Animal Control Officer
Animal control officers enforce laws and regulations that deal with animals and their owners. They ensure that people control their animals so they do not create problems for others.
Tasks & duties
Animal control officers may do some or all of the following:
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uphold laws and regulations, particularly compliance with the Dog Control Act 1996
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receive complaints about animals from the public
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give warnings to animal owners about their animals and sometimes issue offence notices
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educate the public about animal welfare, particularly the welfare of dogs
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look for and catch stray animals
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care for and feed animals in animal pounds
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assist with cleaning duties in animal pounds
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organise the adoption of stray animals
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insert microchips into dogs
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prepare for prosecutions and give evidence in court
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assist with euthanasia of animals
Skills & knowledge
Animal control officers need to have:
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good animal-handling skills and knowledge of animal behaviour and aggression
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the ability to care for animals
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knowledge of animal laws and regulations
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good communication skills
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organisational and time management skills
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good report writing skills
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basic maths and computer skills
Entry requirements
To become an animal control officer you need to have a current driver's licence and a gun licence.
Secondary education
School Certificate or NCEA equivalent is required, and useful subjects include English and maths.
Training on the job
Animal control officers gain skills on the job. A National Certificate in Animal Control can be gained on the job by distance learning through the Local Government Industry Training Organisation.
Useful experience
Useful experience for animal control officers includes:
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farm work
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veterinary nursing
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animal training
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any work involving customer service and dealing with the public
Related courses
Veterinary Science
For more information, please refer to Career Services.
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