Animal Care Specialist

Description

This is a highly responsible position in the public animal shelter. Responsibilities include animal handling, ensuring wellness, daily cleaning, customer service, performing administrative tasks, as well as other shelter duties.

The successful candidate will have a positive, team-minded attitude; strong communication skills (written and verbal) allowing for efficient communication with teammates and management; excellent observational skills; a strong work ethic with the ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities appropriately; and the flexibility required to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

This position is physical and will keep you active; expect to be on your feet the majority of the day.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Receives, screens, and assists customers in the pet adoption process, proper pet care, and owner responsibilities, including educating customers on various pet breeds, characteristics, licensing and County ordinance requirements; resolves customer complaints or concerns by exercising fair, independent judgment while following state statutes and local ordinances.

• Handles the physical intake and transfer of all animals including but not limited to fractious/feral animals while exercising proper safety techniques; cares for animals including cleaning, grooming and feeding; disinfects cages, toys, and bowls; works with fearful and aggressive animals; assesses animal behavior and temperament for adoption.

• Investigates pet owner information while verifying accuracy of data for each animal within the department database and schedules appointments for the sterilization of animals.

• Vaccinates stray and owned animals upon intake and performs testing for various zoonotic diseases when necessary; maintains knowledge of zoonotic diseases and observes animals for signs of illness or behavioral problems.

• Performs diagnostic testing including blood work, fecal examination, microchipping, and preventative medications; enters medical information into computer software; transports animals to clinics and rescues; performs euthanasia as part of disease and population control.

• Helps customers with lost pets; matches pets with potential adopters; maintains knowledge and recognition of animal breeds, age, and characteristic to determine proper intake of each animal; identifies behavioral and medical health concerns for stray and owned animals upon intake.

• Trains new staff for the department in job functions such as animal handling, vaccinating, and database use.

• Handles cash and performs data entry for the compliance of citations and advises customers on proper citation compliance procedures; organizes, stores, files, and copies pertinent documents for the entire database in the proper storage facility; issues pet licenses that arrive through the mail and to customers present at the shelter.

• Performs related work as assigned.

Education, Experience, Licensing

• Requires High School graduation or GED equivalent.

• Animal handling experience is preferred.

• Required possession of Florida State Certification in Euthanasia or be able to obtain within 6 months of hire date. The Animal Services department will train and certify on-site for this upon hire.

• Possession of a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record is required.

Supplemental Information

• Position requires daily computer use.

• Ability to lift up to 80 pounds, bend, stoop, lift, and crawl as necessary for handling and transporting of animals, equipment and supplies.

• Hours will vary 7:00 am - 5:30 pm, rotating days off. This position will require working on holidays, emergencies and additional shifts as needed.