ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER

City of Ardmore; Ardmore (OK); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Ardmore seeks an Animal Control Officer to enforce local animal welfare laws and protect public safety. You will respond to calls, investigate abuse or neglect, impound animals, and assist in court actions.

Requires a state-certified HS diploma or GED and a valid Oklahoma driver’s license; must live within 30 minutes of Ardmore and operate radios and computers daily.

Qualifications

• State Certified High School diploma or GED.
• Valid Oklahoma Driver's license.
• Residence within 30 minutes of Ardmore.

Responsibilities

• Enforce City animal control and welfare laws and regulations.
• Explain ordinances to the public and answer animal-related calls.
• Investigate reports of nuisances and animal abuse; take appropriate action.
• Investigate animal bites, neglect, and abuse cases.
• Complete required reports and maintain records.
• Patrol city streets; impound animals as needed.
• Issue warnings, initiate legal actions, and testify in court.
• Impound, quarantine, and euthanize animals as appropriate; contact owners.
• Operate radios, computers, and phones; assist Police Department.
• Receive lost/found reports and help locate missing pets.
• Assist in scheduling and planning routine patrols.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Animal welfare enforcement

Public safety

Report writing

Interpersonal communication

Education

State Certified High School diploma or GED

Tools

Desktop computer

Radio equipment

Job description

To perform a variety of duties and enhance public safety by enforcing and attending to the welfare of animals and ensuring enforcement of City, County, and State laws governing the care and keeping of animals in the City; and to impound, care for, and euthanize animals as appropriate. To educate the public on laws and ordinances, safety issues, and proper care of animals. Investigate and impact animal abuse, abandonment, and neglect cases.

• Enforce City animal control and welfare laws, ordinances and regulations.
• Explain ordinances relating to keeping and caring for animals to the public, and answer calls regarding wild and domestic animals.
• Investigate reports or complaints of animals creating nuisances and take appropriate action; investigate reports of animal abuse.
• Investigate reports of animal bites, animal neglect, and abuse.
• Complete all required reports.
• Patrol City streets and roads; search for stray dogs, domestic animals, and livestock; impounding animals as necessary.
• Issue verbal and written warnings, initiate legal actions, and testify in court.
• Impound, quarantine, and euthanize animals as appropriate, contact animal owners if possible.
• Operate portable radios, computers, copy machine, and telephone.
• Assist the Police Department in person and on the telephone regarding animal related issues.
• Receive lost and found animal reports; assist citizens in locating missing pets.
• Assist in the establishment of schedules and methods for effective operations; plan routine patrols to search for stray animals.
• Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

Education

• State Certified High School diploma or GED

State of Oklahoma Requirements

• Valid Oklahoma State Driver's License
• Driving record acceptable to City insurance carrier
• Reside within 30 minutes of the City of Ardmore
• Must have or be able to obtain Basic Animal Control Officer Certification from the Oklahoma Animal Control Association.

Skills and Knowledge

• Responsible for all equipment and property assigned to them including but not limited to vehicles, catch poles, firearms and radios.
• Read and understand documents such as policy manuals, safety rules, operating and maintaining instructions and procedure manuals.
• Write routine reports and correspondence
• Perform math skills such as add, subtract, multiply and divide using numbers, money or measurements
• Carry out written, oral or diagrammed instructions
• Problem solve involving known variables in situations of a routine nature
• Considerable responsibility with regard to general assignments in planning time, method, manner, and/or sequence of performance of own work; may also occasionally assist in the planning of work assignments performed by others within a limited area of operation
• Performs work operations which permit frequent opportunity for decision-making of minor importance and also frequent opportunity for decision-making of major importance; the latter of which would affect the work operations of other employees and/or clientele to a moderate degree.
• Regular use of complex machines and equipment (desktop/laptop computer and software) occasional use of pepper spray and/or tranquilizing equipment.
• Extensive contacts with various diversified sectors of the public environment; wherein, the contacts are of major importance and failure to exercise proper judgment can lead to substantial losses to the organization.
• Contacts occasionally with others beyond immediate associates, but generally of a routine nature. May obtain, present or discuss data, but only as pertains to an immediate and specific assignment. No responsibility for obtaining cooperation or approval of action or decision.

Physical and Environmental Requirements:

The following physical and environmental activities and conditions represent those that must be met by and employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Stand
• Walk
• Sit
• Use hands to finger, Handle, or feel
• Climb or balance
• Stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, run or jump
• Talk or hear
• Taste or Smell
• Lift up to 25 pounds
• Lift up to 50 pounds

Normal Vision with or without corrective lenses – close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth vision, night vision, and adjust focus.

Moderate to high Noise Level

Moderate to high exposure to armed/dangerous persons, dangerous animals, communicable diseases, hazardous emergency driving, natural and man-made disasters, and hazards associated with traffic

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER