Is a career as an Animal Control Officer right for you?
Do you have a strong desire to help those who can't help themselves? Do you share our mission to protect the public from dangerous animals, protect animals from abuse and neglect, and save the lives of thousands of unwanted, abandoned or lost pets each year? If so, then perhaps a career as an Animal Control Officer (ACO) is right for you.
The Department of Animal Services (DAS) provides animal-related law enforcement, sheltering, medical and pet adoption services to three regions located in South County, North County, and San Diego. Within these three regions the Department takes in more than 26,000 animals into its three shelters annually. The Department has been recognized for its excellent public service, high integrity, new facilities and outstanding team work.
IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The ideal candidate for this position has a strong work ethic, is able to work independently, is inquisitive, understands and adheres to standard operating procedures, utilizes current methods and techniques related to animal control programs, possesses excellent writing skills, and the skills to operate animal control tools and equipment. The candidate must have compassion towards animals, understanding, creativity, excellent interpersonal communication skills, critical thinking, sound judgment and problem-solving skills, the ability to effectively deal with extremely complicated investigations and the ability to calmly interact with highly emotional individuals.
Duties:
Animal Control Officers enforce state and local laws that protect the public from dangerous animals and protect animals from abuse and neglect. Duties include, but may not be limited to:
•Investigating animal cruelty, abuse, and neglect cases, and reports of aggressive and/or dangerous animals
•Enforcing state felony and misdemeanor laws, local animal-related regulatory ordinances, writing detailed investigatory reports, and providing expert testimony in court cases.
•Interact frequently with members of the public and other law enforcement agencies
•Educating the public regarding animal-related laws and may issue citations and warnings to individuals suspected of violating either state law or local animal-related ordinances
•Providing educational seminars to the community on topics such as animal welfare and animal related laws
•Making custodial arrests with assistance of a peace officer
•Removing animals from a negligent owner's custody
•Transporting sick and/or injured animals found in the field to a veterinarian or perform euthanasia on those animals too sick or injured to transport
•Participating in the evacuation, sheltering and reunification of animals impacted by a disaster
•Encountering confrontational members of the public, and/or dangerous situations with unfamiliar and unpredictable animals
•Handle and lift animals and/or supplies weighing up to 100 pounds
Animal Control Officer's working hours can be irregular (nights, weekends and holidays) and they are required to be available on a standby basis for emergency situations. An ACO may be assigned to work at any of the three regions.
"Click here" for more information and a direct link to the County of San Diego, Department of Animal Services.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
"Click here" to review the complete job description including minimum qualifications, examples of duties, essential functions, etc.
EVALUATION PROCESS:
Qualified applicants will be placed on a 12 month employment list based on scores received during the evaluation of information contained in their employment application. Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental application questionnaire will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in the initial screening process your application will be reviewed individually to confirm that the information you provided is accurate and qualifying.
Note: Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable and individual with qualified disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.