinics, training opportunities, lessons, and individual training.
Support event preparation and horse care, including grooming, tacking, feeding, watering, addressing behavioral issues, keeping staged areas clean, and picking up manure as needed.
Assist with procuring supplies and oversee inventory for the barn and horse trailers, including horse-care items, medications, equipment, tack, cleaning items, and other unit supplies.
Ensure the barn and trailers are properly equipped, replenish liquids in spray bottles, and maintain required equipment and supplies.
Provide follow-up treatment for sick or injured horses under the Stable Master's direction, assist with the medication locker, and maintain documentation and accountability for drugs and medications.
Maintain records for service mounts housed at the Mounted Patrol Unit barn and ensure breed, sex, age, and color are documented correctly for State Department of Agriculture review.
Perform other related duties as assigned.