Job Description

Schedule: Variable, days, evening and weekend shifts, including statutory holidays
Union: CUPE 905 FT Clerical and Technical
Vacancy Type: Existing
Eligible For AWA: No
Physical Location: 47-70 Tiji Court, Vaughan
Working Conditions: Both Inside and Outside
Vaughan is one of Canada's fastest-growing cities. Its emerging downtown, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre; Canada's first smart hospital, the Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital; and the 900-acre North Maple Regional Park continue to generate momentum and excitement. Be part of something amazing and build your career at the City of Vaughan!
The City is an equal-opportunity employer and a forward-looking municipality that is committed to fostering a dynamic workplace that is diverse, inclusive and welcoming. As an award-winning organization for its employment and diversity and inclusivity practices, the City is focused on providing its employees with a thriving professional environment that leverages flexible work arrangements, a family-focused benefits package emphasizing work-life balance, learning and growth opportunities, and a place where collaboration and teamwork are valued.
Excellence demands brilliant personalities, visionary thinking and a passion for public service. Vaughan is your place to grow.
Position Overview
Responsible for monitoring compliance with municipal by-laws and specific Provincial Statutes; identifying, investigating and reporting alleged offences and enforcing such laws in accordance with applicable legislation/regulations, as appropriate; Delivers public outreach, education, and awareness regarding responsible pet ownership and participates in City functions. Provides service in the City of Vaughan, and any contracted municipality, as assigned.
Responsibilities

• Patrols assigned areas, in Vaughan or any other municipality, in an animal control vehicle to search for stray, sick, injured, or deceased animals and provide services as required. Picks up and transports animals to the shelter for impounding, disposal, quarantine, or rabies investigation, or to the veterinarian or external adoption kiosks as required; completes records accordingly in departmental software (i.e. Chameleon).
• Patrols assigned area, in Vaughan or any other municipality, to monitor compliance with local Animal Control By-laws and any other pertinent legislation as it relates to animals, and to take appropriate remediation action, both proactive and reactive.
• Responds to inquiries from the public and other agencies, and conducts where necessary investigations concerning injured, stray, sick, or dangerous animals and violations of the Animal Control and Noise By-laws, or any other pertinent animal control legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Conducts inspections of animal-related businesses, in accordance with the Consolidated Licensing By-law, or its successor.
• Creates, opens, and updates investigation files in departmental database (i.e. Chameleon); updates departmental databases with Provincial Offences Notices, Animal Control Orders, etc.; prepares reports, completes records and various forms such as daily activity sheets, receipts for fees received, quarantine and investigative reports, and prosecution briefs; maintains detailed notes in issued notebooks.
• Provides information to the public regarding licensing, vaccinations, rabies control, pet owner responsibilities, spaying/neutering, and adoptions, and other animal-related topics; attends educational events as necessary to provide same. Promotes and enforces pet licensing at every opportunity, including issuance in field.
• Attends court and appeal hearings to testify and present evidence regarding violations of the Animal Control and Noise by-laws, or other animal-related legislation (i.e. provincial Dog Owners' Liability Act, or its successor); attends as witness where required to support evidence of other officers. Files all correspondence and related materials which may be required in a legal proceeding as evidence, or request under Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (MFIPPA).
• Handles sick, injured, dangerous, or deceased animals in a safe and humane manner. Assesses and determines when euthanasia of wildlife is necessary; operates a CO2 gas euthanasia system; assists veterinarians or Registered Veterinary Technicians in the tranquilization and euthanasia of shelter animals, as required. Utilizes departmentally-issued equipment, as directed.
• Performs animal care duties as assigned such as feeding animals, monitoring sick and dangerous animals, segregating and isolating animals when necessary.
• Cleans and disinfects fleet vehicles and equipment; ensures that maintenance and service records are kept up to date with respect to assigned vehicles; recommends/requests maintenance and service when deficiencies are noticed.
• Assists with front office duties such as receiving animals brought to the shelter by the public and releasing impounded animals to the public, as required.
• Interacts with the public, other law enforcement agencies, property owners, tenants, contractors, solicitors, City and other government officials/agencies.
• Participates in the training of new staff.
• Performs other related tasks, as assigned, that are in accordance with job responsibilities or necessary department and corporate objectives.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations and the corporate Occupational Health and Safety Policy and related procedures.

Qualifications and Experience

• Successful completion of a two (2) year College Diploma in Veterinary Technology or equivalent combination of education and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities; Veterinary Technology or combination of animal-related experience with (2) year law enforcement diploma.
• Minimum two (2) years related animal control enforcement experience, preferably in a municipal environment.
• Valid non-probationary Ontario Class 'G' driver's license, in good standing.
• Strong organizational and report writing skills, accompanied with computer literacy.
• Strong problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Sound judgment and service excellence in dealing with the public and animals.
• Ability to develop and maintain working relationships with co-workers, agencies and organizations.
• Knowledge of, and demonstrated ability in, the City's core competencies and relevant functional competencies.
• Ability to utilize all available City software and resources during the course of by-law investigations.
• Ability to manage a workload responsibly and ensure by-law investigations and follow-ups are executed in accordance with Corporate service delivery standards.
• Working knowledge of municipal by-laws, enforcement processes, Provincial Offences Act, Dog Owners' Liability Act, Municipal Act (Administrative Penalties), and court proceedings.
• Ability to lift and move animals or objects weighing up to 100 lbs.
• Excellent and effective verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to be tactful, patient and courteous, when dealing with the public, elected officials and staff in other service areas and meet all needs of diverse audiences/stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills with the ability to apply these skills when assessing difficult and challenging situations and demonstrate sound judgment and service excellence, at all times.
• Ability to apply a customer service approach in interactions with others and, when problem-solving and addressing by-law infractions, utilizes alternate dispute resolution and/or mediation.
• Expected to work independently and in a team environment in the field and wear a uniform and all issued personal protective equipment at all times while on duty.
• Ability to obtain and maintain membership in good standing of the Municipal Law Enforcement Officers' Association.
• Successful candidates(s) will be required to submit a clear Vulnerable Screening Criminal Record Check, prior to commencing employment.

Working Conditions

• Ability to work rotating shifts, including evenings and weekends, late evenings, early mornings.
• Expected to work independently in the field a majority of the time, wear assigned uniform and protective personal equipment (PPE).
• Ability to be on standby and respond to a company-issued cell phone during standby hours outside of the office.
• Availability to work outside normal business hours, as required and in accordance with the Collective Agreement
• Exposure to people who may be impatient, angry or unpredictable; dealing with complaints.
• Moderate physical activity/output required for the apprehension of animals.
• Exposure to changing and potentially adverse weather conditions throughout year due to inside/outside work environment, mainly in the field, utilizing mobile vehicle office.
• May be required to report directly to other municipalities as directed to provide contract animal control services.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please be advised, the City of Vaughan uses email to communicate with applicants for open job competitions.
The City of Vaughan is committed to diversity and inclusivity in employment and welcomes applications from qualified individuals of diverse backgrounds. The City of Vaughan is also committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities. If you require an accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

Skills Required