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Animal Control Workers

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

Handle animals for the purpose of investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $45,660 Median per year · $21.95/hr Most earn $33,090–$68,070

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary.
  • Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports.
  • Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities.
  • Issue warnings or citations in connection with animal-related offenses, or contact police to report violations and request arrests.
  • Organize the adoption of unclaimed animals.
  • Prepare for prosecutions related to animal treatment, and give evidence in court.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 1,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals82.4%
  • Self-employed (their own business)10.2%
  • Social advocacy organizations2.7%
  • Other personal services2.2%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Animal Control Worker is an entry-level job you can reach with a high school diploma, but employers usually want about 1 to 2 years of hands-on animal experience first. Most people build that experience in a shelter or kennel job before applying.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish high school with strong grades and get comfortable with animals through volunteering or part-time pet-related work, which builds the foundation employers look for.

  2. Animal Caretaker

    1-2 years

    Feed, clean, and monitor shelter or kennel animals while learning animal behavior, handling, and basic health signs, which is the experience most animal control employers want to see.

  3. Animal Control Worker

    Ongoing

    Respond to calls about stray, injured, abandoned, or mistreated animals, and help investigate cases of animal cruelty or neglect.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Animal Control Officer

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on more complex cases, train newer officers, and often handle court testimony and difficult animal rescues.

  2. Animal Control Supervisor

    5+ years of experience first

    You manage a team, schedule shifts, set department procedures, and work with local government and shelters.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology and health classesAnimal anatomy, health, and first aid knowledge help you understand injuries and illness you'll see on calls.
  • Volunteer at an animal shelterRegular shifts give you real experience handling dogs, cats, and other animals, and a reference for future jobs.
  • Get a part-time job at a pet store, kennel, or farmWorking with animals on a schedule builds responsibility and the 1 to 2 years of experience employers often want.
  • Take a public speaking or English classYou'll write incident reports and talk with upset residents, police, and courts, so clear communication matters.
  • Get CPR and first aid certificationMany schools and community centers offer these courses, and they're useful for both people and animals.

In college

  • Major in animal science, biology, or criminal justiceAnimal science gives you hands-on animal knowledge, while criminal justice helps you understand investigations and the law.
  • Work as an animal caretaker or shelter volunteerConsistent work with animals during school counts toward the experience employers ask for.
  • Join an animal welfare or pre-vet student clubClubs connect you with local shelters and people already working in animal care.
  • Take a course in animal law or animal behaviorKnowing cruelty laws and how animals behave under stress helps you judge cases fairly and safely.
  • Pursue an internship with a humane society or local animal control agencyAn internship lets you see investigations up close and can lead directly to a job after graduation.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local animal shelter or humane society if you can volunteer or shadow staff. Hands-on time with animals and the people who run shelters is one of the best ways to start.
  • Learn basic first aid and CPR, and check whether your area offers animal handling or humane law courses. These skills show employers you're ready for the job.
  • Look up the Animal Control Workers page on this app to see typical pay near you and nationally, and to read the full range of what the job involves.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

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