Animal Control Workers
On the Job
Animal Control Workers handle animals that have been abandoned, neglected, or are dangerous. They investigate animal mistreatment.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Testify at legal or legislative proceedings.
- Examine crime scenes to obtain evidence.
- Interview people to gather information about criminal activities.
- Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
- Collaborate with law enforcement or security agencies to respond to incidents.
- Maintain operational records.
- Write operational reports.
- Use weapons or physical force to maintain security.
- Check physical condition of people or animals.
- Inspect facilities to ensure compliance with security or safety regulations.
Typical Working Conditions
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Dealing with external customers.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- The freedom to determine tasks, priorities, and goals.
- Working outdoors exposed to weather.
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people.
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Exposure to contaminants (like gases or odors).
- Exposure to disease or infections.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.

This page includes information from the O*NET 22.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.