Animal Control Officer / Animal Kennel Attendant (Combined Role)

Hope4Paws Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a dedicated Board of Trustees. Our story began in 1933 with a simple yet powerful mission: to provide every homeless pet, especially those with special needs or challenges, with a safe, loving, and appropriate forever home. We provide Animal Care and Control services under contract to several cities in North/Central New Jersey, including but not limited to: North Plainfield, South Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Springfield, Berkeley Heights, and Bound Brook. As a private nonprofit organization, we are a no–kill shelter and work to place every animal in a loving, forever home.  If you love animals and want to help us care for them and find each animal a forever home, we would love to hear from you.

Job Title: Animal Control Officer / Animal Kennel Attendant (Combined Role)
Reports To: Shelter Manager

Position Summary

The Animal Control Officer / Animal Kennel Attendant is a dual-role position responsible for enforcing animal control laws and ensuring the humane care, handling, and housing of animals within Hope4Paws shelter. This position combines fieldwork involving public safety and ordinance enforcement with hands-on animal care responsibilities inside the kennel environment. The employee will respond to community concerns regarding animals, capture and transport stray or dangerous animals, investigate complaints, and provide daily care for animals housed in the facility.

This role requires a balance of compassion for animals, professionalism in public interactions, and the ability to handle physically and emotionally demanding situations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Animal Control Officer Responsibilities

• Respond to calls from contracted cities regarding injured, stray, abandoned, or aggressive animals. 
• Capture and safely restrain animals using appropriate tools and techniques. 
• Investigate animal cruelty, neglect, and abuse cases; document findings and prepare reports. 
• Transport animals to and from the H4PHS shelter or other facilities. 
• Assist in emergency situations, including natural disasters or public safety incidents involving animals. 
• Educate the public on responsible pet ownership, licensing requirements, and animal welfare. 

Animal Kennel Attendant Responsibilities

• Maintain a high standard of animal care and welfare for a variety of animals (dogs, cats, small pets, and livestock), including providing scheduled feedings, providing clean water at all times, proper bedding, and enrichment toys.
• Exercise and socialize animals on a regular basis.
• Restrain, confine, and handle animals, including those who are ill, injured, quarantined, and aggressive.
• Bathe or clean animals immediately if they become soiled.
• Clean and sanitize kennels, cages, equipment, and common areas of the shelter to maintain a safe and hygienic environment according to H4PHS policy and procedure.
• Observe and monitor animals’ health and behavior for signs of illness, injury, or behavioral changes and report concerns to supervisors or veterinary staff. 
• Assist with intake and release of animals, including documentation and identification procedures. 
• Support adoption processes by interacting with potential adopters and providing information about animals. 
• Exercise and socialize animals as appropriate to promote well-being and adoptability. 
• Maintain accurate records of animal care, feeding schedules, medications, and behavioral observations. 
• Assist with euthanasia procedures, when necessary, in accordance with policy and humane standards (if certified and authorized). 

Additional Duties

• Maintain vehicles, equipment, and supplies used in both field and kennel operations. 
• Participate in training sessions, staff meetings, and continuing education opportunities. 
• Assist with community outreach programs, volunteer, and adoption programs.
• Effectively and professionally communicate policies concerning intakes, adoptions, euthanasia, and surrenders to H4PHS clients, members of the public, and other organizations.
• Maintain accurate cash drawers (money and receipts); perform end-of-day reconciliations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of animal behavior, handling techniques, and humane care practices. 
• Familiarity with animal control laws, ordinances, and public safety procedures. 
• Ability to safely handle aggressive, frightened, or injured animals. 
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for interacting with the public, coworkers, and partner agencies. 
• Ability to remain calm and professional in stressful or emotionally charged situations. 
• Basic recordkeeping and report-writing skills. 
• Ability to work independently and make sound decisions in the field. 
• Compassion, patience, and commitment to animal welfare. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record. 
• Current NJ ACO Certification 
• Previous experience working with animals in a shelter, veterinary clinic, or related field preferred. 
• Basic computer skills for data entry and report writing. 
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced, often high-stress environment.
• Must be forward thinking, anticipating challenges, responding to them quickly and completely. 
• Must be a people person, good communicator, and a team player.
• Able to maintain composure when faced with emotional situations, including medically and behaviorally compromised animals; 
• Treat animals and people with respect. 
• Attention to detail and a strong work ethic to complete tasks correctly; is a confident communicator.
• Willing to pitch in to help others and ensure the needs of the animals are met.
• Is a self-starter and self-motivated to stay busy and productive during slow times.
• Must be comfortable handling a variety of species and animal temperaments.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift and carry animals and equipment weighing up to 50–100 pounds. 
• Ability to work standing for 8 hours or more.
• Frequent standing, walking, bending, and kneeling. 
• Ability to work outdoors in various weather conditions. 
• Ability to safely operate animal control equipment and vehicles. 
• Tolerance for exposure to noise, odors, and potentially hazardous situations. 

Work Environment: Hope4Paws is a 24-hour-a-day/7-day-a-week facility that provides round-the-clock care for animals in need. The work environment includes:

• Combination of fieldwork and indoor kennel environment. 

• Exposure to loud noises, potentially dangerous animals, and stressful emotional situations.
• Exposure to animal fur, toxic chemicals, and zoonotic diseases. 
• May require evening, weekend, holiday, and on-call work. 
• Work may involve responding to emergency or after-hours calls. 

Licenses and Certifications

• Animal Control Officer Certification (required)
• Certification in animal euthanasia a plus

Compensation and Benefits

• Position reports to the Shelter Manager and Director of Operations
• Salary range is $40,000 – $60,000, commensurate with years of experience. 
• Benefits include health insurance and paid time off.

Submission:

• Submit a resume and cover letter to contact@h4phs.org with Animal Care Specialist in the subject line. 
• Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.  
• No phone calls, please.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The employer is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status.

Disclaimer

This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and does not represent an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Duties may be modified at any time based on organizational needs.