Adoption Counselor

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 re-vaccinating of animals as trained.
• 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 manager to order supplies when needed.
• Complete requests for vet checks and behavior evaluations as needed for animals with medical or behavior concerns.

Responsible for the animal adoption process.

• Learn and adhere to adoption policies including documenting all movement of animals in PetPoint software system.
• Assist clients with animal adoption process; facilitate client/animal interactions to ensure a safe and pleasant experience.
• Accurately and efficiently process paperwork and monies collected on all adopted animals and merchandise.

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

• Provide high quality customer service to all clients ensuring a positive customer experience.
• 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.

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.
• Background Check required.

Physical, Psychosocial, and Cognitive Demands/ Working Environment

• Individual will have periods of sitting, talking and listening.
• 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.