Animal Control Officer- Animal Control

Doña Ana County; Las Cruces (NM); On-site; USD 22,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Doña Ana County is seeking an Animal Control Officer to enforce animal regulations and state statutes, capture and transport animals safely, and prepare reports for prosecution. The role includes after-hours on-call rotation and public outreach at schools and events.

Qualified applicants will have a high school diploma, at least six months of relevant experience, a valid driver’s license, and the ability to work independently in a county-wide rural and urban environment.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum six months full-time experience in animal care or law enforcement or related fields.
• Valid driver's license and clean driving record.
• Current National Animal Control Association certification preferred.
• Must pass pre-employment background check.

Responsibilities

• Patrol assigned areas to locate violations of animal regulations.
• Safely capture and remove stray or abused animals using nets, muzzles, and traps.
• Scan for microchips and contact owners to return animals when possible.
• Impound animals and complete required paperwork for accountability.
• Prepare case files, take photos, and testify in court when needed.
• Educate the public on animal regulations and licensing requirements.

Skills

Animal control

Public safety

Court testimony

Bilingual English/Spanish (preferred)

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

Job Description

PURPOSE SUMMARY.

Perform animal control enforcement duties, enforce animal control ordinances, and, with Sheriff's Department coordination - state statutes, capture/restrain a variety of stray, vicious, injured, wild, and stray or unwanted domesticated dogs and/or cats using humane methods to minimize injury to animals while maintaining safety.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES.

1. Patrols assigned areas to locate animals in violation of animal regulations, laws, and ordinances.

• Safely capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions using nets, catch poles, leases, muzzles, and traps as necessary.
• Scan captured animals for a microchip using the issued microchip scanner and contact animal owners to attempt to return the animal prior to impound.
• Place captured animals in animal control vehicles and transport animals to the impound facility.
• Impound animals and complete required paperwork to ensure accurate accountability of all animals impounded.
• Clean and sanitize animal control cages after each impound to clean bodily fluid, blood, and to eliminate the spread of zoonotic diseases.
• Verify the validity of animals and permit licenses in accordance with regulations and issue warnings or citations for non-compliance.
• Investigate complaints concerning treatment of animals; discuss compliance plan with owner and/or refer to law enforcement in accordance with department procedures for state statute violations.
• Initiate follow-up visits and inspections to ensure compliance.
• Submit reports of enforcement activities and case reports before the end of the shift.
• Responds to calls for service for assigned shifts and must be able to be on an after-hours on-call rotation.

2. Responsible for safe capture of snakes that pose threat to public safety using issued tongs.

3. Responds to public inquiries and complaints regarding animal violations.

4. Prepares for prosecution related to violations of ordinances.

• Initiates case file preparation in coordination with Case Worker
• Prepares written reports and takes pictures as documentation.
• Testifies in court proceedings.

5. Provides options for mediation between neighbors in resolving animal related disputes and issues.

6. Educate the public at school presentations and other County events on animal regulations and licensing requirements.

7. Handle difficult situations using professionalism and tact.

8. Perform special projects and activities.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS.

A. Education.

High School Diploma or equivalent is required.

B. Experience.

A minimum of six (6) months of full-time work experience in any of the following: professional care and handling of animals; law enforcement; enforcing environmental health laws, law enforcement; jailer; or relevant military experience. Bilingual (English/Spanish) is preferred to effectively communicate with citizens when responding to calls in the community.

C. Education/Experience substitution.

N/A

D. Licenses/Certifications.

Valid driver's license. Must maintain a valid driver's license and an acceptable driving record in accordance with County Policy. Current National Animal Control Association (NACA or related) Certification is preferred.

E. Other (e.g., post-offer medical exam, polygraph, background check, driver's license record, etc.).

Must pass pre-employment background check and driver's license record check.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED BY THE POSITION:

Knowledge of : Basic care and custody, treatment, and diseases of various animals; safe and efficient techniques for capturing and controlling animals; county geography. Administrative and clerical procedures and systems, such as word processing, spreadsheet, database and other software programs. Report preparation, records management, office procedures, and terminology.

Skill to : Handle domestic animals; interpret and apply County ordinances and state statutes relating to animal control enforcement; work independently while recognizing issues that should be referred to the supervisor; and identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. Use defensive tactics to minimize injury when capturing animals in the County and its boundaries.

Ability to : Use computers; operate two-way radio systems utilizing 10 code; identify different breeds and species of animals; communicate information and ideas effectively in written and oral form so that others will understand; testify accurately and effectively in court. Actively look for ways to resolve situations; and establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with others.

Compensation Range

$16.00 - $24.26

Doña Ana County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to abide by all federal and state laws prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of a person's race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, disability, serious medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, spousal affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other unlawful criteria, except where a reasonable Bona Fide Occupational Qualification exists.

Doña Ana County will make reasonable accommodation(s) for the known physical or mental limitations of an applicant with a disability, upon request, unless the accommodation(s) would cause an undue hardship on the operation of the County. Please see http://www.donaanacounty.org/ada/ for our Public Notice and to get the Testing/Interview Accommodation Request Form or call 575-647-7210 for assistance.