Animal Control Officer

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Animal Control Officer

Salary

$22.00 Hourly

Location

Fort Myers, FL

Job Type

Full-Time Regular

Job Number

07502KL

Department

Animal Services

Opening Date

04/01/2025

Closing Date

Continuous

FLSA

Non-Exempt

Description

blurred background with logo

Join Our Award-Winning Team!
We are looking for dedicated individuals to join our team as Animal Control Officers. This is primarily a field operations or shelter-based role focused on enforcing State Statutes, County, and City Ordinances related to animals. The job involves ensuring the health and safety of the public by enforcing animal control codes, issuing warnings, citations, and summons, and apprehending stray animals.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Responding to Animal Control Calls: You’ll handle a variety of animal-related complaints and emergencies, ranging from stray animals to animal bites and aggressive animals.
  • Ensuring Public Safety: Enforce animal control codes, issue warnings, citations, and summons, and apprehend stray animals to ensure community safety.
  • Field Patrol: Patrol designated areas, seize and impound dogs that are not under control, and conduct checks to ensure compliance with dog licensing requirements.
  • Investigating Incidents: Conduct investigations related to animal bites, scratches, and encounters, and complete incident reports as needed.
  • Capturing and Transporting Animals: Safely capture, trap, and transport both wild and domestic animals—including potentially dangerous ones—to appropriate facilities.
  • Educating the Public: Provide information and guidance to citizens on animal control regulations, licensing requirements, and responsible pet ownership.
  • Record Keeping and Reporting: Maintain detailed reports, activity logs, citations, and other necessary documentation. You will also communicate via radio, phone, and in writing with team members and the public.
  • Court and Administrative Testimony: Provide testimony in court and administrative hearings as needed.

Education, Experience, Licensing

  • Education: High school diploma or GED (or equivalent).
  • Experience: One year of experience in animal handling, enforcement, law enforcement, or a related field.
  • Certification: Must possess or be able to obtain Florida Animal Control Association (FACA) Certification in Euthanasia and FACA Certified Animal Control Officer certification within one year of hire.
  • License: Valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.

Preferred:

  • Degree: A degree in Criminal Justice or a closely related field.
  • Experience: Two years of experience in animal handling, law enforcement, military, or animal control is preferred.

Supplemental Information

  • Many tasks in this role come with a high degree of hazard and uncertainty.
  • Unique mental stresses related to animal control enforcement may be present.
  • This position requires the ability to work under stress due to human and animal behavior, as well as strong memory skills, creative problem-solving, and effective decision-making.

 Shift Details:

Training Program:

  • During your first few weeks on the job, you will undergo training during daytime hours to ensure you understand all of the necessary protocols and safety procedures.
  • Once fully trained, you will transition to the night shift, where you will gain hands-on experience in a variety of challenging environments while ensuring the public's safety and well-being.
  • Work Hours: Officers are expected to work the night shift from 3:00 PM to 11:30 PM with rotating on-call emergency shifts from 11:30 PM to 8:00 AM.
  • Days Off: Days off will vary based on the agency’s needs, either Friday-Saturday or Sunday-Monday, ensuring at least one weekend day off.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE/RECOVERY ACTIVITIES:

All County employees are required to work before, during, or after an emergency as needed. This may include temporarily being assigned to work and performing duties outside of the normal scope of their position, location and work schedule to fit the needs of the County and its citizens.

 

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 classification. All positions are subject to a criminal background check. A conviction in and of itself may not necessarily preclude employment. Some positions may be subject to a pre-employment drug screening. Certain service members and veterans, and the spouses and family members of such service members and veterans, who claim and meet eligibility requirements of veterans preference, receive preference and priority in employment and are encouraged to apply.

Lee County Board of County Commissioners offers a comprehensive, and affordable benefits package. Our Board works in the best interest of employees and strives to provide the most complete, high-quality benefits package available at the lowest possible cost to the employee. Our Board continues to remain steadfast in maintaining one of the lowest levels of employee costs in our area.
 
Lee County's benefits package is offered to both regular Full-time positions and Part-time positions that are regularly scheduled to work 60 hours or more bi-weekly. Medical benefits may be offered to On-Call, Temporary, Seasonal, and Intern employees who meet the Affordable Care Act eligibility criteria.
 
Lee County employees eligible to participate in the Florida Retirement System (FRS) are required to contribute 3% of each paycheck to FRS. If you have retired from the Florida Retirement Pension plan you will not be eligible for renewed membership in either of the FRS retirement plan options. Retirees of the Investment Plan are eligible for renewed membership in the Investment Plan only. FRS reemployment rules apply for both.
 
Below is a brief breakdown of what's included in the benefits package that is offered to our employees.
 

Health Benefits:

• Medical Insurance

• Plans include, but are not limited to: routine, preventative, mental health, hospitalization, and prescription drug benefits.

• Vision, Fitness, Weight Management, Natural Products and Services, and Hearing discount programs available.

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Medical Reimbursement Account

• Dependent Care Reimbursement Account

• Pharmacy, including Mail-Order Pharmacy

• Informed Health Lines (Nurse Hotline)

• Basic Life Insurance (1x or 2x Annual Salary at no cost to employee)

• Optional Life Insurance

• Long-Term Disability (60% of pre-disability salary at no cost to employee)

• Short-Term Disability

• Sick Leave Pool

• Flu vaccinations

• Wellness Programs

 
Financial Benefits:

• Florida Retirement System (FRS)

• Two Retirement Plan Options:

1) FRS Pension Plan (Defined Benefit)

2) FRS Investment Plan (Defined Contribution)

• Deferred Compensation (457) Plans

• Financial Savings/Management Programs

• Eligible for membership with Suncoast Credit Union

• Employee Leave Benefits

• Holiday Pay - 11 Paid Holidays Annually

• Paid Sick Leave

• Paid Vacation Leave

• Bereavement & Civic Duty Leave

• Family and Medical Leave

• Military Family & Medical Leave

• Educational Leave
 

Employee Assistance Program
Services available to employees that offers guidance, support, resources and information for personal and work-life issues. Confidential and provided at no charge to employees and their dependents.
 
United Way 2-1-1 (Lee County Employee Resource Program)
Lee County BOCC has partnered with United Way 211 to provide an Employee Resource Program which assists BoCC employees who may be experiencing distress due to economic hardship, health or other factors.
 
Educational Assistance
Reimbursement for coursework taken at an accredited college or university that is designed to enhance the knowledge, skills and abilities relating to the official duties that the employees perform.

01
Do you have at least one year of experience in animal handling, enforcement, law enforcement, or a related field?
  • Yes
  • No
02
Are you able to obtain Florida Animal Control Association (FACA) Certification in Euthanasia and FACA Certified Animal Control Officer certification within one year of hire?
  • Yes
  • No
03
Do you possess a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record?
  • Yes
  • No
04
Are you able to work the night shift from 3:00 PM to 11:30 PM with rotating on-call emergency shifts from 11:30 PM to 8:00 AM?
  • Yes
  • No

Required Question

Employer
Lee County Government
Address
P.O. Box 398
ATT: Human Resources
Fort Myers, Florida, 33902
Phone
(239) 533-2245