Animal Welfare Officer

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION

The incumbent performs duties related to impounding and/or containing, reclaiming or adoptions, and euthanization of stray or nuisance dogs or animals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Receives complaints related to stray or nuisance dogs or animals through communications by telephone, two way radio or in person.

• Captures or contains strays by hand, tranquilizer gun or come along stick or other device.

• Delivers strays to animal shelter for disposal or disposition.

• Confines and quarantines rabid animals and any animals that have bitten someone for surveillance and contacts the owner.

• Fills out impound slips on each animal and maintains a bite record report.

• Receives complaints on "nuisance animals" and attempts to resolve by contacting owners.

• Responsible for disseminating and explaining animal control ordinances to the public and maintains list of those receiving citations.

• Compiles and maintains various reports including daily log of calls received and action taken, incident reports and monthly report on impounded animals.

• Transports small animals or heads of larger animals to state health department for rabies testing.

• Routinely assigned to perform duties at the Animal Shelter including, but not limited to, animal care and facilities maintenance.

• Complies with established safety policies and procedures.

• May provide daily direction and on the job training to new personnel.

• Performs inspections regarding laws and requirements of animal ordinances as required.

• May be required to testify in Court regarding City animal ordinances.

• Patrols city streets to look for stray, injured or deceased animals.

• Euthanizes animals in order to exterminate sick, injured, or stray animals as directed. This requires handling and dispensing controlled substances.

• Assist in the cleaning and maintenance of the shelter and grounds maintenance.

• Responsible for running power mowers, edgers and trimmers in maintaining the grounds.

• Responsible for cleaning and maintaining the incinerator and building areas as needed.

• Changes bulbs in building and checks equipment and lights on roof.

• Responsible for the maintenance of vehicles including washing and polishing as needed.

• Operates city vehicle on a regular basis.

• Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

MENTAL DEMAND

Very close mental demand. Operations requiring very close and continuous attention for control of operations which require a high degree of coordination or immediate response. Operations requiring intermittent direct thinking to determine or select the most applicable way of handling situations regarding the organization's administration and operations; also to determine or select material and equipment where highly variable sequences are involved.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Regular contacts with patrons where the contacts are initiated by the employee. Involves both furnishing and obtaining information and, also, attempting to influence the decisions of those persons contacted. Contacts of considerable importance and of such nature, that failure to exercise proper judgment may result in important tangible or intangible losses to the organization.

WORKING CONDITIONS

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to outdoor weather conditions; and. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Outside working environment, wherein there are disagreeable working conditions part of the time.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

Moderate diversity, moderately physical. Work activities which allow for a moderate amount of diversity in the performance of tasks which requires somewhat diversified physical demands of the employee. While performing the functions of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk or hear; frequently required to stand, walk, sit; and occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision; distance vision; and color vision.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

High school graduate or equivalent required. Previous experience in handling animals preferred. Software skills required, basic: 10-Key, Alphanumeric Data Entry, Spreadsheet, Word Processing/Typing. Must be at least 21 years of age and successfully complete the State Euthanization course. Must possess a valid Oklahoma driver's license and be insurable.