1

Animal Control Officer Jobs in Oregon (NOW HIRING)

Animal Control Officer

Klamath Falls, OR · On-site

$23.93 - $30.27/hr

Animal Control Officer Department: Sheriff's Office Salary: $23.93 - $30.27 per hour, depending on experience General Position Summary At the direction of the Operations Lieutenant, enforce County ...

Animal Control Officer At the direction of the Operations Lieutenant, enforce County and State animal ordinances and cruelty laws pertaining to licensing and dog control in the protection of County ...

Animal Control Officer

Klamath Falls, OR · On-site

$23.93 - $30.27/hr

Animal Control Officer Department: Sheriff's Office Salary: $23.93 - $30.27 per hour, depending on experience General Position Summary At the direction of the Operations Lieutenant, enforce County ...

Animal Control Officer 1

Portland, OR · On-site

$26.07 - $32.06/hr

As an Animal Control Officer 1 you'd provide frontline support for the Field Services unit while working collaboratively with fellow officers, shelter staff, and medical personnel. In this role, core ...

Animal Control Officer 1

Portland, OR · On-site

$26.07 - $32.06/hr

As an Animal Control Officer 1 you'd provide frontline support for the Field Services unit while working collaboratively with fellow officers, shelter staff, and medical personnel. In this role, core ...

Animal Care Specialist

Mcminnville, OR · On-site

$15.50 - $20.50/hr

As a Companion Animal Specialist , you are the primary expert and advocate for the health, welfare, and proper care of companion animals and aquatic life within the Pet Care Center (PCC). You ensure ...

New

$15.75 - $20.75/hr

As a Companion Animal Specialist , you are the primary expert and advocate for the health, welfare, and proper care of companion animals and aquatic life within the Pet Care Center (PCC). You ensure ...

Animal Care Specialist

Mcminnville, OR

$15.50 - $20.50/hr

As a Companion Animal Specialist , you are the primary expert and advocate for the health, welfare, and proper care of companion animals and aquatic life within the Pet Care Center (PCC). You ensure ...

New

next page

Showing results 1-20

Animal Control Officer information

See Oregon salary details

$30.1K

$50.7K

$74.5K

How much do animal control officer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for animal control officer in Oregon is $50,658.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $40,700.00 and $57,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an animal control officer?

Animal Control Officers are public safety professionals responsible for enforcing laws related to the care and control of animals. They investigate cases of animal cruelty, rescue animals in distress, and manage issues such as stray animals or dangerous pets. These officers often educate the community about responsible pet ownership and may work for local government agencies or animal shelters. Their role helps ensure the safety of both the public and animals in their community.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an animal control officer?

To thrive as an Animal Control Officer, you need a solid understanding of animal behavior, local laws, and public safety protocols, often supported by a high school diploma and specialized training or certification. Familiarity with animal handling equipment, incident reporting systems, and sometimes animal capture or tranquilizing tools is typically required. Strong communication, problem-solving, and conflict resolution skills help build trust with the public and efficiently manage stressful situations. These competencies are crucial for ensuring community safety, humane animal treatment, and effective enforcement of animal-related regulations.

What does an animal control officer do?

As an animal control officer, your job duties include dealing with dangerous wildlife and capturing stray pets and abandoned animals. You may also work on the investigation of animal abuse cases. When on duty, you may patrol a community or wait for a dispatcher to deploy you to deal with an escaped pet, potentially dangerous wildlife, or stray animal. Your responsibilities also include providing care and treatment for injured animals, both wild and domestic. You may work “on call,” meaning that you may be called to provide service at any time of day or night.

What are common challenges an animal control officer faces in the field?

Animal Control Officers often encounter challenging situations such as handling aggressive or frightened animals, dealing with emotionally charged interactions with pet owners, and responding to emergency calls at irregular hours. They must also navigate local laws and regulations while ensuring public safety and animal welfare. Strong communication skills, quick decision-making, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are essential for success in this role.

What is the difference between Animal Control Officer vs Animal Shelter Worker?

AspectAnimal Control OfficerAnimal Shelter Worker
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma, sometimes animal control certificationHigh school diploma, animal care training often preferred
Work EnvironmentFieldwork, outdoor and community settingsIndoor shelter facilities, animal care areas
Employer & Industry UsageMunicipalities, government agenciesAnimal shelters, rescue organizations
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for animal handling and enforcement rolesCompared for animal care and shelter management roles

Animal Control Officers primarily handle wildlife and stray animals in the community, enforcing local laws, while Animal Shelter Workers focus on caring for animals within shelter facilities. Both roles require animal handling skills, but their work environments and responsibilities differ significantly.

Is it hard to be an animal control officer?

Being an animal control officer can be physically demanding and requires strong communication, problem-solving skills, and knowledge of animal behavior and local laws. The job often involves working outdoors in various weather conditions and handling potentially aggressive animals, which can be challenging but manageable with proper training and experience.

What skills are needed to be an animal control officer?

Animal control officers need strong communication and interpersonal skills to interact with the public and handle animals safely. They should have knowledge of animal behavior, basic veterinary care, and often require physical fitness and the ability to operate equipment such as traps and vehicles. Certification in animal handling or related training is also beneficial for the role.

What are the most commonly searched types of Animal Control Officer jobs in Oregon?

The most popular types of Animal Control Officer jobs in Oregon are:

What are popular job titles related to Animal Control Officer jobs in Oregon?

For Animal Control Officer jobs in Oregon, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Animal Control Officer jobs in Oregon look for?

The top searched job categories for Animal Control Officer jobs in Oregon are:

What cities in Oregon are hiring for Animal Control Officer jobs?

Cities in Oregon with the most Animal Control Officer job openings:

What are popular job titles related to Animal Control Officer jobs in OR?

For Animal Control Officer jobs in OR, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Animal Control Officer job openings in Oregon as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, and 11% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $50,658 per year, or $24.4 per hour.

Animal Control Officer

Klamath County

Klamath Falls, OR • On-site

$23.93 - $30.27/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 13 days ago


Job description


Job Title: Animal Control Officer

Department: Sheriff's Office
Salary: $23.93 - $30.27 per hour, depending on experience


General Position Summary
At the direction of the Operations Lieutenant, enforce County and State animal ordinances and cruelty laws pertaining to licensing and dog control in the protection of County citizens and their property and ensures the humane treatment of animals.  
Essential Functions
The following may not be all inclusive and other duties may be assigned.

  • Conducts investigations of dangerous dogs and/or exotic hybrid complaints in accordance with Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) Chapter 609 and Klamath County Code (KCC) 403; assesses animal temperament; makes recommendations to the Court on the issue of declaring the animal dangerous; and testifies in Court as an expert witness.
  • Investigates cruelty, abuse, or neglect complaints pertaining to dogs; interviews witnesses and suspects; gathers evidence and may seize or impound the animal.
  • Receives calls requesting assistance or investigation of violations and patrols the County looking for violations, dogs running loose, unlicensed dogs; dogs destroying livestock; initiates investigations; makes referrals to local law enforcement, or issues citations to violators as appropriate.
  • Represents the Animal Control program to the public, civic and educational groups interested in dog care, bite prevention, safety and other related topics.
  • May assist law enforcement officers in situations involving animals; provides instruction in animal control techniques, apprehension and control of dangerous animals and accidents involving animals; arranges transport of injured animals to appropriate treatment facilities.
  • Maintains program equipment and supplies such as vehicles, radios and catch poles.  Ensures the operability of all equipment and maintains supplies in sufficient quantity within department standards.
  • Maintains activity logs of citations issued and dogs transported calls received in current records management system.
  • Investigates dog bite incidents and refers victims to medical treatment; enforces statutory rabies quarantine requirements and effectively reviews recommendations on prevention reoccurrence.
  • On-Call to respond to officer verified emergencies or dogs killing livestock (If available).
  • Enters both criminal and violation citations into the current County records management system, files citations and reports into the existing systems; follows up with Justice Court for citation disposition and conducts record searches.
  • Assist Animal Control Clerical personnel as necessary.

Supervisory Responsibilities
This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education, Certification, & Experience
High school diploma or general education degree (GED); BA/BS preferred: work in jobs having similar duties; experience in supervision preferred.

  • Valid Driver's License
  • Current Oregon Notary License
  • Current First Aid/CPR
  • Ability to be sworn as an Animal Control Officer.


Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Language Skills
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.  Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.  Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
Mathematical Skills
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.  Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
Reasoning Ability
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Computer Skills
To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Spreadsheet software; Word Processing software and Contact Management systems.
Physical Requirements
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.
While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee is frequently required to walk; sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel.  The employee is occasionally required to stand; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds or more.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
Working Conditions
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The duties of this Job are conducted within an office environment, within a vehicle and outdoors.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate with frequent exposure to barking dogs and police radio.  There is frequent exposure to the outdoor elements commensurate with the current season and weather condition such as heat, cold, rain, snow and ice.
Work Schedule
The normal work schedule is 8.00 hours per day 5 days per week; exact schedules are assigned by management.  It is the attendance standards of the employer that all employees be present and on time each shift they are scheduled to work.  Full or partial absence during any scheduled shift, arriving late, or leaving early, for whatever reason, may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.  Time off may be approved if allowed by applicable policies covering illness, injury, or other personal emergency.
 

Powered by JazzHR

X7gqJYRNdN