Animal Control Officer II

Position Description

The City of Seattle is seeking a compassionate and experienced professional for the position of Animal Control Officer II
. The Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) was founded in 1972 and has grown and expanded its programs and services to make it what it is today – a nationally recognized animal welfare organization. The shelter promotes public safety and animal welfare, protects animals from cruelty and neglect, runs animal sheltering and adoption programs to reunite lost animals with their owners, places animals in forever homes, and runs a spay and neuter clinic providing low-cost services serving more than 4,000 animals per year.

In addition, SAS manages pet licenses and enforces Seattle's laws regarding animals.

A team of Animal Control Officer IIs enforce animal control ordinances and related laws and regulations, patrol areas of the City responding to and investigating complaints, write reports documenting investigations, issue citations for violations, and capture, handle, transport, and detain animals.

• Patrol assigned areas of the city driving an Animal Control vehicle to enforce animal control ordinances, related laws and regulations.
• Investigates complaints of non-compliance with City animal ordinances including, but not limited to, menacing animals and bites, animal cruelty and welfare, violations of leash and scoop laws and noise ordinances; records detailed statements from complainants, victims, witnesses and suspects; and photographs injuries, incident scene and animals involved.
• Writes reports documenting steps of investigations, observations, statements and timelines for every animal bite, dangerous animal incident, and animal welfare/cruelty investigation.
• Issues citations for menacing animals, animal bites and violations including but not limited to leash, scoop and noise ordinances, property damage, unlawful tethering, and failure to obtain pet license and rabies vaccinations.
• Patrol city parks for violations of the leash, scoop and licensing laws.
• Participates in court case preparation and testifies in court and administrative hearings on infractions and criminal trials.
• Answers questions and explain the rules, policies and regulations pertaining to the animal control ordinances.
• Provides excellent and professional customer service in emotional and stressful situations.
• Diffuse tense encounters with hostile and/or abusive members of the public.
• Captures and detains stray and/or vicious animals; and picks up and transports owner-surrendered, injured or dead animals.
• Captures and transports sick and injured wildlife.
• Operates a two-way radio, responds and dispatches officers to assist field officers.
• Maintains assigned equipment and sells pet licenses.
• Safely operates large F350 truck and other assigned fleet vehicles following defensive driving practices on a daily basis and in stressful situations.
• Educates the general public, schools and other agencies on animal care, safety and welfare.
• Clean animal habitats and provide general husbandry to the shelter animal population.
• Answer questions, in person or by telephone from the general public concerning adoptions, redemptions, lost animals, impounding animals, the operations and policies of the shelter, and animal control ordinances.
• Euthanizing animals.

• Two (2) years of full-time professional animal care and treatment experience, at least one (1) year of which is in assisting a licensed veterinarian; OR
• One (1) year of full-time professional animal care and treatment experience and one (1) year of law enforcement background; OR
• One (1) year of field experience equivalent to an Animal Control Officer II

(Or a combination of training and experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class.)

• Three or more years of full-time professional animal care and treatment experience.
• Knowledge of safe handling and transporting dangerous, sick or injured animals.
• Able to lift 50 pounds independently (on occasion, able to lift over 50 lbs. with the use of provided equipment as needed or…