Animal Services Officer

City of South Salt Lake; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 31,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

City of South Salt Lake is seeking an Animal Services Officer to enforce city codes governing animal care and control. You will patrol, respond to service calls, and support licensing, shelter operations, and humane handling of animals.

Responsibilities include documenting evidence, issuing warnings, and assisting in court dispositions. Must be able to work on-call shifts, weekends, and holidays while maintaining high safety and customer service standards.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Two years related work experience preferred.
• Valid state driver’s license.
• Pepper Spray Certification – required to attain and maintain Pepper Spray/OC certification.

Responsibilities

• Monitors animal ordinance violations and ensures public safety.
• Patrols to identify leash law violations and unlicensed/und vaccinated animals.
• Responds to calls from dispatch and shelter staff; prepares cases and issues citations as needed.
• Assists with licensing, microchipping, and animal adoption processes.
• Cares for animals in shelter including feeding, walking, and socializing.
• Participates in community outreach and education about responsible pet ownership.
• Maintains cleanliness of the shelter and records related to licenses and adoptions.
• Supports joint enforcement and problem-solving with COMMIT and other public safety staff.

Skills

Animal law knowledge

Investigation skills

Customer service

Handling dangerous animals

Education

Associate's degree

Special Functions Officer certification

Pepper Spray Certification

Job description

Position: Animal Services Officer

Department: Neighborhoods / Animal Services

Pay Grade: 17

Supervisor: Animal Services Field Supervisor

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Revision date: October 2026

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Animal Services Manager and Animal Services Field Supervisor, the Animal Services Officer is responsible for enforcing city codes governing the care and control of animals: proactively patrols and responds to calls for service to ensure code compliance and public safety; supports animal control activities pertaining to licensing, controlling, sheltering and disposing of animals; supports operations of the city animal shelter such as impounding animals, returning animals to their owners and providing animal care, health interventions and hygiene.

Essential Responsibilities And Duties

• Manages City animal problems with professionalism.
• 1.1 Patrols city to identify and mitigate animal ordinance violations such as leash laws, unlicensed or unvaccinated animals and excess animals.
• 1.2 Responds promptly to calls for service from dispatch, public safety, or shelter staff and management.
• 1.3 Responds to complaints concerning animal problems, ordinance violations, animal bites, attacks or animal cruelty.
• 1.4 Writes reports, documents evidence, issues citations and warnings and prepares cases.
• 1.5 Monitors bite cases and rabies cases for proper testing and compliance with laws.
• 1.6 Picks up stray, sick, injured, dead, and dangerous animals.
• 1.7 Provides support for nuisance animal trapping.
• 1.8 Euthanizes animals when necessary and ensures proper disposal.
• 1.9 Participates in emergency response in an on-call schedule rotation.
• 2.1 Answers and directs calls, emails and other requests for information.
• 2.2 Assists the public with lost animals, animal reunifications, surrenders, impounds, and adoptions.
• 2.3 Assists with animal care services, including licensing, microchipping, euthanizing, etc.
• 2.4 Assist with animal introductions and interactions with people looking to adopt an animal.
• 2.5 Assists in community outreach and education.
• 3.1 Cleans the animal shelter, including kennels, cages and dog runs as needed.
• 3.2 Cares for animals, including feeding, walking, moving to outdoor pens, socializing, cleaning, etc.
• 3.3 Assists with recordkeeping relating to licenses, impounds, adoptions, veterinary care and enforcement.
• 3.4 Provides quality customer service to visitors of the animal shelter.
• 4.1 Participates in joint enforcement and problem solving, including Community Impact Team (COMMIT).
• 4.2 Inspects animal-related businesses as required by code and manages processes to remedy violations.
• 4.3 Inspects domestic poultry enclosures and aids residents in acquiring permits.
• 4.4 Supports other public safety staff in controlling animals during their operations.
• 4.5 Prepares case information for court dispositions on various animal problems or violations and attends court as needed.
• Other duties as assigned by Animal Services Field Supervisor, Animal Services Manager or Department Director.

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or GED equivalent and preferred two years of related work experience.
• Preference given to applicants with an associate's degree or Special Functions Officer certification.
• Must possess a valid state driver's license or obtain one prior to employment
• Pepper Spray Certification – Required to attain and maintain Pepper Spray/OC certification through the SSLPD in accordance with departmental policy.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Knowledge of civil and criminal laws, animal law theory, and their application.
• Knowledge of methods and techniques of effective investigations and casework.
• Knowledge of animal behavior, first aid, basic veterinary care standards and euthanasia.
• Knowledge of animal types, breeds and markings.
• Knowledge of animal capture, care, and disposal techniques.
• Skill in proper use of equipment, including humane apprehension and euthanasia equipment.
• Skill in customer service and relating to people in stressful situations.
• Skill in word processing, spreadsheets, personal computers, mobile devices and office equipment.
• Skill in managing various sizes and species of animals in different states, including aggressive behavior and ill health.
• Skill in decision-making using independent judgment and analyzing situations and making appropriate decisions.
• Skill in properly handling confidential information and files.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to clean and sanitize animal living spaces.
• Ability to work a schedule that includes on-call, nights, weekends and holidays.
• Ability to work independently and in stressful and dangerous situations.
• Ability to carry and use personal protective gear, including pepper spray.
• Ability to be punctual and accountable for all hours worked, both inside and outside the office.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met or will be encountered by an employee while successfully performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear, stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to operate objects, tools or controls, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and the ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions and drives a city vehicle in all weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and is exposed to dust and odor. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, but occasionally high due to animal behavior. The employee may be exposed to stressful animal behavior on a regular basis. Employee is exposed to zoonotic diseases, animal fur, dander, and waste, unpleasant odors, and controlled chemicals/soaps.

Additional Information

GRADE 17, SALARY: $22.75-34.41 (TYPICALLY START AT MINIMUM)

OPEN UNTIL FILLED

FINAL APPLICANT MUST SUBMIT TO AND PASS A DRUG SCREEN AND BACKGROUND CHECK

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

THIS ENTITY USES E-VERIFY