How to Become An Animal Cop

Also known as animal welfare officers and animal control officers, animal cops perform two primary functions;

• Look after the welfare of neglected and abused animals and


• Attend to emergency situations where wild and dangerous animals need to be controlled or captured.

There is a third facet to their role as well and that is educating the public at large about animal rights. A bit more about an animal cop’s role in the following paragraphs

Tasks and Responsibilities of Animal Cops

An animal cop performs the following tasks
 

• Respond to animal emergency calls
• Protect both wild and domestic animals
• Deal with animals in a shelter
• Discover and investigate dog fighting and other prohibited animal fighting instances
• Discover and investigate animal cruelty and neglect cases
• May confiscate animals
• Issue citations and/or fines
• In some cases, may even arrest those found to be in violation of animal welfare laws
• Take animal owners to court for animal welfare law violations
• Deal with stray dogs
• Document cases

Some of the duties falling under an animal control officer are:
 

• Respond to emergency calls involving incidents of human contact with wild animals


• Capturing wild and dangerous animals for the safety of human population

Animal cops are also advocates of animal rights. They may be invited to various public forums like schools, town halls for better understanding of animal welfare laws. Their advocacy may help animal owners take better care of them.
 

Is it for you?

Have no romantic notions about the job, animal cops deal with neglected and abused animals which in some cases are impossible to treat and rehabilitate. They may also have to administer euthanasia. Therefore before deciding on how to become an animal cop, it is better to first decide whether the job is for you or not.

So what makes a successful animal cop? The following personal traits, qualities and habits may indicate that the job is for you:
 

• Compassion
• Patience
• Problem-solving skills
• Physical stamina
• Detail oriented
• Customer-service skills

How to Become an Animal Cop?

Becoming an animal cop may not involve an extensive post-high school education; however, there is no uniform code across the 50 states on becoming an animal cop. Each state, county, and city may have its own animal welfare laws and their regulation may involve different levels of academic and practical training.

Generally, you would need a high school diploma or GED, to qualify for an animal control officer position. Additional academic requirements may include community college level courses in animal science and criminology. A bachelor’s degree in these two majors may further improve your chances of getting hired. On-the-job training matters a lot in this line of work as there is more to animal welfare and control than theory.
 

Certifications

Some states may require animal cops to be certified. These certificates may be offered at high schools, community colleges, and other public institutes. For example, the Certification Course for Massachusetts Animal Control Officers is provided by the Animal Control Officers’ Association of Massachusetts (ACOAM) with the support of many other organizations like the Humane Society of the United States, etc.

The certification course is intensive which is taught over 10 weeks. Subjects taught in the course include:
 

• Self defense
• Cruelty statutes and investigating cruelty complaints
• 4th Amendment and exceptions to the warrant
• Crime scene investigations
• Courtroom procedures
• Record keeping and report writing
• Local bylaws and ordinances
• Rabies protocol
• Animal health inspector duties
• Dog bite prevention
• Wildlife issues
• Livestock and exotic animal handling
• Animal capture techniques and strategies
• Equipment handling

Successful participants will have a one year membership in ACOAM and the National Animal Control Association (NACA). These credentials may not be mandatory for employment, but they may help with the applicant’s chances of getting hired as an animal cop.

In addition, those with certifications in chemical capture and euthanasia may also be preferred by employers.
 

How and Where to Apply

If you are interested in helping animals and the general public, consider becoming an animal cop. A good place to start would be by contacting your local animal agency for animal control officer positions. To illustrate, the National Animal Control Association (NACA) hires those who fulfill academic requirements, are certified and have cleared their background checks and mandatory drug screening.  Holding of a valid driver’s license is also necessary.

You may also contact your local police station as some law enforcement departments have animal control units. Officers working for police animal control units may have the duties, responsibilities and powers of regular police officers.

States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Source: bls.gov