ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
City of Salina, Kansas
Parks & Recreation / Animal Services 

The Animal Control Officer role offers meaningful, hands-on work for individuals seeking a long-term municipal career centered on public service, animal welfare, & community impact. In this position, the employee enforces animal control ordinances, responding to calls for assistance, educating the public, & caring for animals at the Salina Animal Shelter. The role adds visible value to the Salina, Kansas community through compassionate service, responsible code enforcement, & support for safe neighborhoods & humane animal care practices. As a City position, it also provides stability & structure many professionals value when looking for a career that supports work-life balance while offering purposeful daily work. With a mix of field response, shelter operations, public interaction, & specialized training, this opportunity is well suited for dependable candidates who want to build a rewarding future in local government service.

Career Advancement: Lead Animal Control Officer

On-the-Job Training: Training for an Animal Control Officer in Salina, Kansas is a process designed to empower new officers through practical learning under the guidance of experienced staff. The training includes mastering the use of specialized equipment such as catch poles, tranquilizer guns, & animal transport vehicles, ensuring officers are well-prepared to handle various scenarios. Training also emphasizes the importance of community interaction, enhancing communication skills to address public inquiries with confidence & authority. Staff provide insightful mentorship, sharing crucial insights into recognizing & dealing with animal health & safety concerns. This comprehensive training not only equips officers with immediate operational capabilities but also lays the groundwork for long-term career growth.

Duties:
· Enforces & applies ordinances & regulations of the Salina City Code pertaining to animal control via verbal warnings, written warnings, & citations; chases, apprehends, impounds, & transports domestic, farm, exotic, & wild animals that are stray, injured, & diseased; uses catch poles & traps to capture & impound animals; uses tranquilizer guns to subdue vicious & fractious animals; transports captured animals to the Salina Animal Shelter.
· Investigates incidents involving animal cruelty, illegal pit bulls, animal bites, & animal nuisances; interviews complainants, victims, & witnesses on possible law, ordinance & regulation violations; identifies, collects, & preserves evidence pertaining to investigations of animal cruelty; identifies owners of animals that are subjects of investigations; testifies in court & at hearings on animal control matters.
· Inspects pet shops, grooming shops, boarding kennels, animal breeders, catteries, & animal daycare facilities to ensure that animals are being handled in accordance with applicable ordinances & regulations.
· Issues licenses & permits for dogs & cats residing in Salina City Limits; provides public education on animal control ordinances & regulations & animal care methods/techniques
· Establishes quarantines involving rabies incidents & other health concerns as needed; prepares rabies specimens for laboratory tests by decapitating & placing specimens in insulated shipping coolers.
· Performs first aid on injured animals by applying splints, tourniquets, blankets, muzzles, & other related medical supplies & equipment; performs euthanasia on injured, sick, dangerous, or unwanted domestic, wild & exotic animals by means of lethal injection; picks up dead animals found in public streets & highways; disposes/incinerates animal carcasses.

Education:
· High school diploma or G.E.D.
· Must obtain Level I & II National Animal Control Association Academy training.

Experience: 
· One (1) year animal care experience in animal shelter, veterinary clinic, animal hospital, or other related area including customer service skills to the public preferred.

Requirements:
· Must live within 40-minutes response time.
· Must possess a valid Kansas driver‘s license.

Work Type:
· Moderate, exerting up to 80 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
· Works inside & outside.
· Adverse weather conditions are possible.

Equipment:
· Animal shelter equipment, calculator, catch pole, computer, crematorium, electronic tablet, fax machine, laboratory equipment, scanner, temperature gun, telephone, tranquilizer gun, two-way radio, voice recorder, & vehicles.

Hours:
· Works variable work schedule, including evenings & weekends.
· Shifts vary: 4 x 10-hour shifts/week including nights, weekends & holidays.
· Shifts may start at 5:00 a.m. & responds to overnight calls.

Starting Pay DOQ EOE:
· $21.14-22.20/hr.
· $43,971-46,176/yr.
· Additional $1.50/hour paid for hours worked after 6:00 p.m. & before 6:00 a.m.

Paid Time Off:
· 48 hours of vacation available upon hire; additional 48 hours earned during the year (96 hours in first year).
· 96 hours of sick leave during first year.

Application Deadline:
· Until filled

Equal Opportunity Employer/Drug-Free Workplace: We consider applicants for all jobs without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, or familial status.  Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations to the application and/or interview process should notify a representative of the Human Resources Department at 785-309-5710.

TH 06/18/2026