Occupations · Protective Service
Animal Control Workers
Handle animals for the purpose of investigations of mistreatment, or control of abandoned, dangerous, or unattended animals.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 33-9011.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 78% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $63,560 | 430 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $56,090 | 400 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $45,880 | 390 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $49,870 | 220 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $41,100 | 200 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $61,610 | 180 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $60,910 | 180 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $47,090 | 160 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $45,290 | 150 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $76,170 | 150 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $58,200 | 130 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,980 | 120 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary.
- Answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations.
- Prepare for prosecutions related to animal treatment, and give evidence in court.
- Supply animals with food, water, and personal care.
- Issue warnings or citations in connection with animal-related offenses, or contact police to report violations and request arrests.
- Euthanize rabid, unclaimed, or severely injured animals.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Deliver educational presentations on wildlife topics, such as animal safety, at schools and community events.
- Pick up deceased animals from roadways and dispose of the animal carcasses.
- Testify at court hearings when citations are contested.
- Transport injured or ill wildlife to rescues.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 10
No longer listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| animal welfare inspector | 5164.4 | exact |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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