Animal Shelter Assistant

Job Description

Performs clerical work, facility cleaning and maintenance duties, and provides care, food, and water for animals. Also enforces animal and rabies control regulations.

Essential Duties

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Conducts searches for appropriate data retrieval within department files and records.

• Cleans and sanitizes animal areas, in compliance with established cleaning standards and practices.

• Provides food, water, care, and treatment for minor injuries to sick, impounded, and surrendered animals.

• Assists with emergency situations within the animal shelter.

• Responds to citizen inquiries concerning the animal shelter's programs and policies.

• Provides accurate summaries related to calls dispatched.

• Updates and maintains files to assist with the documentation and reporting requirements of the facility.

• Dispenses information, prepares reports, and forms, and receives and posts fee payments for customers.

• Facilitates questions regarding animal laws, care and disposal of animals, and other matters pertaining to the animal shelter.

• Assists with impoundment, adoption, and redemption of animals.

• Initiates and completes required forms pertaining to animal bites, surrendered animal intake, impounded animals, and animal adoption.

• Assists citizens in the adoption process, providing information and knowledge as it relates to the animals being considered.

• Updates and maintains files to assist with the documentation requirements of the facility.

• Maintain departmental equipment, supplies and facilities.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Graduation from high school or equivalent; and,

• Six (6) months' related experience

• Six (6) months' experience in animal care or husbandry preferred, or

• Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Special Requirements:

• Must possess a valid driver's license or obtain one by date of hire.

• Must be able to take rabies pre-exposure vaccination series.

• Ability to work a rotating schedule, to include weekends and occasionally holidays, may be required.

Supplemental Information

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Must be able to read, write, and comprehend the English language.

• Ability to deal effectively and objectively with the public, using tact, sometimes in hostile situations.

• Ability to read and interpret laws and regulations governing the animal control operations.

• Some skill in operating the tools and equipment listed below.

• Some knowledge of animal care, characteristics, welfare, and handling is preferred;

• Required to learn and apply proper techniques for the use and capabilities of restraint and capture equipment;

• Must be able to learn and apply computer operating skills in word processing and data entry.

• Must be able to learn and apply cognitive thinking in collecting and posting information in a software program for the purpose of documentation.

• Must be able to read, interpret, and comply with policy and procedure as set forth by the City of Killeen.

• Must be able to demonstrate and provide exceptional customer service to internal and external customers.

Tools and equipment used

To include, but not limited to personal computer, calculator, dispatch radio, telephone, typewriter, fax machine, duplicating equipment, animal restraint and capture equipment, motor vehicles, and first aid equipment.

Appropriate safety equipment as required.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Employee must be able to physically control animals by utilizing restraint and capture equipment, if necessary.

Frequent physical movement, agility, dexterity, and stamina is required. Demands some physical strength associated with handling animals.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to sit, climb, or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and talk and hear.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in both outside weather conditions and normal office conditions. Employee may be subject to animal bites, vicious, and/or aggressive animals and communicable diseases from animals.

Extreme care is required when approaching and handling animals (possibly hazardous). The employee is also exposed to chemicals used in disinfecting facilities.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet in the office and moderate to loud in the animal kennel areas.