How to hire animal control workers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations. • Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary. • Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities. • Educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws and regulations. • Examine animals for injuries or malnutrition, and arrange for any necessary medical treatment. • Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports. • Remove captured animals from animal-control service vehicles and place animals in shelter cages or other enclosures. • Write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring, reading comprehension and writing skills • Working knowledge of public safety and security, law and government, English Language and customer and personal service • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $21.95 an hour ($45,660 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for animal control workers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws and regulations. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What animal control workers do
- Answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations.
- Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary.
- Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities.
- Educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws and regulations.
- Examine animals for injuries or malnutrition, and arrange for any necessary medical treatment.
- Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports.
- Remove captured animals from animal-control service vehicles and place animals in shelter cages or other enclosures.
- Write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for animal control workers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +4% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 1,500 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay animal control workers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $62,630 |
| New York | $48,420 |
| Florida | $45,860 |
| Texas | $43,250 |
See animal control workers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Animal Caretakers
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Animal Trainers
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
- Animal Breeders
- Agricultural Inspectors
- Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
- Security Guards
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 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. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.