ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER II
Salary
$55,739.04 - $75,119.04 Annually
Location
Los Angeles County, CA
Job Type
Full time
Job Number
O2980J
Department
ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL
Opening Date
06/22/2026
Position/Program Information
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL
EXAM NUMBER: O2980J
TYPE OF RECRUITMENT: OPEN CONTINUOUS
TYPE PF RECRUITMENT: We welcome applications from anyone!
The application filing period will begin on June 25, 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.
Our Departments Mission: An innovative animal care and control agency with state-of-the-art facilities providing animals and residents high quality, effective, and caring service.
JOIN OUR TEAM AS AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER II!
As an Animal Control Officer II you will, under general supervision, patrol an assigned geographic area, capture unconfined and wild animals; inspect business premises; and issue citations, licenses, and/or legal notices as appropriate to enforce State, County and City codes and ordinances governing animal control.
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 45 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.
Essential Job Functions
What will you do:
Patrol an assigned geographical area in a light truck observing for violations or responding to incidents.
Inspect animal facilities to ensure conformance to laws; explains violations and need for correction of such things as poor sanitary conditions, inadequate food, sick or injured animals and over-crowded conditions; issues citations as appropriate.
Capture both domestic and wild animals using equipment and methods appropriate for animal abatement and control; may require chasing, climbing fences and crawling under houses.
Issue citations, licenses, warnings and/or legal notices.
Report to a field command post established to provide extended hours of animal containment, capture and relocation, in emergencies such as brush fires, floods or animals loose on public thoroughfares.
Serve as office information officer and radio dispatcher; receive and respond to in-person and telephone requests for information and animal control services from citizens and other public agencies; dispatch officers to routine incidents.
Enforce sections of the Penal Code pertaining to cruelty to animals.
Assist the Department of Regional Planning by inspecting property and premises to determine compliance with zoning ordinances involving the housing of animals when special permits are required; recommend approval or rejection based upon adequacy of facilities.
Present departmentally prepared and approved educational programs, including lectures, slides and demonstrations at schools and civic meetings as needed.
Operate tranquilizer gun equipment for use in the capture and seizure of animals in circumstances in which there is eminent danger to human life, public safety or property as needed.
Pick up small dead animals manually and load into truck; loads larger animals, such as horses or cows, using a truck-driven winch and harness as needed.
Testify in court as to facts related to violations of animal control laws as needed.
Act as officer-in-charge as required when needed.
Requirements
REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
Six months of experience at the level of Animal Control Officer I for an animal control regulatory agency.*
AND
Possession of certification indicating successful completion of training program per California Penal Code Section 832
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS INFORMATION:
A copy of a P.C. 832 Certificate - (Penal Code Section 830.9 required training in order to issue citations and service warrants for Animal Control Officers) must be attached to the application at the time of filing.
If you are unable to attach the required documents, you must either email them 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.
Out-of-class work experience in the service of the County of Los Angeles will not be accepted for this examination.
No withhold will be allowed. Required experience must be fully met at the time of filing, and clearly indicated on the application.
LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of appointment to perform the essential functions of this position.
The required license MUST be current and unrestricted; conditional, provisional, probationary or restricted license will not be accepted.
Successful applicants for positions that require driving must obtain a copy of his/her 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 applicants 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:
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.
Additional Information
EXAMINATION CONTENT:
This examination consists of two (2) parts, weighted 100% total.
PART I: Multiple choice and/or simulation assessment(s) weighted 75% measuring:
Safety Orientation, Achievement, Teamwork, Responsibility, and Deductive Reasoning.
MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS AND SIMULATION ASSESSMENTS ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.
PART II: An Evaluation of Training and Experience (T&E) weighted 25% assessing competencies gained in the following areas:
Candidates must meet the requirements, and achieve a combined passing score of 70% or higher on the examination in order to be placed on the Eligible Register.
NOTE: We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add sperez@animalcare.lacounty.gov as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com, and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail. 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 your profile inbox. It is every applicants responsibility to take steps to view correspondence. Los Angeles County will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part.
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.
Transfer of Test Components:
Test Preparation:
We provide study guides and other test preparation resources to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides may help in preparing for the test, we advise you to review all related materials that seem necessary.
Applications will be processed on an as-received basis and promulgated to the eligible register accordingly.
Test 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
Test scores cannot be given over the telephone.
SPECIAL INFORMATION:
Appointees may be required to work any shift including evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.
This position requires lifting of extremely heavy objects. Physical fitness for this position will be determined in a medical examination.
ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:
The names of successful candidates will be placed on the Eligible Register for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of eligibility.
The resulting eligible register for this examination will be used to fill vacancies in the Department of Animal Care and Control Care Centers throughout Los Angeles County.
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. This website can also be used to get application status updates.
Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employers name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.
Resumes may be added to your application but cannot be substituted for the Experience portions of the County application nor for the completion and submission of the supplemental questions. If your application is incomplete, it will be rejected.
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 could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying VERBIAGE from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience WILL NOT BE sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an INCOMPLETE APPLICATION and may lead to disqualification.
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 members or friends user ID and password may erase a candidates original application record.
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.
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
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Employment Information
Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.
This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.
Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement:
The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/.
Testing Accommodations for Applicants:
The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/.
Fair Chance:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).
Employment Eligibility:
Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.
Career PathFinder:
Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov.
Veteran's Credit:
Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.
For more information on veteran's credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf
Revised September 2025
For detailed information, please click here
01
Many important notifications including invitation letters/test results letters/application rejection letters will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. It is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add sperez@animalcare.lacounty.gov as well as noreply@governmentjobs.com, and info@governmentjobs.com to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail. Applicants have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices. 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.
02
Do you have at least 6 months of experience at the level of Animal Control Officer I in an animal control regulatory agency? Experience at the level of Animal Control Officer I refers to experience enforcing State, County and City codes and ordinances governing animal control including the care and treatment, impounding, quarantine, licensing vaccination, and regulation of a variety of animals even if your title isnt exactly the same as the one listed.
03
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS: Supplemental Questions 4 to 19 pertain to the ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER III - EVALUATION OF TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE and is to be completed by all applicants. This evaluation is weighted 25% of your final exam score. This Supplemental Questionnaire requires you to document specific trainings/certifications, work experience and supervisory experience that pertain to the competencies identified as important to successful performance of the job duties of an ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER III. It is your sole responsibility to complete this questionnaire completely, correctly and accurately. Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered a response. Making false statements on this questionnaire may cause you to be disqualified from this examination.
04
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE BEYOND REQUIREMENTS.
In the following section of the Evaluation of Training and Experience, you will indicate which of the specified work experience you have completed. This section IS NOT intended to include informal on-the-job training or self-study. Do you have at least 3 years of verifiable experience handling domestic, wildlife and exotic animals (deceased and alive) (e.g., dogs, cats, livestock, reptiles, birds)?
05
In order to receive credit for the areas of responsibility selected in QUESTION #4, you must provide the following:
If you have no experience in an area of responsibility, then indicate "NO EXPERIENCE." Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. (Please limit your response to 200 words)
06
Do you have at least 3 years of verifiable experience conducting inspections of business and residential properties/premises (e.g., commercial and private kennels, grooming parlors, pet and animal facilities, wild animal compounds and exhibitions, private residences, guard dog firms and individual businesses who own guard dogs, circuses, rodeos)?
07
In order to receive credit for the areas of responsibility selected in QUESTION #6, you must provide the following:
If you have no experience in an area of responsibility, then indicate "NO EXPERIENCE." Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. (Please limit your response to 200 words)
08
Do you have verifiable experience participating in emergency rescues of animals (e.g., during natural disasters)?
09
In order to receive credit for the areas of responsibility selected in QUESTION #8, you must provide the following:
If you have no experience in an area of responsibility, then indicate "NO EXPERIENCE." Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. (Please limit your response to 200 words)
10
Do you have at least 6 months of verifiable experience conducting investigations related to animal control services (e.g., suspected animal cruelty, reports of animal bites/scratches, animal noise complaints)?
11
In order to receive credit for the areas of responsibility selected in QUESTION #10, you must provide the following:
If you have no experience in an area of responsibility, then indicate "NO EXPERIENCE." Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. (Please limit your response to 200 words)
12
Do you have at least 6 months of verifiable experience performing work activities at an animal shelter (e.g., caring for animals, collecting fees for licenses, impounding animals, taking photographs of animals, cleaning and disinfecting kennel areas, making and reporting minor repairs to tools and equipment, maintaining vehicle in a clean and properly serviced condition)?
13
In order to receive credit for the areas of responsibility selected in QUESTION #12, you must provide the following:
If you have no experience in an area of responsibility, then indicate "NO EXPERIENCE." Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. (Please limit your response to 200 words)
14
Do you have at least 6 months of verifiable experience maintaining various documents and records (e.g., issued citations, licenses, legal notices, warrants, order to comply, and seizure notices; written reports; evidence obtained from investigations; general business correspondence)?
15
In order to receive credit for the areas of responsibility selected in QUESTION #14, you must provide the following:
If you have no experience in an area of responsibility, then indicate "NO EXPERIENCE." Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. (Please limit your response to 200 words)
16
Do you have at least 6 months of verifiable experience patrolling an assigned geographical area (areas that include busy streets, back roads, beaches, and/or canyons) attending to lost, abandoned, dead, or vicious animals?
17
In order to receive credit for the areas of responsibility selected in QUESTION #16, you must provide the following:
If you have no experience in an area of responsibility, then indicate "NO EXPERIENCE." Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. (Please limit your response to 200 words)
18
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE BEYOND REQUIREMENTS.
In the following section of the Evaluation of Training and Experience, you will indicate Trainings/Certifications you have completed. TRAININGS/CERTIFICATIONS - If you possess any of the following trainings/certifications, please select all that is applicable to you. In order to receive credit for any of the following trainings/certifications, you must provide supporting documentation (e.g., training / certificate) at the time of filing or within fifteen (15) calendar days from application submission to SPerez@animalcare.lacounty.gov.
19
If you selected "Other related trainings/certifications" please indicate the name(s) of your other related trainings/certifications.
20
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE BEYOND REQUIREMENTS.
In the following section of the Evaluation of Training and Experience, you will indicate lead experience you have completed. Do you have verifiable experience serving as a lead to lower level staff (e.g., kennel staff, Animal Control Officers, clerical support, volunteers, etc.) by providing direction, reviewing work, delegating assignments and ensuring work is performed daily?
21
In order to receive credit for the areas of responsibility selected in QUESTION #20, you must provide the following:
If you have no experience in an area of responsibility, then indicate "NO EXPERIENCE." Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered as a response. (Please limit your response to 200 words)
Required Question
Employer County of Los Angeles
Address
Los Angeles, California, 90010
Website http://hr.lacounty.gov