Manager Cook County Animal Control Jobs in Baltimore, MD

Salary: $16.00 - $30.00 Hourly
Location : Animal Control Division, 8576 Davis Road, Columbia, MD
Job Type: Contingent
Job Number: 26-00593
Department: Police
Division: Police - Animal Control
Opening Date: 08/19/2026
Closing Date: 9/2/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
POSITION SUMMARY/CLASS DESCRIPTION
POSITION SUMMARY:
Employee performs routine animal handling and control work, caring for animals confined at the County Animal Shelter.
CLASS DESCRIPTION:
This is a support role to 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 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.
*This is a contingent position, meaning that it is not a part of the Howard County Classified Service and does not accrue County service time for the purpose of calculating any service benefit. This position is paid hourly and may work a varying number of hours per week, based on the availability of funding and a continued need. A contingent employee is only eligible for fringe benefits required by State or Federal law.*
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Animal Care:

• Feeds and waters animals.
• Cleans, disinfects, and maintains cages, kennels, and surrounding areas.
• Performs temperament evaluations and physical examinations on incoming animals.
• Checks animals for tattoos and microchips; traces license and rabies tags.
• Bathes animals.
• Administers vaccinations, medications, first aid, fluids, wound treatments, and necessary medical care.
• Quarantines rabies-suspect animals.
• Handles all species, including reptiles, amphibians, domestic animals, exotic species, wildlife, livestock, and insects.

Customer Service and Public Interaction:

• Interviews adoption applicants.
• Safely and tactfully resolves conflicts and confrontational situations.
• Makes informed decisions regarding animal adoptions.
• Effectively communicates with the public about animal control laws, nuisance wildlife deterrents, proper pet care and training, disease recognition, preventative veterinary care, and behavior modification.
• Conducts humane educational programs and facility tours.

Administrative and Clerical Tasks:

• Completes and processes a wide variety of complex forms related to redemptions, adoptions, licensing, animal intake, and drug/treatment charting.
• Enters and retrieves information from the computer.
• Answers multi-line phones.
• Operates office equipment such as copier and cash register.
• Handles cash transactions and prepares receipts.
• Assists with clerical and administrative duties.
• Prepares statistical reports.

Equipment Operation and Facility Maintenance:

• Operates specialized animal control equipment.
• Controls animals creating a danger.
• Uses chemicals and disinfectants as needed.
• Operates pressure washer.

Work Schedule Requirements:

• Works day, evening, night, weekend, and holiday shifts.
• Works shift changes, 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.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATIONS:
Possession of a valid driver's license.
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 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 work environment consists of working within the shelter. 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.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed primarily in an animal shelter, kennel, or animal care facility, with occasional work outdoors in varying weather conditions. The position requires frequent contact with domestic animals of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical conditions, including frightened, injured, sick, or aggressive animals. Employees are routinely exposed to animal hair, dander, waste, odors, cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, loud noises, and potential hazards such as bites, scratches, and zoonotic diseases. The work requires adherence to established safety protocols and the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
LANUGAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS, AND REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
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.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
TO APPLY: 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, such as the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (http://www.naces.org) or World Education Services: International Credential Evaluation (https://www.wes.org/).
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 . Requests for accommodations should not be attached to the application.
Employees in this category may not be eligible for all County benefits.
01
Your application, which includes any associated supplemental questions, must be complete at the time of submission and must clearly articulate the required work experience relevant to the position for which you are applying. The submitted electronic document must outline accurate dates to include (month and year) in association with each work history entry. Vague descriptions of experience will not be considered. Please include all pertinent experience in your application to include, full or part time, volunteer, military, acting capacity, or any other such work history that is applicable to the position for which you wish to be considered. Descriptions of duties that state "see resume" will negatively impact your candidacy as resumes cannot be substituted in lieu of a completed application. Applicants will not be contacted for clarification or additional information.

• I have read and understand the language outlined above.

02
Do you possess a combination of education and experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required in the care of and maintenance of confined animals?

• Yes
• No

03
If you possess a combination of education and experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities required in the care of and maintenance of confined animals, please explain where you acquired this experience including your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.
04
Do you possess customer service and public contact experience specifically responding to telephone inquiries, greeting visitors, and handling front counters assignments?

• Yes
• No

05
If you possess customer service and public contact experience specifically responding to telephone inquiries, greeting visitors, and handling front counters assignments, please explain where you acquired this experience including your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.
06
Do you possess experience in animal handling?

• Yes
• No

07
If you possess experience in animal handling, please explain where you acquired this experience including your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.
08
Do you possess knowledge of animal health, behavior, or training?

• Yes
• No

09
If you possess knowledge of animal health, behavior, or training, please explain where you acquired this experience including your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.
10
Do you possess experience interviewing adoption applicants, safely and tactfully resolving conflicts and confrontational situations, making informed decisions on animal adoptions and assisting with euthanasia?

• Yes
• No

11
If you possess experience interviewing adoption applicants, safely and tactfully resolving conflicts and confrontational situations, making informed decisions on animal adoptions and assisting with euthanasia, please explain where you acquired this experience including your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.
12
Do you possess experience answering a multi-line telephone responding to inquiries from the general public regarding animal handling and welfare?

• Yes
• No

13
If you possess experience answering a multi-line telephone responding to inquiries from the general public regarding animal handling and welfare, please explain where you acquired this experience including your employer, position title, dates of employment, and position responsibilities. Be advised that "See Resume" is not an adequate response.
14
Do you possess a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

15
Which of the following best describes your level of proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)?

• Beginner: Can create and edit basic documents, enter data, and use simple formatting.
• Intermediate: Can fo