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What is an animal control officer and how to become one
Who wrangles raccoons out of trash cans, bats out of the belfries, and even chickens trying to cross the road? That's the job of the animal control officer. Animal control officers are responsible for protecting animals from themselves and from humans.
An animal control officer can expect to respond to a variety of situations where animals are in danger. They may be called in to capture a stray animal, rescue an animal that's stuck, or even intervene if a person is cruel to an animal. Animal control officers need to be experienced with handling all kinds of animals--not just cuddly puppies and kittens.
The job of an animal control officer is not always easy. They sometimes see animals in great distress or have to euthanize an animal that is dangerous, which is emotionally upsetting. However, for many animal control officers, it's all worth it because they get to help humans and animals live together safely.
Avg. Salary $39,903
Avg. Salary $59,228
American Indian and Alaska Native 2.35%
Asian 1.03%
Black or African American 9.20%
Hispanic or Latino 7.06%
Unknown 4.81%
White 75.54%
Genderfemale 47.61%
male 52.39%
Age - 37American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 37Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Animal control officer career paths
Key steps to become an animal control officer
Explore animal control officer education requirements
Start to develop specific animal control officer skills
Skills Percentages PET 13.39% Patrol 8.31% Law Enforcement Agencies 7.85% County Ordinances 7.15% Wild Animals 5.43% Complete relevant animal control officer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New animal control officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an animal control officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real animal control officer resumes.Research animal control officer duties and responsibilities
- Write citations pick up neglect and stray animals euthanize sick animals
- Train and maintain a certify explosives detector K9.
- Examine dog licenses for validity and issue warnings or summonses to delinquent owners.
- Perform investigations, including gathering evidence, testifying in court, issuing and reviewing summonses and formal reports.
Prepare your animal control officer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your animal control officer resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an animal control officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable animal control officer resume templates
Build a professional animal control officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your animal control officer resume.
Apply for animal control officer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an animal control officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first animal control officer job
Are you an animal control officer?
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Average animal control officer salary
The average animal control officer salary in the United States is $39,903 per year or $19 per hour. Animal control officer salaries range between $23,000 and $68,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do animal control officers rate their job?
Animal control officer reviews
Working with a variety of animals and being able to have a balance in life/work
Dealing with dangerous situations involving animals and humans
Would like to be able to change the way we see dogs in society
Not being able to enforce mistreatment.
Very rewarding and important work. Always something different. Exciting work!
The police and government rarely take you seriously. Should also be considered first responders (in most places).
Updated January 8, 2025
