Animal Handler - Police Department, Administration Command, Animal Control Division - GovernmentJobs.com : Job Details

Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, best practices, and sustainability. It is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2025, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 83 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties the most awards in the state of Maryland, and the fifth highest in the nation, as compared to more than 3000 counties.

What are we looking for? We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations. What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

Position Summary: Employee performs routine animal handling and control work, caring for animals confined at the County Animal Shelter.

Starting Salary Hiring Range: $22.52 - $23.67 $46,842 - $49,234 Class Description: This is routine animal handling and control work, caring for animals confined at the County Animal Shelter, maintaining related records, and assisting with shelter clerical functions. Assignments include cleaning and maintaining all facilities at the Animal Shelter and surrounding area; food preparation and feeding of animals; and providing animal health care. Clerical duties include serving as radio dispatcher for Animal Control Wardens; answering phone inquiries from the public; working at the public assistance counter; and assisting with other clerical functions. Work is performed under close supervision from a technical superior. Assignments are stable in nature and performed in accordance with applicable standards and regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

• Works and cooperates with co-workers and supervisors at all levels.
• Learns and performs all essential job functions accurately.
• Feeding and watering animals; walking, exercising, and socializing animals; cleaning, disinfecting, and maintaining cages, kennels, and surrounding areas; euthanizing animals as directed; capturing and restraining animals; writing detailed records; completing and processing a wide range of complex forms related to animal redemptions, adoptions, licensing transactions, and intake; and charting drugs and treatments administered.
• This position performs temperament evaluations and physical examinations on incoming animals, checks animals for tattoos and micro-chips, traces license and rabies tags, bathes and grooms animals, quarantines rabies suspect animals, administers vaccinations, medications, first aid, fluids, wound treatment, etc., as needed.
• Employees in this position must be able to handle all species of animals including reptiles, amphibians, domestic, exotic, wildlife, livestock and insects.
• Animal Handlers are responsible for interviewing adoption applicants, safely and tactfully resolving conflicts and confrontational situations, assist with the decisions on animal adoptions and euthanasia, and must be able to effectively communicate to the public information on animal control laws, nuisance wildlife deterrents, proper pet care and training, disease recognition, preventative veterinary care required, behavior modification, etc.
• Employees handle cash transactions, prepare receipts and operate the cash register.
• Animal Handlers will answer multi-line phones, operate office equipment such as copiers, transport animals, control animals that pose a safety risk, assist with clerical and administrative tasks, conduct humane education programs and facility tours, operate specialized animal control equipment and pressure washers, and use chemicals and disinfectants as needed.
• Required work schedules include day, evening, night, weekends, holidays, shift changes and mandatory overtime, often without advance notice.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Minimum Required Education/Experience: Any combination of education and experience which has provided the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities required in the routine care and maintenance of animals confined to the County Animal Shelter and in the performance of basic clerical responsibilities. Experience in animal handling is preferred.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Experience in animal handling is preferred.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Ability to stand for prolonged periods of time. Heavy lifting and manual dexterity are required.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment consists of working within the shelter and transporting animals to the veterinarian using a county vehicle. This is an extremely fast-paced and highly stressful work environment. Employees are exposed to dangerous, rabid and diseased domestic animals, exotics and wildlife. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, outside weather conditions, extreme cold, extreme heat, risk of electrical shock, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually very loud.

Language Skills, Mathematical Skills, and Reasoning Ability: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.

Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations: Possession of a valid driver's license. Must become certified in euthanasia within six (6) months of hire date.

Additional Information: You must complete an employment application online to be considered for this recruitment. Resumes cannot be substituted for completion of the job application work history. No paper applications will be accepted.

Selected candidates may be subject to drug screening, background screening, and reference checks.

At time of application, please submit a copy of any college degree, coursework, licenses, or certifications that you have referenced on your application. Applicants who have education obtained outside of the U.S. may need to provide proof of the equivalent U.S. education as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service.

Howard County Government is not sponsoring employees in application of the H-1B Visa or providing an extension of an existing H-1B Visa. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

Howard County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The County prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Applicants requiring accommodations during the hiring process should contact the Office of Human Resources directly at [email protected].