How to hire an animal control specialist

How to hire an animal control specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step animal control specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an animal control specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new animal control specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an animal control specialist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an animal control specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an animal control specialist that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of animal control specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Animal Control Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Animal Control Specialist		$10-22
   Animal Control Officer	An animal control officer is an individual who enforces humane care regulations and animal licensing laws to maintain public safety. You are expected to perform a variety of tasks that include investigating animal cruelty cases, rescuing trapped animals, and capturing stray or dangerous animals... Show more	$11-32

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Animal Handling
   • Customer Service
   • Wild Animals
   • Administrative Tasks
   • Motion Graphics
   • Medical Care

   Responsibilities:

   • Furnish key initiative in all parts of government and commercial contract/compliance and manage transportation, logistics and substance contracting exercises.
   • Collaborate extensively with U.S. military logistics units to ensure up-to-date processes, procedures, and authorizations for distribution of government property.
   • Perform veterinary technical work in the care of animals, adoption counseling and pet care education.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your animal control specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An animal control specialist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, animal control specialists' average salary in arkansas is 43% less than in wisconsin.
   • Seniority. Entry-level animal control specialists 53% less than senior-level animal control specialists.
   • Certifications. An animal control specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an animal control specialist's salary.

   Average animal control specialist salary

   $15.93hourly

   $33,131 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level animal control specialist salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing an animal control specialist job description

   An animal control specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an animal control specialist job description:

   Animal control specialist job description example

   C ome work at a place where innovation and teamwork come together to support the most exciting missions in the world!
   
   To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
   
   + Have a strong interest in animal welfare and possess a high level of knowledge of our companion animal and aquatic care.
   
   + Ensure that all companion animals and aquatic life in the PCC are receiving appropriate care. This includes ensuring that all companion animal and aquatic life maintenance, companion animal incident reports and hourly animal health checks are completed as required.
   + Process register transactions in a way that creates a great experience for each guest.
   + Be proficient within our selling model and support guest interactions as needed.
   + Ensure merchandise is stocked, priced, and displayed to create a great presentation for our guests.
   + Complete and apply training programs to maintain a high level of expertise of their role and educate other PCC partners in animal care and maintenance.
   + Promote a positive culture of teamwork, inclusion, and collaboration.
   + Adhere to established operational guidelines, policies, and procedures.
   + Evaluate guest inquiries and refers to the Leader on Duty as needed.
   + Act as primary resource for guests and other PCC partners regarding all animal education and care.
   + Efficiently orders companion animals and aquatic life, supplies and merchandise in partnership with the sales team to maximize sales, margin, and inventory.
   + Analyzes department inventory management data and recommends areas for improvement.
   + Perform routine housekeeping tasks as required to maintain the professional image and appearance of the companion animal habitat and aquatic areas, to include sweeping/mopping the floors, dusting, cleaning the tanks, facing the merchandise on the shelves, etc.
   + Ensures the proper handling and documentation for all relinquished and adoption animals.
   + Verifies animal related maintenance tasks are being completed as outlined on the Maintenance Schedules.
   + Participates in the completion of all animal and aquatic life related physical inventory counts.
   + Adheres to and promotes established safety and loss prevention procedures.
   + Performs additional duties and projects as required or assigned with or without regular supervision.
   Other Essential Duties
   + UTILIZE SELLING BEHAVIORS. You’re the key to providing an amazing guest experience within our Pet Care Center locations. Utilizing the behaviors within our Sales Model is critical to being able to identify and solve for their needs both today and in the future.
   + CONTRIBUTE TO A SAFE ENVIRONMENT . You’ll be empowered through our training programs to maintain our safety protocols. Bottom line, the safety of partners, guests and pets is our #1 priority.
   + BE A PART OF A COLLABORATIVE CULTURE. Being a great teammate is key to creating a culture that is centered around solving for the health and wellness needs of pets.
   + ENGAGE IN YOUR CAREER: As you develop your skills and knowledge, you will have the opportunity to participate in developmental programs to support your continued growth throughout your career.
   Basic Qualifications
   Minimum of one year of experience working with and/or caring for companion animals and aquatic aquatic life is required for this position. Qualified applicants will possess a high level of knowledge of companion animals and aquatic life and an aptitude for sales techniques. In addition to having a professional appearance and demeanor, applicants must also demonstrate a keen and genuine interest in animals and their care. Good interpersonal and verbal communication skills are necessary due to the nature of interaction with the public and other partners and leaders within the PCC as well as external veterinary partners.
   Certification
   Completing and maintaining of the Petco Animal Care Certification program is required in this role.
   Education/Skills
   In addition to a high school diploma or its equivalent (GED), an applicant must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the areas of mathematics and basic accounting relationships and exhibit exceptional communication skills.
   Supervisory Responsibility
   + Ensures partners are providing quick and courteous service to all guests throughout the Pet Care Center.
   + Ensures high merchandising standards are maintained throughout the Pet Care Center.
   + Ensures that the Pet Care Center is opened and / or closed in accordance with established P&Ps as it applies to SFS operations.
   + In partnership with the Pet Care Center leaders, ensure proper Pet Care Center attendance processes are being maintained.
   + Adhere to and promote established safety procedures for partners, guests, and pets.
   Work Environment
   The majority of job duties are conducted indoors, although guest carryouts and veterinary visits will require that a partner leave the PCC briefly. Because this position requires bending, kneeling, moving merchandise (up to 50 pounds, as necessary) and standing for long periods of time, there may be risk of injury resulting from not following procedures. Ability and willingness to a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends to meet PCC needs.
   Equal Opportunity Employer
   Petco Health & Wellness, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.
   Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right animal control specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with animal control specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit animal control specialists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your animal control specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit animal control specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with animal control specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new animal control specialist

   Once you've selected the best animal control specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new animal control specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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