Animal Protection & Control (APC) Officer

NOCO HUMANE•Loveland, CO

27d•$26 - $26•Onsite

About The Position

The APC Officer enforces state, county, and city codes and ordinances governing animal control, including field enforcement, licensing, animals at large, and animal-bite investigations. The role also performs Animal Control Dispatcher duties, including receiving and assigning calls, tracking officers in the field, and monitoring officer safety. The officer supports citizens with ordinance interpretation and responsible animal ownership, represents NOCO Humane and contracted jurisdictions professionally, and helps promote the organization’s programs and services. Work is performed in a shared office and outdoors, with exposure to varied weather, noise, domestic and wild animals, aggressive animals, animal waste, and zoonotic diseases. Schedules are generally five eight-hour shifts or four ten-hour shifts and may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and at least three overnight on-call shifts per month. Living within 30 miles of the shelter is required because of on-call duties. The position requires handling animals, operating animal-control equipment and vehicles, wearing body armor, and completing vaccination and euthanasia certification within six months of hire. Candidates must be able to obtain rabies vaccination, remain current with boosters, and undergo periodic titer testing. NOCO Humane conducts background and DMV checks and requires drug testing.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 21 years of age for insurance purposes.
Valid Colorado driver’s license and an insurable driving record.
Eligibility for commission as an Officer.
At least one full year of work experience.
Demonstrated work ethic and integrity.
Ability to establish and maintain effective, positive working relationships with staff, community partners, and citizens.
Ability to remain calm in stressful and emotional situations and provide professional, courteous, and ethical customer service to a wide variety of clients.
Emotional intelligence, ethics, and integrity.
Sincere interest in the organization’s mission and discretion when handling confidential or sensitive information.
Ability to prioritize, coordinate assignments, and multitask in a busy work environment; assess situations and identify options.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely with the public and coworkers, verbally and in writing.
Ability and willingness to handle animals of all temperaments and conditions, including aggressive, injured, ill, and deceased animals.
Ability to obtain vaccination and euthanasia certification and perform those skills within six months of employment.
Ability to read and interpret ordinances.
Computer, basic clerical, writing, and math skills.
Comfort initiating public contact, relaying information, and providing courtroom testimony.
Ability to operate animal-control equipment and vehicles and follow safety instructions.
Ability to receive rabies vaccination, remain current with vaccination, and undergo periodic titer testing.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call shifts.
Ability to pass the exam for Colorado certification as an Animal and Protection Control Officer within three years of employment in the position.
Ability to lift and carry objects or animals weighing up to 50 pounds without assistance and heavier loads with assistance.
Ability to withstand extended periods of driving and perform the physical activities described, including lifting, bending, squatting, walking, running, sitting, standing, data entry, and operating equipment with hand and foot coordination.
Ability to drive and talk on the radio simultaneously.
Ability to live within 30 miles of the shelter due to on-call duties.

Nice To Haves

Advanced or completed education in an applicable field such as Animal Science, Wildlife Science, Criminal Justice, Criminology, or Veterinary Technology.
Previous animal care, animal welfare, or animal-handling experience.
Experience reading and interpreting ordinances.
Experience prioritizing duties and multitasking in a busy work environment.
Previous enforcement or animal-control experience.
Previous applicable dispatch experience.
Experience using Chameleon software.
Knowledge of animal breeds, behavior, and health, and experience handling aggressive or injured animals.
Bilingual English/Spanish speaking, reading, writing, and understanding; additional compensation is provided.

Responsibilities

Investigate reports of animal ordinance violations, conduct follow-up investigations, and keep the Director of APC and APC Sergeants informed of progress and potential issues.
Help citizens understand animal ordinances, department procedures, and responsible animal ownership.
Issue warnings and legal summonses for ordinance violations and testify in court cases related to animal-control violations.
Maintain accurate logs, reports, and statistics of daily activity.
Respond to assistance requests from jurisdictions and departments as assigned.
Patrol jurisdictions and initiate contact with citizens and animals to promote compliance with ordinances and humane treatment of animals.
Represent NOCO Humane and contracted jurisdictions professionally, courteously, and ethically.
Promote the organization’s programs, services, and development.
Follow safety protocols and processes, meet safe-driving standards, and maintain an insurable driving record.
Stay current with industry trends and changes in ordinances and procedures.
Impound and transport domestic and wild animals of differing temperaments, and vaccinate animals as required.
Complete at least three compensated overnight on-call shifts per month.
Perform dispatcher duties, including responding to public calls, assigning and dispatching calls to officers, monitoring officer locations and safety, and assigning follow-up calls.
Maintain confidentiality regarding clients, the organization, and the department.
Meet attendance and punctuality expectations and adhere to Standards of Professional Conduct.
Clean and maintain applicable equipment and work areas.
Perform wildlife capture, rescue, and euthanasia as required.
Perform other duties as assigned.