Animal Control Officer

General Statement of Duties

Responds to animal control calls and enforces animal control laws; does related work as required.

Distinguishing Features of the Class

This is responsible for animal control work involving responses to animal control complaints and enforcement of City-County animal control ordinances and regulations. The work is performed under the general direction and supervision of the Animal Services Coordinator. The nature of the work performed requires that an employee in this class establish and maintain close cooperative working relationships with law enforcement agencies, animal shelter employees, law enforcement employees, other employees, the prosecuting attorney’s office, and the general public. Because the work performed involves dealing directly with unpredictable domestic and wild animals, the work may involve an element of personal danger. Confidentiality on matters pertaining to personnel and the general public is expected.

This position is covered under a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City-County of Butte-Silver Bow and the Teamsters Local #2.
https://www.co.silverbow.mt.us/189/Human-Resources
Duties/Responsibilities:Essential Work (Including but not limited to)

• Prioritizes, schedules and responds to citizen or law enforcement complaints regarding animal control such as vicious dogs, animals harassing livestock and feral dogs;
• Responds to and investigates citizen or law enforcement complaints regarding animal abuse, cruelty and neglect;
• Writes reports, other documents for court filings, processes and cases
• Educates the public while in the field regarding responsible pet ownership and animal laws and ordinances. Suggest alternative plans to owners in order to improve a problem situation. Distribute information regarding upcoming events such as a spay and neuter clinic, dog obedience classes, new pet owner classes etc.
• Locates animal owners, takes written and verbal statements, issues warnings and citations, and reports citations to court personnel;
• Patrols areas where animal control complaints have been reported and monitors corrective actions of individuals who have received warnings and citations;
• Captures, impounds and transports animals to owner’s residence and to the animal shelter;
• Apprehends and confines stray, injured, and nuisance animals in the most safe, humane and approved manner possible. Administers emergency first aid;
• Maintains records and files of animals and animal control efforts for warnings, citations, court actions and owner notification attempts;
• Takes corrective actions against reported nuisance animals such as bats, skunks, and snakes to mitigate disease and possible personal injury to citizens;
• Completes daily reports, appears as a witness in court,
• Cleans, fuels, disinfects and performs preventative maintenance on vehicles, cages and minor equipment;
• Attends meetings, conferences and workshops as requested and authorized;
• Performs related work as required.
• Perform all duties and work assignments in a safe, healthy, and environmentally sound manner. Specifically, complying with the Health & Safety Program; maintaining work areas in a safe and orderly manner; identifying and reporting unsafe conditions; reporting all accidents; wearing required personal protective equipment; and attending safety-related meetings, training sessions, fit testing, etc.
• Perform all duties and work assignments in compliance with project quality requirements.
• Act responsibly and ethically, and in conformance with generally accepted business, occupational, and professional standards.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Comprehensive knowledge of animal behavior and control, including both domestic and wild animals;
• Considerable knowledge of Code Enforcement, rules and regulations
• Thorough knowledge of court proceedings and processes relating to animal control duties and responsibilities;
• Through knowledge of investigative techniques
• Good knowledge of business arithmetic and English composition and spelling;
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle, computer, basic office equipment;
• Ability to organize and coordinate a variety of schedules and supportive actions;
• Ability to communicate well with law enforcement and court personnel, supervisors, City-County employees and the general public both orally and in writing, using both technical and non-technical language;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, supervisory personnel, court and law enforcement personnel and the general public;
• Ability to prepare accurate and reliable reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations;
• Ability to use logical and creative thought processes to develop solutions according to written and/or oral instructions;
• Ability to perform a wide variety of animal control and compliance tasks with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines and in emergency situations;
• Ability to quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology;
• Ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks;
• Knowledge of proper animal care standards which includes capture and transportation;

Acceptable Experience and Training

• Graduation from a high school; and
• Three to five years’ experience in Code Enforcement; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work.

Required Special Qualifications

• Possession of a valid driver’s license issued by the State of Montana.
• Rabies pre-exposure vaccination is required upon hire unless excused for medical reasons
• Current on Tetanus
• An understanding of and concern for all kinds of animals
• Must be a resident of Butte-Silver Bow during employment according to Butte-Silver Bow Ordinance. See below.

“2.08.010 Residence during employment.
From and after October 1, 1979, all employees of the local government of Butte-Silver Bow shall be bona fide residents within the boundaries of Butte-Silver Bow during the period of their employment by the government of Butte-Silver Bow.
(Ord. 85 § 1, 1979)”

Essential Physical Abilities

• The work involves using a city/county vehicle for patrol, response or transport.
• The work involves capturing and transporting animals which may be injured, fearful, or vicious.
• This requires some heavy lifting (up to 100 lbs.), bending, crouching and crawling in restricted space; it may require defending oneself against physical attack and may involve animal bites.
• The work involves some risks with exposure to hostile people or engaging in confrontations.
• Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to communicate well with law enforcement and court personnel, other City-County employees and the general public;
• Sufficient vision, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to identify animals from a moving vehicle and from long distances and to observe and assess their condition and behavior;
• Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to capture and subdue animals, operate animal restraint equipment and computer keyboards and related equipment and telecommunication systems;
• Sufficient personal mobility, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits the employee to restrain large animals and enter, operate and exit vehicles.

The City-County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical disability, or veteran status.

The job description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities. Tasks and duties of the employee may differ from those outlined above.