Animal Control Dispatcher

Walker-County-Government; Chickamauga (GA); On-site; USD 38,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Walker County Government seeks an Animal Control Dispatcher to receive, document, prioritize, and dispatch animal control calls within Walker County, GA. You will serve as the primary contact between the public, officers, law enforcement, EMS, and county departments regarding animal-related issues.

The role requires sound judgment, effective communication, and the ability to stay calm in stressful situations while maintaining detailed records and providing professional service.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• 2+ years in administrative support, clerical work, customer service, or office management preferred.
• Experience in animal welfare, animal services, or local government preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Valid Georgia driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Answer incoming telephone calls, radio communications, and other requests for animal control services.
• Receive, document, and prioritize complaints involving stray animals, aggressive animals, animal bites, welfare concerns, injured animals, livestock on roadways, and other incidents.
• Obtain accurate information from callers (names, contacts, locations, animal descriptions, safety risks).
• Dispatch animal control officers to service calls based on priority, officer availability, and public safety.

Skills

Verbal Communication

Written Communication

Data Entry

Decision Making

Calm Under Pressure

Multitasking

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Animal Control Dispatcher is responsible for receiving, documenting, prioritizing, and dispatching calls for animal control services within Walker County, Georgia. This position serves as a primary point of contact between the public, animal control officers, law enforcement, emergency services, and other county departments regarding animal-related complaints and service requests.

The dispatcher gathers accurate information, evaluates the nature and urgency of reported incidents, communicates assignments to field personnel, maintains detailed records, and provides professional customer service to county residents. The position requires sound judgment, clear communication, attention to detail, and the ability to remain calm and professional in stressful situations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Answer incoming telephone calls, radio communications, and other requests for animal control services.
• Receive, document, and prioritize complaints involving stray animals, aggressive animals, animal bites, animal welfare concerns, injured animals, livestock on roadways, and other animal-related incidents.
• Obtain accurate information from callers, including names, contact information, incident locations, descriptions of animals, and details regarding potential safety risks.
• Dispatch animal control officers to service calls based on established procedures, incident priority, officer availability, and public safety considerations.
• Maintain communication with field officers and relay updates, additional information, and changes in incident conditions.
• Identify potentially dangerous or urgent situations and promptly notify the appropriate supervisor, law enforcement agency, emergency service, or other designated authority when necessary.
• Maintain accurate and timely records of calls for service, officer assignments, dispatch times, incident dispositions, and follow-up requests.
• Enter and update information in computer-aided dispatch systems, databases, spreadsheets, and other departmental recordkeeping systems.
• Provide callers with general information regarding animal control services, department procedures, applicable county ordinances, and complaint processes.
• Communicate professionally with residents, county employees, law enforcement personnel, veterinarians, animal shelters, and other partner agencies.
• Maintain confidentiality of protected information and follow county policies regarding records, communications, and information security.
• Monitor pending calls and communicate unresolved issues to the appropriate personnel.
• Assist with preparing daily activity reports, call logs, statistical summaries, and other administrative documentation.
• Follow established procedures for emergency notifications, officer safety, radio communications, and incident escalation.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Animal Control Supervisor or authorized county management.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• (2) years of experience in administrative support, clerical work, customer service, office management, or a related field preferred.
• Experience in animal welfare, animal services, or local government is preferred.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Valid Georgia driver's license.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally over the telephone and two-way radio.
• Ability to remain calm, courteous, and effective when handling upset callers or stressful situations.
• Ability to gather accurate information and make sound decisions regarding call prioritization.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to enter information accurately into computer systems while communicating with callers or field personnel.
• Basic computer proficiency, including email, data entry, and electronic recordkeeping.
• Ability to understand and follow written and verbal instructions, departmental procedures, and county policies.
• Ability to handle confidential information responsibly.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining effective communication with supervisors and coworkers.
• Ability to recognize potentially dangerous situations and follow established notification and escalation procedures.
• Ability to interact respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds and with varying levels of distress.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the Animal Control Dispatcher. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential function of this position.

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to be able to lift at least 25 pounds. He/She must be able to stand and squat for extended periods of time. He/She must be able to stand, sit, squat, bend and reach over his/her head. Other physical demands include but are not limited to:

• Climbing and balancing equipment, step stools, and ladders
• Standing or squatting
• Able to lift a minimum of 25 lbs.
• Sitting at a desk for an extended period
• Bending, twisting, pushing, and pulling while cleaning and assisting in other duties including holding animals

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This job operates in a office environment. This role routinely involves standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is usually exposed to a noise level that is low to moderate. This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are normally Monday through Friday, 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

STANDARDS FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE

• Successful development and implementation of objectives; continuous growth in service provided.
• Appropriate and positive interaction with staff, management, volunteers, community groups and professional associates and private citizens
• Accomplishment of job functions in an effective and timely manner.
• Effectiveness in establishing priorities, working on multiple assignments and concurrent projects, appropriately completing assigned tasks.
• Exercise of sound judgment in the absence of specific guidelines.
• Demonstrated ability to thoroughly analyze problems; to meet demanding and changing deadlines despite interruptions.
• Compliance with established policies and procedures.