ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER IV

Job Description

Position/Program Information

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL


EXAM NUMBER
O-2982-J

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT
We welcome applications from anyone!

WHEN TO APPLY
The application filing period will begin on October 23 , 2026 at 8:00 a.m. (PT) - Continuous. We will keep accepting applications until the position is filled. The application window may close unexpectedly once we have enough qualified candidates.

WHY WORK FOR US?
With almost 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation! As the largest employer in Southern California with over 100,000 employees in 39 departments, we provide vital and diverse public services like law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, and cultural activities.

The County has more than 2,100 different job types, offering a lifetime of opportunities and careers! We are dedicated professionals committed to preserving the dignity and integrity of the workplace as well as protecting the rights of each employee. Join us and discover one of the strongest public-sector benefits packages in the county with a rich selection of health care options, robust retirement plans and the flexibility to work, relax, and rejuvenate to reach your fullest personal and professional potential.

DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL
The County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control is one of the largest and most progressive animal control agencies in the United States. Our seven animal care centers serve over 3 million residents across 43 contract cities and unincorporated areas. We cover a diverse area of more than 3,400 square miles, providing 24/7 animal control and rescue services.

For more information about our amazing benefits, please visit us here: https://hr.lacounty.gov/benefits/
OUR DEPARTMENT'S MISSION
An innovative animal care and control agency with state-of-the-art facilities providing animals and residents high quality, effective, and caring service.

THE TEAM MEMBER WE ARE SEARCHING FOR
We are looking for an extraordinarily dedicated and compassionate person who has a demonstrated history in animal care and control. Our ideal applicant is driven, with excellent communication skills and the capacity to work in coordination within a diverse group. You should be motivated to effectively carry out animal control strategies and give to making Los Angeles a safer environment for both animals and residents.

Essential Job Functions

What will you do:

• Review the workload in progress at the Animal Care Center/Shelter and in the field; revise priorities and deployment of personnel as necessary to ensure compliance with departmental practices and procedures.
• Review field reports and citations prepared by Animal Control Officers for completeness and accuracy, makes necessary corrections, and refer reports to higher-level personnel, as required.
  
• Make shift inspections of Animal Care Center/Shelter facilities and equipment for conformance with regulations and procedures pertinent to sanitation, feeding, care and quarantine of animals; initiate correction by the Animal Care Center/Shelter staff or refer the problem to higher-level personnel, as necessary.
  
• Review the more-complex cases involving enforcement of animal control regulations which are likely to require knowledge of court decisions or intent of the law.
  
• Conduct staff training using departmentally approved material for Animal Care Center/Shelter personnel on such subjects as animal care, ordinance intent, loading livestock and capture of animals, as necessary.
  
• Review and assess the performance of staff; prepare performance evaluations.
  
• Assist and advise Animal Control Officers with enforcement and investigative problems; supervise or perform captures requiring the use of a tranquilizer gun.
  

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:
Possession of certification indicating successful completion of training program per California Penal Code Section 832* - AND- Four years of experience enforcing animal care and control laws, including the investigation of violations and court prosecution for an animal control/regulatory agency. One year of this experience must have been at the level of Animal Control Officer III ** .

LICENSE:

A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of appointment. A valid California Class B Driver License may be required for some positions at the time of appointment.
Successful applicants for positions that require driving must obtain a copy of their driving record from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles before final appointment. Applicants should not present a copy of their driving history until asked to do so by the hiring department. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether an applicant's driving history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job. License must not be currently suspended, restricted or revoked.

PHYSICAL CLASS
4 - Arduous. This class involves frequent heavy lifting over 25 pounds, often combined with bending, twisting, or working above ground on irregular surfaces. It includes those positions that occasionally demand extraordinary physical activity such as those in Safety positions.

No withhold will be allowed. Required experience must be fully met at the time of filing, and clearly indicated on the application. Out-of-class work experience in the service of the County of Los Angeles will not be accepted for this examination.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS INFORMATION:
*In order to receive credit for the required certification, applicants must attach a legible photocopy of their California Penal Code Section 832 Certificate at the time of filing. If you are unable to attach the document to your application, please submit documentation to SPerez@animalcare.lacounty.gov or fax them to (562) 422-3187 within fifteen (15) calendar days of filing. Please include exam number and exam title. We do not accept password-protected documents.

Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.

**Experience at the level of Animal Control Officer III refers to experience serving as lead Animal Control Officer by assisting in the operation of an Animal Care Center/Shelter and in enforcing State, County, and City codes and ordinances governing animal control functions such as animal care, field enforcement, shelter maintenance, licensing, and related assignments.

You may still qualify even if your job title isn’t exactly the same as the ones listed. What matters is that your experience is at a similar level - meaning your job involves similar responsibilities, requires comparable skills and knowledge, and takes place within a similar organizational structure. Please provide a clear explanation of your experience to demonstrate that it is at the appropriate level.

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT :

This examination consists of two (2) parts, weighted 100% total.

PART I: Multiple choice and/or simulation assessment(s) weighted 70% measuring:

• Analyzing Information
• Empathy
  
• Sharing Knowledge and Guidance
  
• Controlling Emotions
  
• Management Judgment
  
• Management Potential
  
• Achievement
  
• Responsibility
  
• Willingness to Learn
  
• Working Relationships
  
• Learning Quickly
  
• Generating New Ideas
  
• Using Time Efficiently
  
• Working to High-Quality Standards
  
• Adapting to Change
  
• Reading Comprehension
  

MULTIPLE-CHOICE AND/OR SIMULATION ASSESSMENTS ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

Applicants must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on Part I in order to have their Part II Evaluation of Training and Experience calculated and scored.

Part II: an Evaluation of Training and Experience, weighted at 30%, measuring:

• Professional/Technical Expertise - Various domestic, wildlife, livestock, and exotic animals as found within LA County
• Professional/Technical Expertise - Techniques, systems, tools, and equipment used in animal care and control services
• Professional/Technical Knowledge of State and Local Animal Control Laws and Regulations
• Professional/Technical Expertise - Controlled Substances
• Safety Focus

Candidates must meet the requirements and achieve a 70% or higher on the combined score of Part I and Part II in order to be placed on the eligible list.

TRANSFER OF TEST COMPONENTS:

If you recently took identical components for other exams, the test responses may be automatically transferred to this examination. This exam contains test components that might be used on future exams, and your responses could be transferred to that exam. Scores cannot be given over the telephone.

TEST PREPARATION:
We provide study guides and other test preparation resources to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides will help you preparing for the test, we recommend reviewing all related materials that seem necessary.

• Online practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en/practice-tests (https://www.shldirect.com/en/practice-tests). You can also visit our Los Angeles County Online Assessment Preparation Series webpage at https://lacounty.attract.neogov.com/la-county-online-assessments-prep-series for information about common online assessment types, sample questions, and test-taking tips. (Generally, only used for CTAD-administered written exams)
• Various information can be found on our website at https://hr.lacounty.gov/job-search-toolkit/. The section dedicated to test preparation is "Employment Test Assistance."

SPECIAL INFORMATION:
Appointees may be required to work any shift including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.

ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:

Applicants who passed the assessment(s) are placed on the list in the order of their score group for a period of twelve (12) months. Applications will be processed as they are received and added to the list accordingly. We will use this list to fill vacancies in the Department of Animal Care and Control as they occur.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:

WE ONLY ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FILED ONLINE. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY U.S. MAIL, FAX, OR IN PERSON ARE NOT ACCEPTED.
Apply online by clicking on the green "Apply" tab for this posting. You can also track the status of your application using this website.

Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed. Copying VERBIAGE from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience WILL NOT BE sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements.

We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information on your application and any attachments will result in refusal of application, rescission of appointment, or restriction of application to future recruitments.

We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.

• SPerez@animalcare.lacounty.gov
• info@governmentjobs.com
• talentcentral@shl.com
• donot-reply@amcatmail.com

New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.

NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD: All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

It is your responsibility to take the above steps to view correspondence. Los Angeles County will not consider claims of not viewing or receiving notification to be a valid reason for late test administration or rescheduling of a test component.

Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI ):

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Animal Care and Control is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst races. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Testing Accommodation:
If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the opportunity to make a request when completing your application. Please note, you may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation.

Testing Accommodations Coordinator: TestingAccommodations@hr.lacounty.gov
Department Contact Phone: (562) 534-1402
Department Contact Email: SPerez@animalcare.lacounty.gov
ADA Coordinator Phone: (562) 256-7100
California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922
Teletype Phone: (800) 899-4099
Alternate TTY Phone: (800) 897-0077

For detailed information, please click here