Job Exposure
Index

Home / All jobs / Protective Service

AI exposure score

Animal Control Workers

Animal Control Workers score 35 out of 100, which is moderate exposure to AI. That ranks #473 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 16 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 4 on its own and 3 more with extra software built on top of it. None of its tasks showed up in real AI use in April–May 2026.

35/ 100
Moderate
Rank
#473of 923 jobs
US workers
12,070BLS, May 2025
Median pay
$45,660a year
In real AI use
0 of 16tasks, April–May 2026

Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

  • AI can speed this up on its own: 4 (25%)
  • AI can speed this up with extra software: 3 (19%)
  • Little or no AI speed-up: 9 (56%)
  • Write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
  • Prepare for prosecutions related to animal treatment, and give evidence in court.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
  • Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
  • Answer inquiries from the public concerning animal control operations.AI can speed this up on its own · core task
  • Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws and regulations.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
  • Organize the adoption of unclaimed animals.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
  • Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Supply animals with food, water, and personal care.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Examine animals for injuries or malnutrition, and arrange for any necessary medical treatment.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Clean facilities and equipment such as dog pens and animal control trucks.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Remove captured animals from animal-control service vehicles and place animals in shelter cages or other enclosures.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Issue warnings or citations in connection with animal-related offenses, or contact police to report violations and request arrests.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Examine animal licenses, and inspect establishments housing animals for compliance with laws.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Euthanize rabid, unclaimed, or severely injured animals.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
  • Train police officers in dog handling and training techniques for tracking, crowd control, and narcotics and bomb detection.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task

Questions about animal control workers and AI

Will AI replace animal control workers?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Animal Control Workers score 35 out of 100 (moderate exposure), #473 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 7 of the job's 16 tasks, 4 of them on its own, while 9 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which animal control workers tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Write reports of activities, and maintain files of impoundments and dispositions of animals"; "Prepare for prosecutions related to animal treatment, and give evidence in court"; "Contact animal owners to inform them that their pets are at animal holding facilities".

Which animal control workers tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using nets, nooses, or tranquilizer darts as necessary"; "Supply animals with food, water, and personal care"; "Examine animals for injuries or malnutrition, and arrange for any necessary medical treatment".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Not much yet. None of the job's tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude in April–May 2026, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as animal control workers, and what do they earn?

About 12,070 people in the US, with median pay of $45,660 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.

The weekly exposure report

Know what's changing before it reaches your job.

One short email a week: which jobs are most exposed, the research worth knowing about, and one practical step you can take.

Free · one email a week · unsubscribe anytime