About Petworks

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Petworks Animal Services is a nonprofit animal shelter. Our animal control officers are responsible for working with a team of employees to enforce animal control ordinances for the City of Kingsport, transport animals to and from the shelter, and work with the team to ensure the health and well-being of the animals in our care.

This position helps to protect the public health and safety of the residents of Kingsport by ensuring that animal-related city ordinances are appropriately applied safely and equitably.

Animal control officers work alongside Kingsport Police Department officers to conduct investigations, they respond to calls for service and enforce applicable city ordinances.

Animal Control Officers are dispatched on calls by shelter staff, KPD dispatch and Petworks’ answering service. 

Animal Control Officers receive departmental training, as well as continuing education and professional development in areas including fear free animal care, animal behavior, and field training. 

Animal Control Officers spend 75% of their time in the field, working out in the community. 

All Animal Control Officers support the values of Petworks, including personal and professional excellence, accountability to the community, integrity, and respect for human and animal life and safety.

Work Location: 

This position currently works on-site and in the field. 

Key Responsibilities 

· Respond to animal complaints/concerns and preliminarily investigative cases for compliance with Kingsport animal ordinance codes and other applicable Tennessee State laws. 

· Mediating/resolving conflicts between parties involving animal control issues (animal confinement, noise, property damage, cruelty); explaining laws, policies, and procedures. 

· Enforce the Kingsport City Ordinances by issuing warnings and citations. 

· Interview victims, suspects of animal cruelty and crimes, witnesses and members of the general public as it relates to any given animal control case. 

· Prepare complete and accurate reports and other related paperwork. 

· Utilize Animal Shelter Manager to track ACO calls.

· Recover and assume custody of lost, abandoned and recovered animals. Assist KPD with animal related cases.

· Handle, control and impound dangerous, injured and ill animals including animals with zoonotic diseases that are potentially fatal including and not limited to the Rabies virus.

· Represent Petworks Animal Services with a focus on public education regarding responsible pet ownership and available resources through field calls for service, communicating with community members at the shelter and at community events. Execute the mission and vision of Petworks. 

· On-call rotation with other team members.

· Provide 24/7 emergency response following Petworks’ protocols, policies and procedures. 

· Testify in hearings including but not limited to civil custody hearings, citation hearings and criminal court hearings. 

· Assist shelter and veterinary staff as needed with services including feeding of the animals, the administration of preliminary vaccinations to dogs and cats upon intake when applicable and other animal care services 

· Assist with cleaning the shelter when needed - including but not limited to all communal staff areas, animal kennels and cages, outside areas, and the Petworks fleet of vehicles.

· Picking up dead animals out of the streets of Kingsport, bringing to shelter for storage in freezer and transporting to landfill as needed.

· Cleaning and sanitizing all vehicles, crates, cages and traps after each use.

Working Conditions: 

This position requires handling and restraining potentially dangerous  animals. 

The position is exposed to physical threats which include unpredictable, hostile, and potentially armed individuals. 

The position may be exposed to zoonotic diseases and parasitic zoonoses such as rabies and others. 

This position requires being on call for emergencies and working long hours during the day or night. 

The position is also subject to long periods of exposure to inclement weather, extreme temperatures, driving to multiple locations, garbed in PPE, lifting and/or carrying heavy loads, crawling, climbing, running, bending, etc. 

Qualifications:

· High school diploma or GED required

   MUST BE 18+ 

· Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and clean driving record for the duration of employment in this position.

· Ability to relate and work effectively with people from diverse cultural, economic and ethnic backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications: 

· Two or more years of animal handling experience is desired, but we are willing to train the right candidate.

· Animal Care and Control Certification or equivalent

· Previous experience and/or training as an Animal Control Officer, law enforcement, or related fields 

Knowledge of:

· Safety rules and regulations

· General care of animals

· Animal control procedures

· Tennessee State law pertaining to animals

· First aid procedures

· Animal diseases

· Geographical area

Ability to:

· Read and write English (bilingual is a +)

· Operate motor vehicles (vans, trucks, etc)

· Control/restrain animals humanely and safely

· Respond to emergency situations

· Perform under stressful conditions

· Work independently

Skills:

· Report writing

· Computer, Keyboarding

· Interpersonal, public speaking

· Problem solving, decision making

· Analytical

· Telephone, communication

· Clerical

· Investigative

Physical Requirements:

· Walk, run, climb, stoop, bend, kneel, crawl, ambulate independently 

· Lift/carry, push/pull 80 pounds or more 

· Speak English understandably

· Sit for long periods, stand for long periods

· Manual dexterity

· Strength to control animals safely and humanely'

Position-specific Certifications: Must have the ability to obtain and maintain the following certifications to perform essential functions of employment. On-the-job training and certification will be provided as needed. Some certifications will require fingerprinting and a background check.

· Fear Free Certification

· Animal Behavior Training

· Euthanasia Certification (may be required later)

· Animal Control Officer training certification

HOURS: Part-time, non-exempt (not more than 29 hours)

PAY RATE:  $14.00 + per hour to start with room for growth if interest and initiative is shown  

How to apply: Applicants must fill out the application. Link is below.