Animal Control Officer

Salary : $50,356.80 - $72,404.80 Annually
Location : 1600 Chamberlayne Avenue, VA
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: 88M00000022
Department: Office of Animal Care & Control
Opening Date: 08/26/2026
Closing Date: 9/9/2026 11:59 PM Eastern


Are you Richmond R.E.A.D.Y ? R espect. E quity. A ccountability. D iversity... YOU !!!


This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• T uition Assistance Program

Description


The City of Richmond Animal Care and Control is seeking dynamic, enthusiastic, and hardworking candidates for the position of Animal Control Officer. The incumbent will be responsible for investigating complaints, picking up stray and dead animals, patrolling the city for violations of animal ordinances which may include aiding animals in distress, transporting stray animals to the kennel and caring for kenneled animals. The selected candidate must be able to address citizen inquires and inform citizens of animal control laws and have the ability to humanely tranquilize and euthanize unhealthy animals and wildlife.


Richmond Animal Care and Control is committed to being an employer of choice and we are dedicated to the growth of our workforce. We value our employees and seek to attract and retain the best. We are also committed to individual professional growth! The selected candidate will have the opportunity to attend applicable training and educational workshops.
This position may require working weekends and holidays, as needed.

This position is considered an Essential Personnel, which means that the incumbent is required to work when the City is closed due to public emergencies, critical or hazardous conditions, or inclement weather.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Enforcing the Animal Welfare Laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Codes for the City of Richmond pertaining to animals to ensure the health and safety of the public
• Conducting and coordinating, and sometimes assisting other City Agencies, with independent investigations of incidences of cruelty to animals and enforcing the appropriate City and State codes
• Responding to requests for assistance with aggressive animals
• Assisting residents with dangerous wild and/or exotic animals, such as snakes, raccoons, opossums, etc.
• Responding to calls for assistance regarding the potential exposure to rabies
• Providing animal care, vaccinations, and medications for animals
• Performing euthanasia and lab specimen preparation
• Investigating citizen complaints related to companion animal concerns
• Assisting residents with their companion animal's needs and concerns
• Educating the public regarding responsible pet ownership and care requirements
• Preparing reports and records on a daily basis
• Composing court records and files and testifying in court regularly
• Responding to the need for service as an emergency responder
• Updating animal/client records to reflect the most current status and information available
• Driving a City of Richmond vehicle
• Performing other related duties as assigned

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent
• One (1) year of experience handling animals and/or enforcing animal laws
• An equivalent combination of training and experience (as approved by the department) may be used to meet the minimum qualifications of the classification

LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, and OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Requires a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License within 30 days of hire
• Requires a Animal Control Officer certification within one year of hire
• Requires a euthanasia certification within one year of hire
• Required to work scheduled and on-call shifts which include evening, weekends and holidays

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Animal behavior and handling
• Animal control laws
• Aggressive animal handling
• Basic knowledge of animals, including different breeds and types
• Electronic databases and related software applications such as the shelter intake system Shelterbuddy
• Licensing laws

Skills (some combination of the following):

• Understanding and appreciation of animals
• Capturing and impounding dangerous or stray animals
• Answering calls regarding animals in the City
• Communicating with various internal and external departments
• Driving a City of Richmond vehicle
• Enforcing licensing laws
• Ensuring animal owners are in compliance with the animal control laws
• Identifying different breeds and types of animals
• Investigating cases of animal cruelty
• Maintaining a professional attitude and a positive relationship with citizens
• Using communication skills to deescalate situations
• Providing expert testimony in court cases
• Providing humane care to animals
• Rescuing trapped animals
• Using a variety of animal control equipment such as control pole leash, animal trap, nets, mace, gloves, snake and cat tongs, etc.
• Using discretion to decide whether to seize an animal from a location pending an investigation
• Using discretion to decide whether to issue a summons to a citizens or provide them a chance to come into compliance
• Writing reports such as an incident report

Abilities (some combination of the following):

• Be compassionate
• Follow standard procedures and established practices to resolve problems
• Communicate
• Make judgments
• Multi-task
• Problem solve
• Work well with a team

Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, finger, grasp, feel, talk, hear, and perform repetitive motions; frequently see and crawl; and occasionally climb. The working conditions may include environmental hazards. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be heavy work, exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.


The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Veronica Kenner, by email at View email address on click.appcast.io.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
The City of Richmond Values Veterans. We are an official V3 Certified Company .

The City of Richmond is a proud partner with the US Army Partnership for Your Success PaYS Program.
With over 4,000 employees, the City of Richmond is an "Employer of Choice" among cities throughout the nation. The City strives to hire and retain employees who bring dedication and talent to the workforce. Offering a competitive, cost effective, and quality benefits package is one element of an "Employer of Choice".


The City offers a full range of benefit programs from initial hire through retirement. Please visit our Web site for details.
01


10-point compensable veteran. You must have an existing compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more. Other 10-point veteran include disabled veteran or a veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart for wound or injuries received in action, veteran's widow or widower who has not remarried, wife or husband of a veteran who has a service-connected disability, widowed, divorced or separated mother of an ex-service son or daughter who died in action, or who is totally and permanently disabled. Do any of these apply?

• Yes
• No

02


5-point veteran's must have been discharged under honorable conditions and had one of the following: Active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, in a war, or during the period 4/28/52-7/1/55 or active duty for more than 180 consecutive days other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning 2/1/55 and 10/14/76 or active duty during the Gulf War sometime between 8/2/90 - 1/2/92 or active duty in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized or active duty for which more than 180 consecutive days other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning 9/11/2001 and ending on the date prescribed by the Presidential proclamation or by the law as the last date of operation Iraqi Freedom. Do any of these apply?

• Yes
• No

03


Employees in this job classification are designated as Essential Personnel and must be available to report to work during inclement weather, disasters and other emergencies. Are you willing and available to report to work during these conditions?

• Yes
• No

04


Are you able to work a flexible schedule including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays?

• Yes
• No

05


Are you able to multi-task handling several items at one time?

• Yes
• No

06


Which best describes your years of experience working in animal control?

• Less than one year of experience
• One to three years of experience
• Three to five years of experience
• Six or more years of experience

07


Employees in this job classification are required to be certified for euthanasia. Are you willing to be certified and perform euthanasia?

• Yes
• No

Required Question