Animal Control Chief

ANIMAL CONTROL CHIEF

General Summary
Under the general direction of the County Administrator/Controller, is responsible for the enforcement of state laws and local animal control ordinances and care of animals detained by the County.  Supervises departmental staff, oversees the operation of the animal shelter, oversees the response to animal and abuse complaints, and performs the duties of an Animal Control Officer as necessary. 

Essential Functions

  1. As supervisor of departmental staff, conducts interviews and makes hiring decisions, and is responsible for scheduling, training, reviewing and evaluating performance, and dealing with employee relations issues.
  2. Supervises and participates in the response to complaints regarding animals, ensuring response in a timely fashion and that all necessary follow-up is performed. Performs all of the duties of an Animal Control Officer as necessary.
  3. Works with the Prosecutor’s office regarding the issuance of arrest warrants, or show cause hearings regarding abuse or related animal complaints, completes case reports and testifies in court.
  4. Oversees the receipt of animal complaints, determines the priority of calls as necessary, and ensures proper dispatching of animal control officers.
  5. Oversees the recordkeeping, manually and on computer, of licenses, register of animals in shelter, livestock loss, incident reporting and other activities. Prepares various reports of animal control activities for local and state authorities.
  6. Develops policies and operating guidelines related to the enforcement of animal control laws and ordinances, pick-up and detention of animals and disposal of animals.
  7. Oversees the care and feeding of animals at the shelter, and the cleaning and sanitizing of the facility.
  8. Drafts the budget for the department and monitors expenditures against the approved budget. Responsible for the accounting and related recordkeeping of the department, including accounts payable, payroll, transmitting revenues to the Treasurer, and financial reports.
  9. Oversees the receipt of payments for adoption, claims of animals, fines and donations.
  10. Oversees and participates in the capturing and impounding of dogs and cats that have bitten individuals to quarantine them as required.
  11. Directs the dog census to determine the number of dogs in the County and whether they are licensed. Oversees the entry of licensing information to the computer and the issuance of citations for the lack of licensing.
  12. Purchases all food, supplies, and equipment for the department, includes reviewing products and vendors and preparing purchase orders.
  13. Advises staff in responding to complaints that are unusual or represent a repeated offense.
  14. Operates computer terminal to enter data and look up information on dog licenses.
  15. Oversees the maintenance and repair of the kennel, vehicles and equipment.
  16. Serves in an on-call capacity to respond to emergency animal control complaints received at Central Dispatch after normal work hours.
  17. Coordinates with the nursing staff of the Health Department for rabies reports and follow up.
  18. Conducts educational presentations on the Animal Control Program to schools, civic groups, and other organizations.

Other Functions
None listed.

This may not be inclusive of the total scope of job functions to be performed.  Duties and responsibilities may be added, deleted or modified at any time.

Employment Qualifications
Education: High school graduation, or equivalent experience.  Prefer advanced coursework in law enforcement, animal science, business and related areas.

Experience:  Two years of experience as an Animal Control Officer or related enforcement capacity involving dealing with the public regarding the response to complaints and the enforcement of laws and ordinances.  Prior supervisory experience desirable.

Qualifications: 
Knowledge of State Laws and County Ordinances, and the procedure for enforcing those laws and ordinances.
Knowledge of Department Policies and Standard Operating Guidelines
Knowledge of animal behavior and the ability to capture, subdue and transport stray animals.
Knowledge and maintenance of specialized equipment that is specific for this job.
Knowledge of maintenance requirements for department vehicles.
Knowledge of computer and at least the basic skills to operate one.
Knowledge of how to deescalate volatile situations. 
Ability to supervise effectively.

Other Requirements:  Certification as an Animal Control Officer (ACO) by the Michigan Department of Agriculture preferred, or past leadership experience such as that of a law enforcement officer. Must obtain certification as a Certified ACO with the Michigan Department of Agriculture within twelve months of employment. Must be a Certified Euthanasia Technician, or obtain certification within six months of employment.

The qualifications listed above are intended to represent the minimum skills and experience levels associated with performing the duties and responsibilities contained in the job description.  The qualifications should not be viewed as expressing absolute employment or promotional standards, but as general guidelines that should be considered along with other job-related selection or promotional criteria.

FLSA Status:  Exempt

Worker’s Compensation Code:  7704

Occupational Employment Statistical Code:  61009

Physical Requirements: {This job requires the ability to perform the essential functions contained in this description.  These include, but are not limited to, the following requirements and working conditions.  Reasonable accommodation will be made for otherwise qualified applicants unable to fulfill one or more of these requirements}.

Ability to operate vehicles to patrol county and investigate complaints
Ability to subdue, capture and transport animals
Walks over uneven terrain to conduct investigations and collect animals.
Ability to lift animals weighing up to 90 lbs. to vehicle or other locations.
Ability to lift and carry animal cages to vehicle. 
Ability to lift and carry dead animals.
Ability to bend, stoop and crawl under porches, in crawl spaces and other locations in order to retrieve animals.
Ability to climb trees, ladders and stairs in order to capture animals.
Ability to lift bags of dog food weighing up to 50 lbs.

Working Conditions:
Works outside in varying weather conditions.
Exposure to risk of being bitten by animals.
Subject to work-related calls after normal hours.
Exposure to high levels of noise and odor of impounded animals.
Exposure to diseases communicated by animals.