What are the responsibilities and job description for the Animal Control Officer position at CHARLES COUNTY GOVERNMENT?
Summary
Performs animal control work for the County. Patrols assigned area of the County to enforce animal control ordinances and related laws, rules, and regulations regarding domestic animals.
Essential Job Functions
- Enforces County Animal Regulations and State Laws including, but not limited to, cruelty to animals, dangerous/vicious animals, and animal bites, including dogs, cats, livestock, and fowl.
- Patrols assigned County areas, contains and picks-up stray, sick/injured, feral, and/or unwanted and captured domestic animals, transporting them to appropriate destination.
- Picks up stray, injured, sick, feral, and unwanted domestic animals. Enforces County regulations and state laws, cruelty to animals. Performs emergency animal rescue and emergency night calls. Picks up or confines dangerous vicious domestic and/or wildlife.
- Performs emergency animal rescue service, emergency night call service, and animal first aid when required.
- Serves and responds to court and Animal Control Board summonses as necessary and represents County at court and Animal Control Board hearings.
- Maintains required telecommunications contact.
- Sets traps to capture evasive domestic animals.
- Educates the public on proper animal care, wildlife problems, and animal control regulations.
- Issues warnings/citations to animal owners found in violation of animal regulations.
- Prepares and maintains necessary reports and records.
- Performs routine vehicle and equipment maintenance.
- Tranquilizes dangerous/vicious animals in a safe humane manner as authorized by supervisor.
- Destroys dangerous/vicious animals in a safe humane manner as authorized by supervisor.
- Responds to and investigates complaints from citizens concerning domestic animals.
- Educates the public on proper animal care and wildlife problems.
- Responds to dangerous/vicious calls.
- Prepares and maintain necessary reports and paperwork.
- Responds to and investigates complaints from citizens concerning domestic animals, bite investigations, pet shop, grooming, boarding, kennel inspections. Issue warning and citation on to animal owner found in violation of animal regulation.
- Picks up stray, injured, sick, feral unwanted and captured domestic animals. Performs emergency animal rescue services, emergency night calls services and animal first aid when required.
- Serves and responds to court and animal matter hearing board summonses as necessary and represents County at court and animals matters hearing board, cruelty to animals including dog. cats, livestock, and fowl.
- Performs other related job duties as assigned.
Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Education and Experience:
High school diploma or acceptable equivalency diploma (GED). Two (2) years of progressively responsible experience working with animals; or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training.
Licenses or Certifications:
A valid driver's license.
Emergency vehicle operator’s certificate must be obtained during the first year probationary period.
Special Requirements/Qualifications:
PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A SAFETY SENSITIVE POSITION, AND EMPLOYEES IN THIS POSITION ARE SUBJECT TO RANDOM DRUG AND ALCOHOL SCREENING. Selected applicant’s continued employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation conducted during the probationary period. Applicant must be eligible to be commissioned as a Peace Officer/Constable in the State of Maryland. Subject to emergency callback.
Subject to work beyond normal scheduled hours, weekends, and holidays.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of the purposes and methods of animal control programs.
- Knowledge of effective methods of controlling and containment of domestic animals.
- Knowledge of legal procedures.
- Ability to perform animal control duties efficiently.
- Ability to control/capture domestic animals in sometimes adverse conditions.
- Ability to work independently and make independent judgement.
- Ability to communicate properly both orally and written.
- Ability to handle animals safely and effectively.
- Ability to deal courteously with the public.
- Ability to operate vehicle safely.
- Ability to carry out daily assignments, follow through on matters and use independent judgment and training to take appropriate action to deal with standard recurring situations.
Additional Information
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work is sedentary with frequent periods of heavy exertion, and is performed in office, field settings and outside in varying weather conditions. Typical positions require workers to walk or stand for long periods; lift and carry up to 100 pounds; climb stairs, ladders, and scaffolding; bend, kneel, run, crouch and crawl; reach, hold, grasp, and turn objects; feel the size, shape, and temperature of items; and use fingers to operate computer or typewriter keyboards; and requires the ability to speak normally, to use normal or aided vision and hearing, and to detect odors.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Worker is continuously exposed to chemicals, zoonotic diseases, and subject to injuries at any given time.
Department/Division: Department of Emergency Services/Animal Control
Pay Grade: 111
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Telework Eligible: No
Reports to: Animal Control Lieutenant
Supervises: None
BENEFITS SUMMARY
www.GovernmentJobs.com/Careers/CharlesCountyMD
- Blue Choice Advantage, Prescription and Vision
- Blue Choice HMO Open Access, Prescription and Vision
- CareFirst Dental
- Delta Dental
Health Reimbursement Arrangement — New hires who elect health insurance coverage with Charles County Government will be enrolled in a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Account ( VEBA).
Upon retirement or separation from employment, you will be able to use the funds in the VEBA account to pay for your health insurance premiums and other qualified medical expenses. You will contribute $31.75 per pay period (via payroll deduction). County Government will contribute $95.26 per pay period. The contribution may be adjusted each year based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Pension Plan (Defined Benefit Retirement Plan)
Plan Eligibility: Must work minimum 37.5 hrs/week.
- County Pension Plan
» Public Safety, Mandatory Participation 8% employee contribution
- Sheriff’s Office Retirement Plan
» Sworn, Mandatory Participation 8% employee contribution
» Corrections, Mandatory Participation 7% employee contribution
Deferred Compensation Plan
457(b) Governmental Plan — available to all employees, regardless of hours worked. Plans include: Empower, MetLife, and Nationwide Retirement Solutions.
Employee Assistance Program
A voluntary, work-based program that offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees.
Transfer of Sick Leave
May receive credit for up to 400 hours of accrued, but unpaid, sick leave from previous employer when they begin employment.
Life Insurance
No charge to employee (valued at 1.5x the employee’s annual salary, not to exceed $250,000). Supplemental insurance and dependent life insurance are available for an additional cost. Term and whole life policies are available.
Long Term Disability Insurance
No charge to employee. The benefit pays 60% of salary at date of disability up to $5,000/month
Flexible Spending Account
Medical and dependent care options available
Supplemental Income Products
Accident Policy, Critical Illness Policy, Hospital Indemnity Policy
Legal Resources
A prepaid legal resource benefit
Employee Leave
- ANNUAL LEAVE — Begin employment by accruing 8 hours per month
- SICK LEAVE — Accrue 7.5 hours a month
- PAID TIME OFF (PTO) — Employees working the hours shown below, will receive the dedicated amount of PTO hours:
» 2,080 hours per year = 36 annual PTO hours
» 2,184 hours per year = 36 annual PTO hours
» An eligible employee who starts after the first pay period of the calendar year will receive a pro-rated number of hours based on their hire date.
- PAID PARENTAL LEAVE — Grants up to 6 calendar weeks of paid leave to eligible County Government employees in connection with the birth or adoption of a child.
- 20 PAID HOLIDAYS
- Majority of employees work 37.5 hours per week
- Some positions have flexible work schedules, and may allow telework
Full time employees are eligible to participate after completing one full year of employment, and successful completion of their probationary period. An employee is eligible to receive reimbursement for up to 12 credit hours up to a maximum reimbursement determined through the annual County Government budgetary process.
Onsite Childcare at a Discounted Rate
Located at the Department of Community Services (8190 Port Tobacco Road, Port Tobacco, MD 20677)
House Keys 4 Employee Program
For eligible full time employees who are first time home buyers. Up to a
$7,500, 0% interest loan, to be used for a down payment or closing cost toward a new home in Charles County.
Wellness Program
Employees have access to an onsite gym, the digital wellness platform – Burnalong, and monthly webinars/events at no cost to you.
Salary : $250,000
