Animal Control Officer

City of Suffolk•Animal Control, VA

13d•Onsite

About The Position

Under general supervision, performs semi-skilled work for the City in the enforcement of ordinances and statues related to the control of animals and the operation of an animal shelter. Work involves capturing, confining, and euthanizing stray, diseased, and dangerous animals. Employee is also responsible for maintaining the animal shelter in a clean and safe condition, and feeding, handling, and providing custodial care to animals in the shelter. Employee must exercise independent judgment and initiative in ensuring proper care for animals. Employee must also exercise tact, courtesy and firmness in frequent contact with animal owners and the general public. Employee is subject to the usual hazards of animal control work. Reports to the Chief Animal Control Officer. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Requirements

Graduation from high school or completion of GED supplemented by additional training in animal control, and some work experience involving contact with animals ; or any equivalent combination or training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
Requires a valid driver's license.
Must be able to qualify with issued firearm(s).
Knowledge of laws and ordinances related to humane animal collection, care and disposal methods.
Knowledge of the geography of the City.
Knowledge of safety practices concerning the handling of animals.
Ability to use equipment for capturing and euthanizing animals.
Ability to operate and maintain a lawn mower and associated groundskeeping equipment.
Ability to prepare and maintain records concerning daily activities.
Ability to exercise tact and courtesy in explaining and enforcing State laws and local ordinances pertaining to animal control.
Ability to exercise initiative and independent judgement in applying laws and ordinances to work situations.
Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
Ability to maintain readiness to work on a 24-hour, call-in basis.
Ability to exercise tact, courtesy and firmness in frequent contact with animal owners and the general public.
Ability to establish and effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and/or directions from superiors.
Ability to read a variety of records and forms.
Requires the ability to prepare reports, forms and correspondence using prescribed formats.
Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence, including communication over a two-way radio.
Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Requires the ability to assess critical situations and establish methods to resolve such situations.
Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.
Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages, including veterinarian and legal terminology, and emergency response codes.
Ability to utilize mathematical formulas.
Must be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide.
Must be able to utilize decimals and percentages.
Ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Responsibilities

Responds to requests for service, euthanizing, capturing and confining stray, diseased and dangerous animals, including domestic and wild animals, livestock and fowl.
Responds to after-hours calls concerning animal emergencies.
Maintains the animal shelter in a clean and safe condition, and feeding, handling, and providing custodial care to animals in the shelter.
Captures, confines, and euthanizes stray, diseased, and dangerous animals.
Euthanizes vicious, diseased and unclaimed animals utilizing humane methods.
Impounds animals and places them within the animal shelter according to size, sex, needs, and circumstances involved in pick-up.
Investigates cases of cruelty to animals, stolen dogs and the shooting of animals; writes summons; prepares offense and progress reports; appears in court and testifies.
Cleans and disinfects kennels and cages to provide a suitable environment for the animals; makes routine inspections of all animals and their cages for their health and welfare and the safety and cleanliness of their cages; maintains grounds of animal shelter.
Investigates animal bite cases; ensures that confinement of such animals is proper and complete according to the law; decapitates animals who are suspected to have rabies and have died while in confinement.
Answers telephone, and greets visitors; receives inquiries and provides information or refers inquiries to appropriate personnel.
Prepares reports on all stray and surrendered animals.
Provides credible testimony in a court of law.
Assists the public in searches for lost pets; provides information and counseling to animal owners regarding provisions of the law.
Speaks to public schools and other organizations concerning animal control.
Performs other related duties as required.