Animal Care and Enrichment Specialist

Summary of Purpose:

Duties (Essential Functions):

Provide daily care, cleanliness, and enrichment to animals in care and maintain common areas.

• Responsible for daily cleaning and sanitation of assigned animal and common areas with emphasis on disease control protocols; provide spot cleaning of animal areas throughout work schedule.
• Provide all animals with appropriate housing, bedding, food, and water.
• Provide animals with daily enrichment and mental stimulation including in kennel toys and food enrichment, walks for adult dogs, social interaction with humans, and (where appropriate) interactions with members of own species.
• Provide basic grooming services to shelter animals as needed.
• Assist in maintaining a clean and uncluttered shelter environment; sweep, take out trash, wash windows, do laundry, dishes, etc.
• Follow and maintain excellent knowledge of organization, cleaning, sanitation, and safety practices to provide a healthy and safe environment for animals and people.
• Gain and maintain knowledge of all common shelter diseases and other animal illnesses to be able to identify their symptoms, transmission, and prevention including proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Unpack, sort, and organize donations as needed.
• Help maintain inventory of shelter supplies and communicate with appropriate manager to order supplies when needed.
• Patrol shelter grounds daily, picking up any trash and fecal material.

Monitor the behavior and health of animals in care.

• Monitor health of animals to rapidly identify any health issues and report to Veterinary staff or supervisor while recording observations in shelter software systems (Petpoint).
• Gain and maintain knowledge of animal behavior including animal body language and signals for stress/aggression to safely handle dogs and cats of all sizes and temperaments.
• Monitor behavior health of animals to rapidly identify any behavior issues and report to Behavior team/Cat Coordinator or a manager while recording observations in shelter software systems (Petpoint).

Provide professional, compassionate, stellar customer services to all who visit, call, volunteer, donate or work for KHS.

• Assist as needed or directed in supporting foster, set-up, behavior, and other critical shelter operations.
• Use shelter software systems and employee communication systems to keep accurate animal inventory, write animal behavior and other memos, and keep abreast of all staff communication.
• Work with and supervise volunteers to provide animals and humans with a safe, clean, organized, and pleasant experience.
• Communicate with supervisor on duty regarding unusual activities, significant problems or concerns.

Transport animals and supplies as assigned to/from special events, offsite vet clinics, or other KHS locations.

• Serve as a backup for transport duties as needed.
  • Transport animals, supplies, donations, and mail to and from KHS locations and deliver promptly.
  • Clean, sanitize, and disinfect transport crates and vehicle after use while overall maintaining a clean and odor free vehicle.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• General dog and cat knowledge preferred.
• Ability to work independently with little direct supervision.
• Great interpersonal skills in person and by phone with clients, staff, and volunteers.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, and ability to process paperwork accurately and efficiently.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Humane attitude towards animals.
• Ability to manage the emotional aspect of end-of-life services and humane euthanasia, and support staff in high-emotion circumstances.
• Accept, support, and represent KHS core values, programs, policies, and procedures.
• Basic computer knowledge.
• Ability to lift or otherwise move large animals – up to 50 pounds; full range of motion, including stooping, bending, reaching, etc.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and clean driving record and be willing to drive KHS vehicles.
• Background Check required.

Physical, Psychosocial, and Cognitive Demands/ Working Environment

• Frequent bending, reaching, kneeling, walking, and standing regularly while performing job functions.
• Frequently lifts, carries, or otherwise moves and positions objects weighing up to and exceeding 50 lbs.
• Includes working with animals in a kennel/shelter setting (indoor/outdoor) in varying weather conditions.
• Potential for exposure to allergens (including but not limited to pet dander, dust, peanut butter), and zoonotic diseases (diseases transferred from animals to humans).
• Exposure to chemicals.
• Exposure to loud noise.
• Exposure to emotional circumstances.
• Fast-paced environment.

Training Required After Employment: New Employee Orientation, Shelter Services Training