Animal Control and Care Attendant

Employment Opportunity Summary

This position is under the direction of the Animal Services Manager of the City of Sedalia. This position splits their time between Animal Control and Animal Care. Responsibilities of this position are to maintain public safety through the enforcement of animal control ordinances, and assist in the daily operation of the city's animal shelter. As well as, overall care of animals within the shelter. Other responsibilities of the position will vary based on the current needs of the shelter and the Animal Control Program.

Ready to Apply?

Apply Online

Questions and resumes can be submitted via email at jobs@sedalia.com.

Employment Opportunity Additional Details

Job Scope:

The purpose of this position is to maintain public safety, enforce animal control ordinances, and provide services related to the proper care and control of animals at the Animal Shelter. Successful performance helps ensure animal and citizen safety and welfare. Also, to facilitate the proper care and feeding of animals to maintain a clean environment for the sheltering of animals. The work involves taking complaints, care and feeding of animals, cleaning and maintaining kennel areas, animal adoptions and performing other related shelter duties. In addition, animal care attendants may also be required to assist in enforcing the animal regulations for the City of Sedalia. Attendants perform schedule work on a daily basis and use independent judgment and training to take appropriate actions and deal with reoccurring situations. Successful performance helps ensure the safety of animals in the custody of the City of Sedalia.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Patrols in an animal control vehicle to search for stray, sick, injured, or dead animals and provide services as needed; responds to calls from the public, law enforcement agencies or other animal control officers concerning injured, stray, sick or dangerous animals and enforce violations of animal ordinances of the city, state statutes, and other regulations pertaining to leash laws, licensing, vaccinations, dangerous animals, animal noise violations, etc.
2. Pick up and transport animals to an approved shelter for impounding, disposal, rabies investigation, or to an approved veterinarian facility as appropriate, and maintain quarantine records as necessary.
3. Assist city residents in setting traps for wildlife and capturing evasive domestic animals.
4. Prepare written reports, issue citations, investigate and prepare animal cruelty violation cases, complete records necessary for impoundment, and prepares daily activity logs as required.
5. Conducts special investigations in response to public complaints of violations of animal ordinances; appear in court to testify and present evidence regarding violations of laws and ordinances.
6. Performs animal care duties such as feeding animals, monitoring sick and dangerous animals, segregating and isolating animals when necessary; detect possible disease or injury in animals and determine appropriate care as necessary. May be required to assist veterinarian with care of animals under the custody of the Animal Shelter.
7. Cleans and disinfects kennel area, vehicles, and equipment as required. Cleans and sanitizes all cages, runs, and related areas. On a daily basis, perform general cleaning of facilities, restrooms, pick up trash and stool material found on the interior and the exterior of the shelter facility.
8. Assists with front office duties as such as receiving animals brought to the shelter by the public, adoptions, and releasing impounded animals to the public.
9. Provide exercise and socialization for animals under the care of the Animal Shelter to enhance the adoption or placement process.
10. May be required to use issued weapons on animals to capture, defend, or render harmless during field operations.
11. Transports heads of animals suspected of rabies to appropriate laboratory for testing.
12. Educates other officers and the public regarding animal welfare. Make presentations regarding animal care to local civic groups and organizations.
13. Assist in the development of relationships with other animal shelter/rescue organizations.
14. Assists with writing animal ordinances and training manuals.
15. Feed and water animals and maintain records of animal appetites.
16. Groom and ensure that all animals are clean.
17. Report signs of illness, disease, injury or unusual activity to the Animal Services Manager.
18. Recognize and records any unusual condition or abnormal behavior of any shelter animal.
19. Performs and/or assists veterinarian(s) and other personnel with the administration of medications, restraint, or other services related to animal care.
20. Assists other personnel as directed with the authorized euthanasia of animals.
21. Receive animals to be admitted for shelter care and maintain records of for the proper identification and recording of respective locations.
22. Release animals to their owners within the guidelines of the animal shelter.
23. Assist with pet adoptions and/or transfers.
24. Ensure that all cages and animals are properly numbered and identified.
25. Preforms administrative functions such as answering phone calls, processing money, operating computer systems within the guidelines of the animal shelter.
26. Wash and dry towels, blankets, etc. Wash and sterilize water and food bowls.
27. Maintain equipment used to complete job assignments and ensure that all tools are in good working order.
28. Maintains inventory and/or orders for the shelter as directed by the Animal Services Manager.
29. Performs minor repairs as needed and report major items to the Animal Services Manager.
30. Assist with adoption fundraising events.
31. Performs other related duties as assigned.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar or related to the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. High School diploma or GED
2. 2 years experience in an animal welfare or control environment which may include humane society experience, veterinary experience, office or kennel.
3. Preferred training or course work in veterinary science, law enforcement and/or experience with animals such as farming or ranching will be considered toward meeting the above requirements.
4. Missouri driver’s license
5. Must agree to be subject to random drug screen throughout employment.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Knowledge of city ordinances and department policies and procedures.
2. Knowledge of animal behavior.
3. Knowledge of quarantine procedures.
4. Knowledge of the geography and streets of the city.
5. Skill in driving vehicle.
6. Skill in operating a computer and standard office equipment.
7. Skill in catching and containing animals.
8. Skill in oral and written communication.

Guidelines:

1. City ordinances
2. State laws, regulations, department policies and procedures.
3. Guidelines require judgment, selection, and interpretation in application.

Complexity:

The work consists of related duties connected to maintaining public safety, enforcing animal control ordinances, and assisting with operations of an animal shelter. The high volume of calls and potentially dangerous encounters, with animals and members of the public, contribute to the complexity of the work.

Principal Working Relationships:

1. Co-workers, other city employees.
2. Court personnel, veterinarians, postal carriers, utility workers, and the general public.

Purpose of Contacts:

Contacts are typically to give or exchange information, provide services, resolve problems, motivate or influence persons, and clarify, justify, defend, negotiate, or settle matters.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility:

None.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear for long periods of time. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, run, use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools listed above. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and taste or smell. The employee may occasionally be required to physically control animals and must maintain a level of physical ability accordingly.

The employee is often required to lift and carry materials weighing up to 40 lbs. and frequently up to 20 lbs. Additionally, the employee may be required to handle animals weighing up to 150 lbs. Frequently, the work may be performed in a bent position and requires the use of strength or agility in capturing and restraining stronger, more active animals.

The employee may be required to distinguish between shades of color.

Work Environment:

The work is typically performed in an office and outdoors. The employee may be exposed to noise, dust, dirt, machinery with moving parts, and cold or inclement weather. The work requires the use of protective devices. In addition, the employee may be subject to bites, scratches, etc. common with the handling of animals.