(a) The commissioner is authorized to enforce the provisions of this chapter and chapters 436 and 436a and the regulations adopted thereunder in accordance with the provisions of such chapters and chapter 54.

(b) The commissioner shall appoint, as provided by chapter 67: (1) A Chief State Animal Control Officer; (2) an Assistant Chief State Animal Control Officer, who shall perform all the duties of the Chief State Animal Control Officer in such officer's absence or inability, or at such officer's direction; and (3) not more than twelve state animal control officers and as many regional animal control officers and assistants as may be deemed necessary to insure, subject to the commissioner's direction, the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter and chapters 436 and 436a and the enforcement of regulations adopted by the commissioner. The expenses incurred in the administration of this chapter and chapters 436 and 436a shall be paid from dog funds in the custody of the State Treasurer which have been received from the several municipalities and from the commissioner for the same fiscal year as the expenses are incurred.

(c) No person may begin serving in the position of state, regional or municipal animal control officer on or after July 1, 2012, unless such person (1) has completed a training program that meets the requirements of subsection (d) of this section and received a certificate of such completion from the commissioner pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, or (2) submits an affidavit to the commissioner agreeing to complete such a training program not later than one year after beginning such position. The commissioner shall reimburse each person completing such a training program for the costs of the program, from the animal population control account established in section 22-380g.

(d) Not later than July 1, 2012, the commissioner shall prescribe the standards and curriculum for a training program for persons interested in serving in the position of animal control officer or appointed on or after July 1, 2012, to such position. Such training program shall consist of eighty or more hours of instruction. The curriculum for such program shall include the following topics:

(1) Animal identification;

(2) State laws governing animal control and protection and animal cruelty;

(3) Animal health and disease recognition, control and prevention;

(4) The humane care and treatment of animals;

(5) Standards for care and control of animals in an animal shelter;

(6) Standards and procedures for the transportation of animals;

(7) Principles and procedures for capturing and handling stray domestic animals and wildlife, including principles and procedures to be followed with respect to an instrument used specifically for deterring the bite of an animal;

(8) First aid for injured animals;

(9) Documentation of animal cruelty evidence and courtroom procedures;

(10) Animal shelter operations and administration;

(11) Spaying and neutering, microchipping and adoption;

(12) Communications and public relations;

(13) Search warrants and affidavits;

(14) Civil liability for the animal control officer;

(15) Crisis intervention and officer safety; and

(16) Any other topics pertinent to animal control and animal shelter personnel.

(e) Upon satisfactorily completing such training program, a person shall submit evidence of such completion to the commissioner, and the commissioner shall issue a certificate to such person. The certificate shall contain the person's name, the name of the training program and the date of completion. The commissioner may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of issuance of such certificate. The commissioner shall maintain records to document compliance with subsection (c) of this section.

(f) Each animal control officer shall complete a minimum of six hours of continuing education related to the duties of an animal control officer in each calendar year. The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, concerning the implementation of such continuing education requirement.

(1949 Rev., S. 3375; 1953, 1955, S. 1813d; 1963, P.A. 613, S. 2; February, 1965, P.A. 143, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 81, S. 2; P.A. 82-119, S. 1; P.A. 93-435, S. 30, 95; P.A. 98-12, S. 4, 22; P.A. 12-108, S. 2.)

History: 1963 act added exception to enforcement power, increased number of deputy dog wardens from five to maximum of eight, allowed appointment of regional wardens and assistants and rephrased provision re payment of expenses; 1965 act substituted “sections 22-332, 22-332a, 22-332b and 22-332c” for “sections 22-332a to 22-332” in exception, gave commissioner power to appoint assistant state dog warden and increased maximum number of deputy dog wardens to twelve; 1969 act replaced references to dog wardens with references to corresponding canine control officers; P.A. 82-119 amended the section by clarifying the commissioners authority to authorize his enforcement of all chapters concerning dogs, pounds and spaying and neutering clinics where before his enforcement authority was restricted to chapter 435 and specific statutory citations; P.A. 93-435 made certain technical and grammatical revisions, effective June 28, 1993; P.A. 98-12 amended Subsec. (b) by changing “canine control officer” to “animal control officer” and adding provision re the same fiscal year as expenses are incurred, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 12-108 added Subsec. (c) re requirement of training for state, regional or municipal animal control officers and requirement for reimbursement for such training to each person completing such training, Subsec. (d) re requirement that commissioner prescribe training program standards and curriculum, the number of hours for such program and the topics that such curriculum shall include, Subsec. (e) re issuance of a certificate to persons completing such training and Subsec. (f) re requirement for continuing education, effective June 8, 2012.