Animal Control Officer

Overview

The Calvert County Animal Control Officer (ACO) is a field-based public safety position responsible for enforcing local and state animal welfare laws and ordinances. ACOs respond to calls involving stray, injured, dangerous, or neglected animals and work in partnership with law enforcement, health departments, and the public. This role requires independent judgment, strong interpersonal communication skills, and the ability to manage emotionally charged or potentially hazardous situations with professionalism and compassion.

Officers participate in an on-call rotation, including nights, weekends, and holidays, to provide 24/7 emergency response coverage across the county. This position includes responsibilities related to issuing citations, seizing animals when necessary, preparing case documentation, and testifying in court proceedings.

This position provides prompt and humane response to animal-related issues through enforcement of ordinances related to citizen complaints, animal regulation, and human health and safety. The work requires prior experience and is performed under general supervision.

• Enforces regulations and ordinances from County officials, including the health department.
• Interacts with citizens over concerns and enforcement issues and resolves them.
• Communicates both orally and in writing with the general public.
• Maintains effective working relationships with police, public officials, veterinarians, and other government agencies.
• Performs daily routine patrols and responds to calls for service.
• Renders emergency animal first aid and transports animals to veterinarians.
• Investigates animal neglect, abuse, and cruelty violations. Writes investigative reports and enters data into database. Verifies and follows up on cases to ensure compliance.
• Maintains and organizes caseload and prioritizes daily workload.
• Handles radio communications with the Animal Control Dispatcher and Calvert County Control Center.
• Issues written warnings and ordinance citations.
• Testifies in court hearings.
• Works with the County Health Department in bite investigations and rabies exposures. Arranges for animal quarantine and performs follow-up health checks. Prepares rabies specimens. Assists with rabies vaccination clinics.
• Distributes county pet licenses, handles money, and submits purchased licenses.
• Traps domestic animals, maintains records of trap locations, transports animals to the shelter, and maintains profile tickets on each animal.
• Ensures county-issued vehicle is serviced as scheduled. Ensures all county-issued equipment is in working order and replaced if broken.

Knowledge of
— Good animal handling skills and motivation to ensure animals receive proper care. Computer applications such as Windows 2003 and/or Windows XP.

Ability
— Work independently; work with the public and other agencies; enforce animal control laws, rules and regulations; communicate effectively orally and in writing; deal effectively with the public.

Training and/or Education
:
High school diploma or GED equivalent.

Experience
:
Three years of professional animal handling experience and one year of experience dealing with the resolution of citizen complaints.

Licenses or Certificates
:
Valid driver’s license.

Special Requirements
:
Must be 18 years of age. Must be qualified to use a 12-gauge shotgun and a 22-caliber rifle. Subject to background investigation. Subject to call-back in emergency situations. Operation of County-owned vehicle.

Physical Demands
:
Requires strenuous physical effort to perform manual work involving walking over rough, uneven terrain, repeated bending, climbing, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching or lifting objects up to 100 pounds.

Unusual Demands
:
Workers are exposed to hazards of dealing with diseased animals. Workers must occasionally put animals to death. Requires working non-standard schedules including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Subject to call in or to remain on the job for emergencies.

FLSA Status
:
Nonexempt

Pay rate: $26.28 - $28.13 per hour; $47,830 - $51,197 annually
Grade 719, full-time…