Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement was established to provide for the health and safety of citizens and protect them from animals and the threat of animals. The mission of Animal Care and Enforcement is not only to enhance the safety of citizens, but also to ensure the proper care and treatment of animals. This is accomplished through animal-related services which reflect our professionalism and a concern for responsible pet ownership.

Examples of Duties

The duties listed below are not all of the duties that may be assigned but are those that are considered as essential for an employee to perform.

• Coordinates and directs shelter medical operations and ensures sound veterinary medical practices while understanding and professionally applying federal
  and state laws, local ordinances, and departmental regulations that govern shelter operations specifically related to the care and treatment of the shelter
  animals. Oversees the maintenance of shelter drug and supply inventory while meeting and maintaining DEA requirements.
• Continually updates and improves the medical management program and ensures high quality medical care and services. Formulates shelter
  medical objectives, practices, plans and decisions that influence operations to ensure optimal health of sheltered animals. 
• Evaluates animals, performs diagnostics, makes diagnosis, develops treatment plans and performs surgeries on shelter animals. 
• Apply departmental rules, regulations and operating procedures as the administrator and updating those guidelines as required to ensure the shelter is
  operating within the animal industry standards. Plan, assign and review the work of subordinate personnel and perform evaluations. Make decisions for
  Animal Care and Enforcement operations with considerable knowledge and discernment. Monitor social media platforms to ensure staff are maintaining
  shelter goals and objectives.
• Effectively communicate when interacting with the public and training personnel while remaining cognizant that we deal with people of varying
  backgrounds. Ensure employees are achieving personal and professional goals through good training and leadership and maintain good records.
• Manage, cope and work through high pressure situations. Oversees that appropriate shelter personnel are trained in euthanasia and rabies vaccinations.
• Maintains interagency cooperation between federal, state, county and municipal agencies to include non-profit animal advocacy groups. Represents the
  department at meetings, events and forums with inter- and intra-agency groups.
• Reviews a variety of reports, data-bases and studies to provide information to the public and media on animal welfare and shelter related topics when
  required and prepares narratives and statistical reports, studies and findings for budget and project needs for the department.
• Remain aware of modern law enforcement methods and procedures as it pertains to animal welfare, including criminal investigations and search and seizure laws.

Graduation with a Doctorate Degree in Veterinary Medicine with a minimum of three (3) years of shelter medicine experience along with high volume spay and neuter and shelter management experience is required. Must be licensed to practice Veterinary Medicine in the State of North Carolina. Must have a valid drivers license.

Preferred Qualifications/Certifications: Five (5) years of shelter medicine experience along with high volume spay and neuter and shelter management experience. DEA License, Certified Euthanasia Trainer, Shelter Management and Leadership Certificate.