Animal Control Officer I- Police Department

The City of Port St. Lucie is an equal opportunity employer.

This position requires the applicant to successfully pass a drug screening.

Please note that this is an external job posting intended for non-city employees. If you are a current city employee applying through this posting, your application will not be reviewed with other internal candidates. In order to be considered with internal candidates, please apply on the internal posting by clicking

Fieldwork in the enforcement of animal control regulations, ensuring that the public is protected from stray animals, and that unwanted animals are humanely treated after being impounded. Facilitates the development of public trust and confidence in the City.

This position is considered an "Essential Position" for the purpose of Emergency Management. Emergency duties will be assigned as needed. This position requires 24 hours a day, 7 days per week availability during City of Port St Lucie emergencies, as determined by City Administrators, Emergency Manager or City Officials.

The following duties are illustrative for this position. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the classification if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment for this classification. Other duties may be required and assigned.

• Keeps the mission, vision, and values of the City of Port St. Lucie and Animal Control Division at the forefront of decision making and action; builds strategic and collaborative relationships and interacts with others in a way that builds confidence and trust; provides excellent customer service by taking action to accomplish objectives, maintains high levels of work and productivity by generating innovative solutions to work situations.
• Humanely captures and confines unrestrained domestic animals, nuisance wildlife, reptiles, exotic, and indigenous animals that pose safety concerns in the community.
• Conducts investigations into cruelty to animals.
• Actively patrols City streets for unrestrained animals.
• Responds to complaints and other calls for service. Investigates animal bites.
• Transports animals to appropriate shelter.
• Issues warnings and citations. Testifies in court.
• Answers telephones, prepares reports, performs routine clerical work, accesses, inputs, and retrieves information from a computer.
• Assists Police Department with removal of animals in residences when needed.
• Responds to calls when scheduled to be on-call.
• Ensures proper care and handling of animals at the Animal Control Compound.
• Other duties as may be assigned.

This position requires varied shift work for the efficient delivery of public service which include 10-hour shifts, scheduled/unscheduled overtime for any shift, weekends, holidays, and immediate response to emergency conditions, and is subject to on-call, call-back, or stand-by scheduling.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of an acceptable equivalency diploma required.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Animal Control Officer Certification required to be obtained within one (1) year from date of hire.
• Possession of valid drivers license and maintenance of clean driving record required with the ability to obtain a valid Florida drivers license within 30 days from date of hire.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Knowledge of State, County, and City animal control regulations and animal care procedures.
• Knowledge of trapping, ensnaring, handling, transporting, and caring for domestic and wild animals.
• Ability to distinguish between various breeds of animals for proper identification.
• Ability to access, input, and retrieve information from a computer.
• Ability to maintain sanitary conditions of kennels and vehicles.
• Ability to prepare written reports.
• Ability to work effectively in stressful situations.
• Ability to display compassion.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees and the public.
• Ability to maintain continuing education credits for Animal Control Officer certification.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment setting.
• Ability to focus on the positive in every situation.
• Ability to model respect for individuals, teams, and the organization.
• Ability to stay centered when challenged.
• Ability to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of the department and public.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to follow through with assigned tasks.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, hear, and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, run, and jump. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 45 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Steel-toe or composite-toe shoes are mandatory.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions that may be adverse and extreme (heat, humidity, cold, rain, etc.). The employee is frequently exposed to noise, dust, uneven surfaces, heights, poor lighting, flea-infected areas, moving animals, dead and infected animals, stressful situations, fumes, or airborne particles. The employee works with hazardous power tools and is exposed to heights up to 30 feet

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

Documentation Requirements

Please Read Carefully

Applicants, including City of Port St Lucie employees, must upload and submit attached copies of their education credentials with the employment application. Please be sure to attach all required documents to your employment application each time you apply. Uploaded documents remain in your online profile, but they will not attach automatically, and you will be deemed ineligible without the proper documentation.

ALL DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED MUST BE CLEAR, LEGIBLE, AND IN PROPER FORMAT.

THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT(S) ARE REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AND ARE ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF PROOF:

1. Proof of education in the form of a diploma, degree, or transcripts. Foreign diplomas/degrees must be submitted with a credential evaluation report from an approved credential evaluation agency*. Translations of diplomas/degrees are not accepted. Audit/Academic reports are not accepted as substitutions for college transcripts.
2. Driver's License: A Valid Driver's License from any state (Equivalent to a State of Florida Class E) may be utilized upon application; however, within thirty (30) days from the date of hire, a State of Florida Driver's License (Class E or higher) must be presented.

*Approved Credential Evaluation Agencies:

Credential evaluation reports showing the United States equivalency for academic credentials earned in other countries may be provided by:

• An accredited four-year college or university in the United States, OR
• A current member of the OR
• A current member of the OR
• A recognized Professional Organization

For an additional list of approved credential evaluation agencies, visit the

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all required documents submitted with the employment application are in a format that is acceptable, clear, and legible for eligibility determination or risk being disqualified.

Applicants, including City of Port St Lucie employees, must completely detail their work experience on the employment application or risk being disqualified. Resumes will not be reviewed in place of the employment application.

It is the applicant's responsibility to update their online profile with personal data, work experience, education, and certifications when submitting application(s); failure to do so may result in disqualification.