Animal Control Workers

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and SecurityO*NET 33-9011.00United States

Handle animals for the purpose of investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $45,656
Projected change: +7.3%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 12.47K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What animal control workers do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports.
Write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals.
Examine animals for injuries or malnutrition, and arrange for any necessary medical treatment.
Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities.
Educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws and regulations.
Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary.
Remove captured animals from animal-control service vehicles and place animals in shelter cages or other enclosures.
Answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations.
Prepare for prosecutions related to animal treatment, and give evidence in court.
Supply animals with food, water, and personal care.
Euthanize rabid, unclaimed, or severely injured animals.
Issue warnings or citations in connection with animal-related offenses, or contact police to report violations and request arrests.
Clean facilities and equipment such as dog pens and animal control trucks.
Examine animal licenses, and inspect establishments housing animals for compliance with laws.
Organize the adoption of unclaimed animals.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $33,093
25th percentile: $37,752
50th percentile: $45,656
75th percentile: $57,075
90th percentile: $68,058

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $45,656 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+7.3%faster than average

202512,467 jobs

2035 projected13,373 jobs

906 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 65.4%
Certificate: 19.2%
Associate degree: 11.5%
Bachelor's degree: 3.9%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Animal Control
Animal Care
Animal Handling
Animal Welfare
Code Enforcement
Rabies
Law Enforcement
Good Driving Record
Lifting Ability
Animal Bites
Disinfecting
Office Equipment
Legal Hearings
Data Entry
Sanitation
Property Maintenance
Animal Health
Public Relations
Community Outreach
Court Proceedings

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Animal Control Officers916 postings
02Code Enforcement Officers613 postings
03Animal Services Officers283 postings
04Animal Care Specialists137 postings
05Kennel Technicians73 postings
06Adoption Counselors71 postings
07Code Enforcement Managers64 postings
08Kennel Attendants55 postings
09Shelter Attendants53 postings
10Shelter Assistants42 postings
11Animal Control Supervisors40 postings
12Child Welfare Specialists39 postings
13Adoption Specialists37 postings
14Protection Officers37 postings
15Animal Care Supervisors35 postings
16Enforcement Officers35 postings
17Kennel Assistants35 postings
18Animal Care Attendants34 postings
19Animal Care Managers30 postings
20Animal Caretakers28 postings

Top employers

01Maricopa County31 postings
02County Of Riverside30 postings
03Advanced Ag20 postings
04State of Washington19 postings
05City Of Jacksonville18 postings
06City Of Indianapolis16 postings
07Clemens Food Group16 postings
08Mspca-Angell15 postings
09Animal Care Centers Of Nyc14 postings
104Leaf12 postings
11Best Friends Animal Society12 postings
12Willdan Group12 postings
13City Of Charlotte11 postings
14City Of Midland11 postings
15Collier County11 postings
16Nevada Humane Society11 postings
17City Of Pearland10 postings
18Maui Humane Society10 postings
19Aurora Public Schools9 postings
20City Of San Bernardino9 postings

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