Animal Services Officer

City of Burlington, NC; Haw River (NC); Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Burlington Animal Services, a department of the City of Burlington, NC, seeks an Animal Services Officer to support field services, education, and enforcement of animal laws. You will engage with residents at community events and respond to animal-related concerns with a focus on pet lifesaving and public safety.

The role offers flexible work environments and opportunities to work from home with overtime and on-call rotation for after-hours emergencies.

Qualifications

• Well-versed in animal welfare laws and guidelines (NC G.S. chapters listed).
• Competent in animal control practices and humane handling.
• Strong communication and critical thinking abilities.

Responsibilities

• Respond to, investigate, and resolve calls for service about public health or safety related to animals.
• Provide emergency animal assistance and support to community members as needed.
• Issue warnings and citations to enforce local ordinances and coordinate with law enforcement.
• Prepare reports and provide expert testimony as necessary.

Skills

Animal welfare

Regulatory knowledge

Emergency response

Communication skills

Critical thinking

Tools

Chameleon

Acuity

Office 365

Job description

Job Description

Have you been looking for a position in animal welfare where you can make a real difference for your community?

Do you thrive in flexible work environments that allow you to work independently while simultaneously being part of a supportive team?

Are you looking for a role where no two days are exactly alike and where you’ll be engaged in a variety of meaningful work that allows you to use a broad range of skills?

Is working alongside a positive, professional team that prioritizes pet lifesaving and maintains the highest care standards important to you?

If so, you belong in Burlington as an Animal Services Officer!

What You Will Do

You’ll be a vital member of our field services team, supporting quality of life and pet lifesaving in our community through providing community-oriented animal field services, pet support education and resources, and enforcing local ordinances and state animal laws. You’ll also have opportunities to work from home, earning overtime and supplemental on-call pay in addition to your base salary through rotational on-call responsibility for responding to after-hours animal emergencies in the field and remotely. You will participate in community events, interact with residents, investigate cases involving animal-related concerns and complaints, and use modern field services strategies and practices that contribute to positive outcomes and pet lifesaving.

About Us

Burlington Animal Services, a department of the City of Burlington, NC, is committed to pet lifesaving, community engagement, and proactive initiatives. Guided by a no-kill philosophy, we envision a future where pets and families thrive together. In 2024, our Burlington Pet Adoption and Resource Center cared for over 7,000 pets with a 93% pet lifesaving rate. BAS operates with transparency, collaboration, and a commitment to high-quality public service, ensuring positive outcomes for every pet that can be saved.

Learn more about our mission and impact at burlingtonnc.gov/pets.

Examples of Duties

Community Response & Public Safety

• Respond to, investigate, and resolve calls for service from the community related to public health or safety, such as pets in danger; pets creating a danger or nuisance; animal bites and rabies exposures; animal-related community problems; preventing animal bites and animal-related communicable disease concerns.
• Provide animal-related emergency assistance and support to community members through direct requests from the local community and mutual aid requests from law enforcement and other governmental units.
• Issue warnings and citations when appropriate to enforce local ordinances, coordinate with law enforcement in addressing criminal offenses involving animals in the community, prepare professional reports, and attend court to provide expert testimony as necessary.

Community Engagement & Education

• Act as a resource to citizens by offering information, counseling, and collaborative problem-solving of animal issues using modern animal welfare practices.
• Engage in public relations and community service activities at events to build positive, cooperative, and collaborative relationships between the department and the community.
• Analyze situations, think critically, problem-solve, and facilitate resolutions to conflicts in the community concerning animal nuisance issues and other animal-related concerns.

Animal Welfare & Lifesaving Initiatives

• Contribute to the programs and services that support the agency’s pet lifesaving and positive outcomes goals.
• Practice humane animal handling and capture techniques in alignment with regulatory requirements and industry guidelines
• Perform EBI for animals with irremediable conditions.

Administrative & Digital Record-Keeping

• Prepare and maintain digital reports, records, appointments, and photographs of incoming pets, as well as case investigations utilizing Chameleon, Acuity, Office 365, and other applications within a digital records system environment.

Other Duties

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Comprehensive Legal & Regulatory Knowledge: Well-versed in animal welfare laws and guidelines, including NC G.S. Chapters 19A (Protection of Animals), 130A Article 6 (Rabies), 67 Article 1A (Dangerous Dogs), 68 Article 3 (Livestock Law), NCAC 52J (Animal Welfare Section), COB Ordinances, NAPHV Compendium of Rabies Prevention & Control (2016), and NIMS ICs.
• Animal Control Officer Competencies: In-depth understanding of animal control practices, humane animal handling, care and treatment, investigative strategies, court procedures, community relations, and emergency/disaster response protocols.
• Strong Communication & Critical Thinking: Expert in