How to become an Animal Control Worker

Official title: Animal Control Workers

Also called: ACO (Animal Control Officer), Animal Attendant, Animal Cruelty Investigator, Animal Enforcement Officer, Animal Instructor Officer, Animal Ordinance Enforcement Officer, Animal Park Code Enforcement Officer, Animal Safety Officer, Animal Services Officer, Community Service Officer

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

Main tasks

• Write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals.
• Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports.
• Examine animals for injuries or malnutrition, and arrange for any necessary medical treatment.
• Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities.
• Educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws and regulations.
• Remove captured animals from animal-control service vehicles and place animals in shelter cages or other enclosures.
• Answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations.
• Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $45,660 a year The middle half earn $37,750 to $57,060.
• About 13,800 people work in this job now, and about 14,300 are projected by 2035. (+4%)
• People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

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Questions people ask

How much does an Animal Control Worker earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $45,660 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $37,750 to $57,060.

Is an Animal Control Worker a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 13,800 to about 14,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Animal Control Worker?

Not always. 28% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of an Animal Control Worker?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.