Animal Control Officer

Transcription

1 Last Revised: January 2013 Replaces: July 2012 Animal Control Officer Job Title: Job Description Number: 1009 Department/Division: Police/Support Services Exemption Status: Non Exempt Pay Grade: P1 Immediate Supervisor: Lieutenant Normal Work Schedule: Mon Fri, 8 hours/day Brief Description of the Job: Provide animal control and enforcement services to the City of Greenville with the goal of maintaining the public safety and health regarding animals in the city and to ensure animals are treated in a humane manner. Investigate complaints and reports of stray, injured, vicious, abandoned, and nuisance animals; assist when necessary Vice/Narcotics Unit in the removal of dangerous animals. Respond to wildlife calls on a case by case basis to include venomous snakes. Receive requests for the setting of dog and cat traps and setting such traps as necessary if appropriate after review of the request. Issue citations and/or confiscate neglected, abused, or vicious animals; Patrol the city limits of Greenville to observe, identify, and impound if necessary loose, stray, injured, vicious, or nuisance animals; represent the city in court cases where summons were issued for animal violations of the municipal code; perform chemical immobilization as necessary; compile and maintain reports and information related to animal control, enforcement activities, finances dealing with Greenville County Animal Care and Services and controlled drugs used in chemical captures; Promote positive community relations through personal interaction and education regarding responsible animal ownership. Provide after hours/emergency on call Animal Control support with approval of supervisor. Interact with local television stations regarding certain animal abuse/neglect cases and educational aspects of proper animal care; coordinate special projects as assigned involving aspects of animal control; provide educational information/classes on animal care to local college. Essential Functions: Investigate Complaints and Reports of Stray, Injured, Vicious, Abandoned, and Nuisance Animals (60%): Receive calls by either speaking with dispatch on radio/telephone, and/or either speak with complainant on telephone/e mail person or speak in person with complainant to receive call. Communicate with dispatch on radio of our status on the call. Drive to call. Speak with complainant when necessary. Decide best method to clear call. Capture animal with leash, capture pole, dart gun, set trap, issue notice to animal owner. Put captured animal in truck for transport. Fill out paper work to turn in animal and input into Laptop actions taken on the call. Off load animals at Greenville County Animal Care Services. Issue notice to animal owner for correction in animal care as appropriate. Perform follow up investigation on notices issued for correction in care of animal. Seize/impound animal(s) as appropriate. Issue Summons and Represent the City in Court in Presenting the Case to the Judge for Adjudication (10%): Speak with animal owner to obtain driver s license. Write out and issue summons. Advise animal owner about the summons and the consequences should they fail to appear in Page 1 of 6

2 court. Subpoena witnesses as appropriate. Impound/seize animals as appropriate and deliver to Greenville county Animal Care Services. Turn in summons to Municipal Court for input into the system. Coordinate with Assistant City Attorney if necessary for jury trial cases. Coordinate with witnesses on status of case and ensure attendance at court. Present case to the judge for adjudication. Complete summons after verdict in court and file in Animal Control files. Compile and Maintain Reports and Information Related to Animal Control, Enforcement Activities, Finances dealing with GCACS and Controlled Drug Usage on Chemical Captures (10%): Ensure receipt of GCACS Animal contract for each animal turned into their facility. Input required data from contract into computerized Animal Control log. Balance contracts received against monthly bill from GCACS to ensure proper billing amount charged to Greenville Police. Forward verified bill to Greenville Police Finance Coordinator. Maintain documents detailing accountability trail for controlled drugs ordered, received, and utilized on the capture of animals. Input Notice to Resident (Animal Owner) into computerized Animal Control Records and file hard copy in file cabinet. Tabulate, input, and submit Greenville Police Animal Control calls for service to supervisor on monthly basis. Prepare and submit City of Greenville Animal Control yearly totals as updated monthly totals to supervisor. Set Dog and Cat Traps (10%): Use animal trap as a means of removing stray or aggressive animals. Traps removed from back of truck, placed, set at appropriate location. Might include traversing some rugged terrain, streams, overgrown vegetation, residential debris during daylight and possibly night time hours when on call. Trap secured with chain/lock to which the Animal Control Officer (ACO) has the only keys. Cats in traps: Traps with removable back end/slide: when can be safely transferred from the trap to pet carrier, then ACO will do so and reset trap if needed. Slide end of the trap (slide still in place) placed securely to front of open pet carrier. Slide is lifted/lowered once cat moves from trap to pet carrier. Pet carrier is closed as trap is moved away from pet carrier. Traps without removable end/cat cannot be transferred safely, then trap with the cat inside is unchained (ACO using gloves to prevent being scratched) placed in back of ACO truck and transported with cat inside. Another trap is reset if needed with fresh food and chained in other trap s place. Wildlife caught in traps: (i.e. raccoon or opossum) animal is transported inside trap in back of animal control truck and another trap reset if needed. Wildlife relocated if possible or given to wildlife rehab group if appropriate or taken to GCACS. ACO will use feral animal gloves when moving raccoons in traps due to them being primary rabies vector animals. Dogs in traps: Same procedures are used to set dog traps. Trap is removed from back of truck, placed, set at appropriate location. Might include traversing some rugged terrain, streams, overgrown vegetation, residential debris during daylight and possibly night time hours when on call. Trap secured with chain/lock to which the Animal Control Officer (ACO) has the only keys. On bad terrain assistance might be needed to transport trap. The complainant is also responsible for providing additional food/bait for the trap after the initial setting. Dog caught in traps: Safely remove dog from trap to back of Animal Control truck, reset trap if needed: Stand trap on its end with trap door facing skyward. Animal Control Officer must have control pole, leash and feral animal gloves handy to aid in removal of dog. Depress moveable side of trap door and lift just enough to slide loop end of animal control pole inside trap door. Put loop of control pole over dog s head, tighten loop enough so dog cannot remove head from loop. While firmly holding control pole slowly lower dog trap so it is in its original position and open trap door completely to remove dog from trap. If the dog is not aggressive and can be safely moved from trap location to ACO truck then Page 2 of 6

3 dog can be moved using a leash. Place the leash on the dog before removing control pole from dog s head. Muzzle dog and lift/place dog in back of truck. If dog is aggressive, then try and muzzle dog before putting dog into the back of truck using control pole. Call other ACO for assistance on heavy or very aggressive dogs. If needed, reset another trap with fresh food and chain/lock for security. The second method of removing a dog from the trap: turn trap over ¼ turn right or left so door to trap opens from the right or left side instead of from bottom to top (normal position). All other procedures to remove dog with control pole is the same except that only the door is moved during the removal of dog. Dogs that are too aggressive/dangerous/heavy or Animal Control Officer finds it appropriate; then trap with dog inside can be placed in back of Animal Control truck for transport to be removed in a more controlled environment at Greenville County Animal Care Services facility. Call for assistance from other Animal Control Officer when necessary to place dog inside trap inside truck. Wildlife caught in traps: (i.e. raccoon or opossum) animal is transported inside trap in back of animal control truck and another trap is reset in its place if needed. Relocate wildlife if possible or give to a wildlife rehab group if appropriate or taken to GCACS. ACO will use feral animal gloves when moving raccoons in traps due to them being primary rabies vector animals. Appropriate paperwork is filled out to turn the cat into the Greenville County Animal Care and Services (GCACS) facility. The CAD is also updated with the description of the animal (age, sex if known, color, length of hair). An E Code 5 is done when the trap is first set and a Code 4 on subsequent dates whenever a cat or animal is picked up from that location with the original case number from when the trap was set. Patrol City Limits to Observe, Identify, and Impound if necessary loose, stray, injured, vicious, or nuisance animals (5%): Drive through neighborhoods. Review past problem areas and drive through those areas periodically. Make contact with animal owners if a problem animal is discovered. Issue notice to resident if correction of animal care is required once owner of problem animal is identified. Pick up and transport captured loose, stray, injured, vicious, or nuisance animals to Greenville County Animal Care Services (GCACS.) Fill out paperwork to turn in animal to GCACS. Perform Chemical Capture of an Animal (5%): CHEMICAL IMMOBILIZATION EQUIPMENT AND DRUGS CAN ONLY BE USED BY PROPERLY TRAINED AND CERTIFIED PERSONNEL. CHEMICAL IMMOBILIZATION IS USED ONLY WHEN THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS EXIST: All other means to capture have been exhausted. The animal represents a danger to the public. Weather and terrain conditions are satisfactory to recovering the animal after it has been tranquilized. THE WEAPON CAN BE FIRED WITHOUT ENDANDERING OTHERS! (NEVER REACT TO A FIELD CAPTURE SITUATION BASED ON THE PUBLIC S ASSESMENT OF THE SITUATION!! ) Prior to any capture, consider the following: Page 3 of 6

4 Is it justified? Type of animal. Type of terrain or escape cover. Condition of the animal. Emotional state of the animal. Emergency and safety equipment available. Temperature affecting the animal. Time of day. Would physical restraint be better? Do you have assistance and professional support? When the above criteria have been satisfied then prepare the weapon for chemical immobilization. To fill the dart, hold the dart in a vertical position and insert a 2 18 Gage hypodermic needle in the dart needle opening and fill it with the required amount of drug. Cover the hole in the dart with Vaseline. (Do not shake or drop the darts as they could detonate. Darts should not be left in hot places or in the direct sunlight.) When filling the dart be careful and hold needle opening away from your face. Once dart has been filled, load weapon ensuring weapon is on safe. CO2 propelled rifle will have CO2 canister loaded prior to loading dart. Ensure weapon is on safe and pointed away from other personnel. Rifle should not be used on animals closer than 40 feet. Recovery of used dart is required if at all possible. Document use of drugs on ACO controlled drug log. Code 5 is prepared whenever controlled drugs are withdrawn from the bottle for use. Case number is obtained from Dispatch. Ensure appropriate monthly and quarterly inspection of drug inventory/paperwork completed. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned. Physical Demands Overall Strength Demands: Heavy strength demands include exerting pounds occasionally, pounds frequently, or from 10 up to 20 pounds constantly. Physical Demands: Continuously requires standing, fine dexterity, walking, lifting, carrying, sitting, handling, vision, foot controls, bending, hearing, twisting, and talking. Frequently requires reaching, kneeling, pushing/pulling, and climbing. Occasionally requires crawling, balancing, and crouching. Machines, Tools, Equipment, and Work Aids: Vehicle, ASP Baton, taser, radio, telephone, fax machine, copier, calculator, animal control pole, tranquilizer gun, leashes, dog and cat traps, pens, animal control forms, and summons book. Computer Equipment and Software: Laptop and desktop computer, printer, scanner, and related software. Working Conditions Overall Working Conditions: Disagreeable: Frequent exposure to unpleasant environmental conditions and/or hazards. Environmental Factors: Monthly exposure to physical hazards. temperature and wetness and/or humidity. Seasonal exposure to extreme Health and Safety: Occasional exposure to communicable diseases. Rare exposure to physical danger or abuse. Page 4 of 6

5 Primary Work Location: Vehicle. Protective Equipment Required: Rubber gloves, leather gloves, and boots. Non Physical Demands Frequently requires irregular schedule/overtime, performing multiple tasks simultaneously, working closely with others as part of a team, and noisy/distracting environment. Occasionally requires time pressures, emergency situations, frequent change of tasks, and tedious or exacting work. Job Requirements Formal Education: High school diploma plus six months to one year of advanced study or training in Animal control or Veterinary Science is required. Experience: Over one year of experience with animals is required. Driver s License Required: Class D South Carolina license. Certifications and Other Requirements: Certified in Chemical Capture of animals, use of Taser, use of ASP baton, and Level I Animal Control Officer (within one year). Job Demands Reading: Intermediate Level: Ability to read papers, periodicals, journals, manuals, policies, dictionaries, thesauruses, and encyclopedias. Math: Basic Level: Ability to perform the four basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division). Writing: Basic Level: Ability to write simple sentences containing subject, verb, and object, and/or series of numbers, names, and addresses. Human Collaboration Skills: Decision regarding interpretation of existing policies may be made. Contacts may involve stressful, negative interactions requiring high levels of tact and the ability to respond to aggressive interpersonal interactions. Elements of persuasion may be necessary to gain cooperation and acceptance of ideas. Work has a moderate impact on the organization. External contacts include citizens, other governmental agencies, animal shelters, animal rights organizations, and animal businesses. Internal contacts include officers, commanders, police command staff, and communications personnel. Management and Supervision: Work requires the occasional direction of helpers, assistants, seasonal employees, interns, or temporary employees. Technical Skill: Skilled: Work requires a comprehensive, practical knowledge of a technical field with use of analytical judgment and decision making abilities appropriate to the work environment of the organization. Standard application: Work primarily affects unit processes. Page 5 of 6

6 Freedom to Act and Impact of Action Receives General Direction: The employee normally performs the job by following established standard operating procedures and/or policies. There is a choice of the appropriate procedure or policy to apply to duties. Performance reviewed periodically. Moderate impact of action: Moderate benefits or costs in time, money, or public/employee relations. Disclaimer The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Page 6 of 6