Animal Control Workers
Description
Handle animals for the purpose of investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals.
Job tasks
- • Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports.
- • Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary.
- • Examine animals for injuries or malnutrition, and arrange for any necessary medical treatment.
- • Remove captured animals from animal-control service vehicles and place animals in shelter cages or other enclosures.
- • Euthanize rabid, unclaimed, or severely injured animals.
- • Supply animals with food, water, and personal care.
- • Clean facilities and equipment such as dog pens and animal control trucks.
- • Prepare for prosecutions related to animal treatment, and give evidence in court.
- • Educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws and regulations.
- • Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities.
- • Write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals.
- • Issue warnings or citations in connection with animal-related offenses, or contact police to report violations and request arrests.
- • Answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations.
- • Examine animal licenses, and inspect establishments housing animals for compliance with laws.
- • Organize the adoption of unclaimed animals.
Abilities
Verbal Abilities
- • Oral Comprehension
- • Written Comprehension
- • Oral Expression
- • Written Expression
Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities
- • Problem Sensitivity
- • Deductive Reasoning
- • Inductive Reasoning
- • Information Ordering
- • Category Flexibility
Attentiveness
- • Time Sharing
Fine Manipulative Abilities
- • Arm-Hand Steadiness
- • Manual Dexterity
Physical Strength Abilities
- • Static Strength
Visual Abilities
- • Near Vision
- • Far Vision
Auditory and Speech Abilities
- • Speech Recognition
- • Speech Clarity
Skills
Content
- • Reading Comprehension
- • Active Listening
- • Writing
- • Speaking
Process
- • Critical Thinking
- • Active Learning
- • Monitoring
Social Skills
- • Social Perceptiveness
- • Coordination
- • Service Orientation
Systems Skills
- • Judgment and Decision Making
Knowledge
Business and Management
- • Administration and Management
- • Administrative
- • Customer and Personal Service
Mathematics and Science
- • Psychology
Arts and Humanities
- • English Language
Law and Public Safety
- • Public Safety and Security
- • Law and Government
Communications
- • Telecommunications
Interview options
Interviewee gender
Interviewee accent
Interview time
Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026