Animal Care Specialist

MOS 91T Animal Care Specialist

The animal care specialist supervises or provides the care, management, treatment, and sanitary conditions for animals, with a primary responsibility of prevention and control of diseases transmitted from animal to man and comprehensive care for government owned animals. Duties for MOS 91T at each level of skill are:

a. Major duties.

(1) MOSC 91T1O. Provides routine daily care for animals in veterinary treatment or research and development facilities. Obtains medical history from owners and/or handlers and measures and records animal vital signs. Performs physical examinations to detect obvious abnormalities and reports findings to veterinarian. Positions and restrains animals for examination and treatment. Calculates doses and administers oral and topical medications as directed by the veterinarian. Maintains sanitary conditions for all components of the veterinary treatment facilities to include operating room and equipment. Assists veterinarian in surgical procedures and performs euthanasia when instructed by veterinarian. Cleans, debrides, and sutures superficial wounds. Collects, preserves, and prepares blood, urine, feces, skin scrapings, and post mortem specimens for shipment and evaluation. Performs routine diagnostic laboratory tests such as fecal smears, urinalysis, blood counts, and chemistries. Records laboratory test results. Takes and develops radiographs of designated animal body parts. Initiates and maintains animal health records, immunization records, animal registration files, animal bite case reports, and other administrative office files.

(2) MOSC 91T2O. Performs duties shown at preceding skill level. Provides technical guidance, management, and training to junior personnel. Performs advanced emergency medical procedures on animals such as triage, tracheotomy, burn and poison management, venous cutdown, and insertion of stomach tubes. Operates mechanical respirators, heart monitors, and gas sterilizer apparatus. Supervises supply management and patient administration procedures. Prepares budgets, trains handlers in emergency care of animals, and assists on research protocol teams.

(3) MOSC 91T3O. Performs duties of and supervises the functions of preceding skill levels. Develops and establishes standard operating procedures for operations of veterinary treatment facilities. Assists in scheduling, conducting, and evaluating training of veterinary service enlisted personnel. Reviews, consolidates, and prepares technical reports. Performs as a liaison for the veterinary officer to interact with installation medical authorities, installation commanders, and civilian agencies.

(4) MOSC 91T4O. Schedules, monitors, and evaluates the unit training program and maintains unit/individual training records. Assists the commander in preparing, monitoring, and evaluating the unit operations plan. Compiles and evaluates management and personnel data. Reviews operations of veterinary service to ensure compliance with laws and regulations regarding humane care and treatment of animals. Monitors laboratory animal procurement procedures and serves on laboratory animal protocol boards. Provides technical assistance in planning, staffing, and modifying existing animal facilities.

b. Physical demands rating and qualifications for initial award of MOS.

Animal care specialists must possess the following qualifications:

(1) A physical demands rating of moderately heavy.
(2) A physical profile of 222221.
(3) Normal color vision.
(4) Minimum score of 95 in aptitude area ST.
(5) Successful completion and credit for high school course in one of the biological sciences.
(6) High school diploma/GED.
(7) Formal training (completion of MOS 91T course conducted under the auspices of the AHS) mandatory or meet the civilian acquired skills criteria listed in AR 601-210, chapter 7.

c. Additional skill identifiers.