Animal Control & License Officer I/II

County of Riverside • Jurupa, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The County of Riverside Department of Animal Services has multiple openings for Animal Control & License Officer I/II. Immediate openings are available in Jurupa, and this recruitment may be used to fill vacancies throughout Riverside County. Animal Control & License Officers receive and investigate complaints from the public, businesses, homeowners, and other County agencies involving stray, injured, dangerous, or improperly controlled animals. Responsibilities include maintaining detailed patrol records, issuing citations and notices of violation, and enforcing Riverside County ordinances and California State laws related to animal licensing, vaccination, disease recognition, and treatment. Animal Control & License Officers serve as public representatives for the County and are expected to demonstrate integrity, professionalism, and sound judgment while providing compassionate customer service, including in emotionally charged situations. Officers are responsible for promoting safety for themselves, the public, businesses, and animals while effectively addressing animal control concerns. Competitive candidates will have strong conflict resolution skills along with effective verbal and written communication abilities, experience enforcing animal control laws, investigating public complaints, and working safety and effectively in occasionally hazardous or high-risk situations. This position requires on-call/standby availability and the ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as needed. The level at which the position will be filled is at the Department's discretion and is contingent on the candidate's experience and qualifications. The Riverside County Department of Animal Services believes the character of their organization is best reflected in the strong dedication of each one of their employees who strive to meet the highest standards of performance and compassion on behalf of the animals and people that they serve. The Department of Animal Services operates four shelters located in Blythe, Jurupa Valley, San Jacinto and Thousand Palms.

Requirements

• Graduation from high school or attainment of a satisfactory score on a G.E.D test.
• Six months in an animal shelter, veterinary office, animal grooming, animal board and kennel facility, or similar setting which included the care and handling of animals.
• Knowledge of techniques and procedures for the safe, humane and efficient handling of animals; laws and ordinances governing the licensing, treatment, and impounding of animals; the symptoms of common animal diseases; common breeds of domestic animals and appropriate practices for their care and feeding; techniques of investigation, including interviewing and fact-finding.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with the public and other employees; clearly explain animal control procedures and regulations to the public; exercise tact and good judgment in dealings with the public; handle animals humanely and safely; discharge firearms safely and accurately; read and comprehend laws and regulations pertaining to animal control and licensing; present evidence and testify in court cases; recognize symptoms of rabies and other animal diseases; maintain statistical records; access centralized information systems to retrieve and enter data; effectively communicate both orally and in writing.
• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.
• A series of three Rabies vaccines is required within 30 days of employment.
• Incumbents will be required to successfully complete the Penal Code 832 training within six months of hire.
• Six months equivalent to a Riverside County Animal Control & License Officer I or equivalent experience with another public agency or private association (i.e., The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
• Penal Code 832 (P.O.S.T.) certification.

Nice To Haves

• Strong conflict resolution skills
• Effective verbal and written communication abilities
• Experience enforcing animal control laws
• Investigating public complaints
• Working safety and effectively in occasionally hazardous or high-risk situations

Responsibilities

• Drive a vehicle to patrol jurisdictions overseen by Riverside County; enforce animal regulations, laws and ordinances; answer questions from the public concerning age, breed, characteristics, care, and treatment of animals; advise the public of legal rights, explaining and interpreting animal control laws, regulations, procedures, and policies; contact dog owners by house-to-house canvassing to locate unlicensed or unvaccinated dogs; check for valid rabies certificates, microchips, and verify signalment; collect and turn in license fees.
• Prepare reports, citations, or notices of violation; maintain records and complete forms concerning animal control and license violations and transactions, proficiently utilizing software and databases relating to Department of Animal Services (DAS).
• Work cooperatively with other law enforcement groups when joint action is required; issue violation notices and court citations; collect evidence and appear in court as a witness, as necessary.
• Ensure County vehicles are kept adequately fueled and maintained; inspect vehicles daily prior to use to identify any physical damage; alert supervisor when vehicles are due for maintenance and repair.
• Receive and investigate complaints and reports from the public and other agencies regarding stray, dangerous, unwanted, or improperly controlled animals; tactfully handle complaints, trying to remedy problems; under guidance from an Animal Control and License Officer II, investigate and prepare minor animal cruelty cases.
• Use tranquilizer guns or other means to control dangerous and/or injured animals as a last resort; answer emergency calls concerning persons bitten by animals.
• Quarantine potentially rabid animals; check potentially rabid animals at intervals as directed and release animals from quarantine at the end of a safe time period, as directed; issue citations for violation of the quarantine.
• Pick up and transport stray, confined, sick, injured, or dead animals; impound animals and release impounded animals to owners; segregate, isolate, perform euthanasia, and dispose of ill, injured, unwanted, or aged animals.
• Photograph and gather all pertinent facts of any issues pertaining to violations and citations; create activities in Chameleon database for follow-up with ongoing compliance of issues with the animal's welfare or physical environment.
• Post, file, and maintain citations on a daily basis; research County G.I.S. system for property owner information.
• Refer public to veterinary clinics and/or low-cost or subsidized veterinary services.
• Maintain daily records of canvassing inspections and enforcement efforts; prepare required documentation for legal actions; testify in court proceedings as needed for violations; access centralized information systems or databases to retrieve and enter data.
• Perform property rechecks under certain circumstances to verify compliance.
• Assist during vaccination clinics and/or offsite events as necessary.
• On rare occasions, pick-up stray or dead animals with capture equipment (e.g., catch poles, snake tongs, skunk poles, muzzles, nets, and/or cages); scan for microchip and research owner information; if applicable, transport to owner; issue citation for leash law violations and any other animal related violations; arrange for impound if owner/ animal information is not available or owner is not available at the time.

Benefits

• Competitive candidates will have strong conflict resolution skills along with effective verbal and written communication abilities, experience enforcing animal control laws, investigating public complaints, and working safety and effectively in occasionally hazardous or high-risk situations.
• This position requires on-call/standby availability and the ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as needed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED