Animal Welfare Professionals

Position Summary:

The Animal Care Department provides the necessary infrastructure for Joybound’s rescue and adoption efforts. The Animal Care Specialist role is to provide the daily care of Joybound’s animals to ensure humane housing. Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to; feeding, cleaning, providing enrichment, and medicating of the shelter guests while following all proper handling protocols.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Interact and communicate with colleagues, volunteers, and the public in a manner that advances a culture of positivity, professionalism, trust, transparency, empathy, and excellence at Joybound.

•   Inspire and nurture the human-animal bond and bring people and animals together to enrich each other’s lives.
• Use your animal handling skills to provide daily care, exercise, enrichment, feeding, and cleaning for dog and cat shelter guests.
• Learn and use training techniques to make our animals the best possible family members in their new homes.
• Observe and report shelter animals for any unusual symptoms that may be indicative of a medical or behavioral problem.
• Clean and maintain all animal living areas, kitchens, bedding, furniture, and all animal/shelter equipment.
• Input and print relevant information in animal databases.
• Deliver medications to cat and dog shelter guests as indicated by Veterinary Clinic staff.
• Always promote a humane and caring attitude toward all animals.
• Always treat people and animals with respect, contribute to effective teamwork, promote staff cooperation, respect and collaborate with volunteers, and foster public relations beneficial to Joybound.
• Maintain the confidentiality of all information.
• Execute training and behavior plans in collaboration with the training department.
• Comply with all Federal, State, and local safety regulations and laws, as well as Joybound policies and guidelines. Follow established procedures governing safe work practices; and perform duties in a manner that assures the safety of oneself and others.
• Perform duties in a manner that encourages the attainment of goals, contributions, and business for Joybound, and its programs.
• Promote teamwork, communication, and cooperation with all other departments.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Affection for animals, concern for their welfare, and a willingness to accommodate animals in the workplace.
• Pre-employment background screening required.
• Must have a valid California Driver’s License and must not have more than two at-fault incidents in a three-year period and no major at-fault violations in the last ten years and must be insured.

Education and Experience:

• Prior experience medicating dogs and cats in a veterinary, shelter, or boarding facility is preferred.
• Preferred knowledge of various breeds and their characteristics, and familiarity with symptoms of diseases common to dogs and cats.
• Minimum of six months’ work experience in a professional animal setting.
• Handle multiple tasks and work well under pressure.
• Communicate information skillfully and effectively. Ability to comprehend and follow written and/or verbal instructions.
• Ability to communicate with the public, volunteers, and co-workers in a pleasant, courteous, and tactful manner at all times.
• Demonstrate maturity, good judgment, professional manner, and personal appearance.
• Comfortable and skilled in working with a diverse staff, volunteers, and community.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Specific physical abilities required by this job include:

• Must be comfortable and able to complete assigned duties that may involve potential exposure to zoonotic diseases, animal allergens, cleaning/disinfectant products, constant loud noises, and bites or scratches during the normal course of work.  
• Must adhere to all department and organizational policies, procedures, and safety protocols, including required adherence to department and facility safety protocols and the use of required PPE (e.g., gloves, gowns, booties, masks, and/or ear and eye protection), to maintain a safe, compliant, and professional work environment for both employees and animals.  
• Duties will include exposure to sun, wind, rain, and other elements up to 50% of shifts may be outdoors. 
• Push/pull moderately heavy objects up to 25 pounds.
• Lift and move objects and animals weighing up to 50 pounds for short distances and to humanely restrain animals when necessary.
• Walk dogs weighing up to 150 pounds in a variety of weather conditions.
• Kneel, bend, stoop, squat, reach above and below shoulder level, grasp and turn objects, stand and/or walk frequently and repetitively throughout each shift.
• Flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist.
• Dexterity to handle animals and small objects.
• Assess medical and behavior changes in animals using a variety of techniques including, but not limited to, visually and audibly.
• Sit for long and short periods of time using a computer.
• Tetanus and rabies inoculations are required or must be waived.
• Drive an automobile.

Hours:

Nonexempt:

Part-time, non-exempt, onsite position requiring a minimum of 24 hours per week. Hours and workdays may vary according to the needs of the department. Occasional evening and/or weekend work may be required.

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES

At Joybound, we value diversity and treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of or traits historically associated with race; color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.