Animal Control Officer

Smithville; Smithville (MO); Hybride; USD 49 000 - 69 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Medical insurance

Dental and vision

Paid parental leave

11 paid holidays annually

2 personal days annually

Vacation & Sick leave

Retirement (LAGERS)

Life insurance

Wellness reimbursement

Résumé du poste

The City of Smithville seeks a full-time Animal Control Officer to build and manage the city’s animal control program within the Police Department. You will provide hands-on animal care, enforce ordinances, educate residents, and collaborate with veterinarians and agencies.

Responsibilities include responding to calls, maintaining the city pound, developing a Trap-Neuter-Release program, and supervising volunteers, with a focus on professional service and community safety.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; 1 year animal handling/shelter ops preferred.
• Animal control certification preferred; must obtain within first year if not already certified.
• Valid driver's license; ability to communicate effectively and prepare reports.

Responsabilités

• Respond to animal-related calls and complaints citywide.
• Enforce city ordinances and state laws.
• Capture and safely handle stray, injured, or aggressive animals.
• Transport animals to pound or veterinarians.
• Maintain pound operations and inventory.
• Coordinate veterinary treatment and animal health needs.
• Develop and implement a Trap-Neuter-Release program.
• Educate the public on responsible pet ownership and licensing.
• Recruit and supervise volunteers.
• Prepare enforcement cases and testify in municipal court.

Connaissances

Communication

Report writing

Independent work

Professionalism

Formation

High school diploma or equivalent

Animal control certification

Description du poste

Salary Range: $48,999.99 to $68,609.81 annually

The City of Smithville is seeking a motivated, dependable, and compassionate individual to serve as our full-time Animal Control Officer within the Smithville Police Department. This is an opportunity to do more than simply respond to animal-related calls. The person selected will help develop and shape Smithville's full-time animal control program while providing professional animal care, ordinance enforcement, public education, and responsive service to the community. The Animal Control Officer is a civilian member of the Police Department and will work closely with police officers, City staff, veterinarians, residents, and outside agencies.

What You'll Do

• Responding to animal-related calls and complaints throughout the City.
• Enforcing City animal ordinances and applicable state laws.
• Issuing warnings, notices, and municipal citations when appropriate.
• Investigating animal bites, nuisance complaints, potential cruelty or neglect, animals at large, and other animal-related incidents.
• Capturing and safely handling stray, aggressive, injured, or distressed animals.
• Transporting animals to the City pound, veterinary offices, or other locations as needed.
• Managing the day-to-day operation of the City pound, including feeding, animal care, kennel cleaning, sanitation, and maintaining the facility.
• Coordinating veterinary treatment and animal health needs.
• Managing animal intake, owner redemption, adoption, quarantine, and related records.
• Maintaining accurate reports and documentation within the Police Department records system.
• Develop and implement a Trap-Neuter-Release program for the City of Smithville.
• Educating the public about responsible pet ownership, licensing requirements, and animal ordinances.
• Assisting police officers with animal-related incidents and investigations.
• Helping develop procedures and practices for Smithville's growing animal control program.
• Recruit, coordinate, and work alongside volunteers who assist with animal care, socialization, adoption activities, and other approved animal control program needs.
• Help develop a positive and organized volunteer program by providing volunteers with direction, training, assignments, and appropriate oversight while they are working with animals or at the City pound.
• Process adoptions and owner redemptions, including required documentation, fees and receipts.
• Maintain animal care supplies, equipment and inventory necessary for operation of the City pound.
• Prepare enforcement cases and provide professional testimony in municipal court when required.

This position requires someone who is comfortable working independently, making sound decisions, dealing professionally with the public, and performing both enforcement duties and hands-on animal care.

Physical and Work Environment

This is an active, hands-on position requiring regular physical activity, including standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching and climbing. The position may require lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling animals, equipment and materials weighing up to 50 pounds. Work is performed both indoors and outdoors and may occur during adverse weather conditions. The Animal Control Officer regularly works with stray, injured, frightened, aggressive and potentially ill animals and may be exposed to animal-borne illnesses. Appropriate personal protective equipment is required when necessary.

Qualifications

A high school diploma or equivalent is required. One year of experience in animal handling, shelter operations, wildlife control, animal control enforcement, or a related field is preferred. An equivalent combination of relevant education, training, and experience may be considered.

Animal control certification through a recognized state or national organization is preferred. If not already certified, the successful candidate will be required to obtain approved animal control certification within the first year of employment.

Applicants must:

• Possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
• Be able to communicate effectively with the public and other professionals.
• Be capable of preparing accurate reports and documentation.
• Be comfortable working with frightened, injured, aggressive, or difficult animals.
• Safely capture, restrain, handle and transport stray, frightened, injured, dangerous or aggressive animals, utilizing appropriate animal control equipment and techniques.
• Be willing to perform routine animal care and kennel-cleaning duties.
• Demonstrate good judgment, professionalism, and the ability to work independently.
• Successfully complete a rigorous background investigation and other required pre-employment screening.

Schedule

The position is expected to work generally Monday through Friday, with occasional after-hour or weekend response as needed. Police patrol officers will continue to provide animal-related response when the Animal Control Officer is unavailable.

Compensation and Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $48,999.99 to $68,609.81, depending on qualifications and experience.

• City-paid employee medical insurance.
• Dental and vision insurance available.
• Paid parental leave.
• 11 paid holidays annually.
• 2 personal days annually.
• Vacation & Sick leave accruing from the start of employment, 4 days each per pay period.
• LAGERS L6 retirement.
• $50,000 life insurance, paid by the City
• Wellness reimbursement up to $300 annually

Why This Position Is Different

Smithville is transitioning from a primarily patrol-based animal control response to a dedicated full-time animal control program. The person selected will have the opportunity to help build that program from the ground up, improve animal ordinance enforcement, improve response times, expand public education, strengthen animal licensing compliance, and reduce the amount of patrol time devoted to routine animal control calls.

We are looking for someone who wants to take ownership of the program, work as part of the Police Department team, and help establish a professional and effective animal control service for the Smithville community.

We are fortunate to have the support a local 501(c)(3) organization that provides valuable assistance to the City pound and helps support animal care needs throughout the year. The successful candidate will work closely with the organization to maintain the strong partnership already in place, coordinate efforts to support animals in our care, and help build on that relationship for years to come.

Application deadline:

First review of applications will be October 1 st . The position will remain open until filled.

The City of Smithville is an Equal Opportunity Employer.