Animal Control Officer I - G116

This position is responsible for enforcing local, state, and federal animal control laws and ordinances.

• Responds to complaints from citizens, law enforcement agencies, and veterinarians concerning stray, sick, or dangerous animals; conducts investigations to determine possible violations.

• Interprets animal welfare ordinances to the public; participates in educational programs and community services.

• Patrols county for code violations; enforces compliance by issuing warnings or court citations; provides services as needed.

• Prosecutes and provides expert testimony in local or state court for code violations.

• Performs administrative duties; completes reports of bites, warnings and citations, quarantines, and use of controlled drugs.

• Captures, transports and impounds sick, injured, trapped, or vicious domestic and wild animals; performs animal care duties including feeding animals and maintaining kennels, observes and diagnoses injured or sick animals; euthanizes animals as necessary.

• Maintains assigned vehicle and equipment; disinfects vehicle cages.

• Works with State Rabies Control Officer regarding quarantined animals.

• Maintains and employs departmental weapons.

• Provides security for city owned cemeteries.

• Cleans and maintains the Animal Resource Center facility including cat rooms, floors, quarantine and sick areas, annex area, inside and outside runs, aquariums, and walkways.

• Evaluates animals for adoption possibilities, euthanasia decisions, and holding times; checks all animals for microchipping; contacts owners.

• Assists customers regarding missing or lost animals and adoption possibilities.

• Dispatches and responds to radio calls from field officers.

• Transports animals to euthanasia area; prepares animals for euthanasia; prepares and administers chemicals; determines death of animals; prepares carcass for disposal.

• Processes animals for adoption.

• Assists veterinarian by advising him or her concerning injured and sick animals.

• Exercises animals; works with aggressive animals.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Knowledge of relevant local and state codes, regulations, and laws.

• Knowledge of the principles of vehicle maintenance.

• Knowledge of various species and breeds of animals.

• Knowledge of the techniques used in the safe capture, handling, and care of animals.

• Knowledge of criminal court procedures.

• Skill in using catch-poles, traps, and assigned weapons.

• Skill in problem solving and decision making.

• Skill in the reading and interpreting road maps.

• Skill in operating standard office equipment.

• Skill in oral and written communication.

• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.

Knowledge and level of competency commonly associated with the completion of specialized training in the occupational field, in addition to basic skills typically associated with a high school education. Sufficient experience to understand the basic principles relevant to the major duties of the position, usually associated with the completion of an apprenticeship/internship or having had a similar position for one to two years. This position requires the employee to be sworn in by the Columbus Police Department, which may involve additional criminal history background checks.  Must possess a valid driver's license.

The work is typically performed while intermittently sitting, standing, bending, crouching, or stooping. The employee frequently lifts light and heavy objects, uses tools or equipment requiring a high degree of dexterity, and must be able to distinguish between shades of color. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Balancing - maintain equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching.

• Climbing - ascending, descending ladders, stairs, ramps, requires body agility.

• Crawling - moving about on hands, knees, or hands, feet.

• Crouching - bending body forward by bending leg, spine.

• Feeling - perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips.

• Grasping - applying pressure to object with fingers, palm.

• Handling - picking, holding, or working with whole hand.

• Hearing 1 - perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information.

• Hearing 2 - receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound.

• Kneeling - bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.

• Lifting - raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back.

• Manual Dexterity - picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.

• Mental Acuity - ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.

• Pulling - use upper extremities to exert force, haul or tug.

• Pushing - use upper extremities to press against objects with force, or thrust forward, downward, outward.

• Reaching - extending hands or arms in any direction.

• Repetitive Motion - substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.

• Speaking - expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.

• Standing - for sustained periods of time.

• Stooping - bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back.

• Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word.

• Talking 2 - shouting to be heard above ambient noise.

• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.

• Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.

• Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures.

• Visual Acuity 4 - operate motor vehicles/heavy equipment.

• Visual Acuity 5 -close acuity for inspection of small defects, machines, use measurement devices, or fabricate parts.

• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

The work is typically performed outdoors. The employee is exposed to noise, dust, dirt, grease, irritating chemicals, contagious or infectious diseases, and inclement weather conditions. Work requires the use of protective devices such as masks, goggles, or gloves.