This is a continuous filing exam. The next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on:

10/2/2026, 10/16/2026, 11/13/2026 (final)

Under general supervision, the Animal Control Officer enforces and explains State laws and County ordinances relating to the care and control of animals; enforces licensing, vaccination, and animal regulation policies of the County of Sacramento.

Knowledge of

Physical and behavioral characteristics of common breeds of domestic animals
Basic symptoms of common animal diseases
Feeding and caring for animals
State laws and ordinances pertaining to the care, treatment, and impounding of animals

Ability to

Interpret and apply rules and regulations governing the licensing, impounding, releasing, and euthanizing of animals
Deal with the general public in a courteous but firm manner
Learn to safely care for and physically control domestic and exotic animals and reptiles
Learn to investigate, evaluate and resolve complaints in accordance with applicable laws
Learn to safely operate tranquilizers and firearms
Euthanize animals
Communicate courteously and effectively with a variety of individuals
Understand and follow written and verbal instructions

Minimum Qualifications

Either: 1. Six months of paid full-time experience as an Animal Care Attendant in a public sector environment.

Or: 2.One year of paid full-time or volunteer experience in the care and treatment of animals. Examples of qualifying experience are: veterinarian technician or helper, kennel attendant, S.P.C.A. attendant, zoo attendant, 4-H or farm experience, or animal training experience.

Or: 3. One year of paid full-time experience enforcing and/or explaining laws and regulations to the public.

Note: If the word “experience” is referenced in the minimum qualifications, it means full-time paid experience unless the minimum qualification states that volunteer experience is acceptable. Part-time paid experience may be accumulated and pro-rated to meet the total experience requirements.

General Qualifications

Criminal History and Background Checks: The County may access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidate’s ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained.

The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license/registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.

License Requirement: A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher, may be required at the time of appointment. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate California Driver License may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Permit Requirement: In accordance with the State Veterinary Medical Board (VMB), incumbents appointed to this class may be required to obtain a Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substance Permit within three months of appointment. Failure to successfully obtain the required permit may be cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Training Requirement: In accordance with California Code of Regulations, Title 16, section 2039, all persons appointed to this class are required to attend and pass Sodium Pentobarbital/ Euthanasia Training within six months of appointment to the class. Failure to successfully complete the training may be cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement.

Other Requirement: Persons in these positions must be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition that might adversely affect the performance of duties. For purpose of this section, a medical examination including successful completion of a psychological screening shall be required prior to appointment.

Age Requirement: Minimum age – 18 years.

Physical Requirements:Positions in this class require the incumbents to be able to:

Stand and walk for extended periods of time.
Bend, stoop, squat, and crawl in small, low, and/or confined areas.
Climb ladders and work at above ground levels.
Lift up to 40 pounds without assistance and 80 pounds with assistance.

Individuals who do not meet these requirements due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Working Conditions:Positions in this class require the incumbents to:

Be exposed to infectious, poisonous, and threatening animals.
Be exposed to chemicals used to perform euthanasia.
Work outdoor in all types of local weather conditions.
Work around dust, dirt, and odors.
Work in and around animal fur, dander and excrement.
Work weekends, holidays, and non-routine hours, including fluctuating hours and after hours call outs.
Work at various locations throughout the County.
Wear a uniform that conforms to departmental standards.

Probationary Period

The probationary period for this classification is six (6) months.APPLICATION

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. All applicants must complete and submit an online County of Sacramento employment application by 5:00 PM on the posted cut-off date. Click here to apply.

County of Sacramento
Department of Personnel Services
Employment Services Division
700 H Street, Room 4667
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone (916) 874-5593; 7-1-1 California Relay Service
Email EmployOffice@Saccounty.net
Inter-Office Mail Code: 09-4667
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sacramento

Employment applications and all documentation requested in this announcement must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the cut-off date.
Application information must be current, concise and related to the requirements in this job announcement. You may only apply for this recruitment once. Duplicate and incomplete applications will be disqualified.
A resume may be included with your application, however it will not substitute for the information requested on the application.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE

Applicants are required to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question. The Supplemental Questionnaire is located in the tab marked "Supplemental Questions". Please be descriptive in your response.

Note: Responses of "See Resume" or "See Application", or copy and paste of work experience are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.

Supplemental Questionnaires must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date. Employment Services is not responsible for any issues or delays caused by an applicant's computer or web browser. Applicants will be automatically logged out if they have not submitted their applications and all documentation prior to 5:00 p.m. on the cut-off date.
The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification.
Please provide place of employment, pertinent dates, and concise, descriptive and detailed information for each question.
If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely.
Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question.
If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
For many individuals, it is more efficient to develop responses to the supplemental questions in a word processing document and then paste them into the final document to be submitted. Changes or corrections to your Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.
If the Supplemental Questionnaire is used in the Formula Rate exam, failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score. While scoring the Supplemental Questionnaire, the candidate's application and/or attachments will not be reviewed, therefore, a candidate's responses to the questions should be accurate, thorough, detailed, and complete.

FORMULA RATE EXAMINATION (Weighted 100%)

All candidates meeting the minimum qualifications by the cut-off date will have their Supplemental Questionnaire scored in the Formula Rate Examination.

This examination will evaluate the relevance, level, recency, progression and quality of candidate's education, training and experience. The candidate's application or other materials will not be included in this examination. Therefore, the candidate's responses to the supplemental questionnaire should be thorough, detailed and complete. The score from the Formula Rate Examination will determine the ranking on the eligible/employment list for this job.

All candidates competing in the testing process will receive written notice of their examination results by email. Notices can also be accessed in their governmentjobs.com inbox. Applicants achieving a passing score will be placed on the eligible list in rank order. The rank is determined by the test score attained from the examination.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

For information regarding County jobs:
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/sacramento

Sacramento County is about enriching communities to thrive. We strive to create inclusive workplaces that reflect the communities we serve. We value and celebrate the unique perspectives, backgrounds, abilities, and diverse dimensions of our employees and residents. Through transparency, courage, innovation, and trust we are committed to advance equity and transformational change.

We are a proud equal opportunity employer. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability for any phase of the hiring process, please contact our Disability Compliance Office at dco@saccounty.gov or 916-874-7642, CA Relay 711 For more information, visit: Job Applicant Accommodations

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Animal Control Officer