Animal Care Specialist - Sheriff's Office

The purpose of this classification is to care for and ensure the health and safety of Mounted Patrol service mounts and to perform related administrative and technical duties for the Mounted Patrol Unit under the direction of the Stable Master, often working in an assistant /support role type capacity.

Assists in performing behavioral, undersaddle, and ground assessments of horses on the Mounted Patrol Unit to determine their current level of health and to establish a baseline for development of each horses’ health care, psychology, nutritional needs, training regimen, and physiological condition; compiles and updates records on each horse to document any medication or medical treatment(s) given. Conduct daily checks on all service mounts to include (but not be limited to): picking feet, thrush treatments, rainrot/mudrot treatments, grooming, applying dressings to wounds, scrapes, lacerations, noting any new wounds, ailments, or abnormal behavior.

Assists in caring for sick and injured horses, administers medications; observes horses for side effects or reactions; monitors vital signs; changes wound dressings; facilitates any necessary veterinary care as deemed by the unit Stable Master, documents relevant information in a veterinary log for each and evaluates animals’ temperament and disposition daily.

Assist the unit Sergeants and Stable Master in an administrative capacity to include but not be limited to: creating Purchasing Approval Requests and Service Approval Requests, submitting supply orders and overseeing that the order is placed, received, and paid for; picking up supplies as needed from various vendor locations and properly recording and storing all items;

Assists in the training of Mounted Patrol deputies: provides instructions on basic animal care and on the job specific training, including but not limited to: riding, basic equitation, trail riding safety, sensory training, equine psychology and physiology, and horse care and maintenance overall; assists in the training of all service mounts under saddle and on the ground: riding in unknown/new areas, arenas, round pens, trails, or any area used for training.

When authorized, assists with the preparation, facilitation, and breakdown of MPU Events, Zone Patrols, veterinary appointments (both scheduled and emergent), farrier appointments, saddle fitting appointments, clinics, training opportunities, lessons, and 1:1 training; at events, assists with event preparation such as grooming, tacking, feeding, and watering of horses, helping/advising with any behavioral issues with the horses, keeping staged area clean of manure, urine, debris, and trash, picking up manure after horses as needed at events when on the ground.

Assists in the procurement of unit supplies and oversees an inventory system for the barn and horse trailers for all horse care items, medications, equipment, tack, cleaning items, and all Mounted Patrol Unit supplies. Oversees that the barn and trailers are properly equipped at all times by topping off all liquids in spray bottles (fly spray, detangler), ensuring the proper amount of equipment are on the trailers (brooms, dustpans, muck buckets, shovels, grooming tools, grooming buckets, hay nets, veterinary equipment/medical supplies, and any other equipment deemed necessary: provide proper follow up treatment for sick or injured horses under the direction of the Stable Master: assist in maintaining the medication locker; assists in strictly maintaining documentation for accountability of all drugs and medications.

Assists in maintaining records of all service mounts housed at the MPU barn for review by the State Department of Agriculture, ensures horse is documented with correct breed, sex, age, and color.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications High School Diploma or GED required, supplemented by some vocational or technical training in equine care; supplemented by two years of experience in equine care. Must possess and maintain a valid Driver's License.Tasks require the ability to exert moderate-high amounts of physical effort, typically involving some combination of climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and prolonged standing, walking, jogging, horseback riding, and which may involve high amounts of lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects, horses, and of heavy weight (up to 100 pounds).

Sensory Requirements Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate colors or shades of colors, sounds, odor, and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as dirt, dust, pollen, odors, wetness, animal/wildlife attacks, animal/human bites, disease, pathogenic substances, or rude/irate customers.

EEO Statement

Cobb County Government is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or any other legally protected status.