Animal Care Assistant

Animal Care Assistant

The City of Elk Grove has an immediate opening for a full-time Animal Care Assistant and multiple openings for temporary-part time Animal Care Assistants, to join the City's animal shelter team.

We are seeking compassionate, reliable, and hardworking individuals to join our team. This vital role supports the health and well-being of animals in our care and plays a key role in maintaining a safe, clean, and positive shelter environment.

The ideal candidates will have experience working in animal shelters or similar environments, with a solid understanding of animal behavior and demonstrated skills in safe, humane animal handling. A calm and observant demeanor is essential, as well as the ability to respond appropriately to the physical and emotional needs of animals under stress. Strong teamwork and communication skills are important, as this position will work closely with fellow staff, volunteers, and the public. At the same time, they must be self-motivated and able to complete tasks independently with attention to detail and a commitment to high standards of care. If you are passionate about animal welfare and want to make a difference in the lives of animals every day, we encourage you to apply and become part of our mission-driven team.

Tentative Recruitment Timeline (subject to change)

Filing Deadline: July 1, 2026, by 11:59 PM

Oral Board Interviews: July 23, 2026 (virtual)

Selection Interviews: July 30, 2026 (in person)

The City offers a competitive salary and generous benefit package including CalPERS retirement benefits, a deferred compensation match and more.

Why work for the City of Elk Grove? Learn more here: Elk Grove Jobs Community Profile

Elk Grove is a vibrant, family-friendly community of approximately 178,124 people in the Sacramento, California region, located 14 miles south of the State Capital and 60 miles east of the Bay Area. Elk Grove is a young, ethnically diverse, modern city that was incorporated in 2000. Elk Grove has low crime, excellent schools, over 100 community parks and 28 miles of trails, plentiful dining and shopping options, numerous annual events and festivals, and over 270 sunny days per year.

Representative Duties

Under general supervision, performs a variety of duties in support of animal welfare; provides food, exercise, socialization, and other modalities to support animal health at the City's animal shelter; maintains records regarding animal behavior and health; provides assistance to the public with claiming lost animals, adoptions, and responsible pet ownership; and performs related duties as assigned.

Receives general supervision from Animal Care Supervisor. Exercises no direct supervision over staff.

This journey level classification is responsible for independently performing duties in support of animal care and socialization. Positions at this level exercise judgment and initiative in their assigned tasks, receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise, and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit.

Examples of typical job functions (illustrative only):

• Provide food and water for each animal; observes food consumption to ensure animals' overall health; observes animals' behavior and physical appearance; reports illness/injuries to supervisory personnel.
• Properly cleans and disinfects enclosures and kennels; exercises animals; socializes animals; replaces bedding, toys, and litter pans; cleans linens and shelter equipment; maintains a clean and safe environment.
• Maintains and updates records notating arrival/departure dates, disposals, adoptions, returns, animal owner information, current status of sheltered animal(s); updates animal records with behavior and health information; provides report of minor and serious concerns to supervisor for further action.
• Accepts animals into shelter; evaluates general condition and health of the animal; provides vaccination; and handles adoptions of animals and release of impounded animals to owners.
• Monitors inventory of essential items (such as food, litter, microchips, crates) and restocks supplies.
• Collects fees and issues receipts for adoptions, the sale of dog licenses and spay/neutering certificates.
• Answers inquiries from the public, both over the counter and by telephone, on laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to animal control and the animal shelter; assists customers with the animal adoption process and procedures; educates the public about responsible pet ownership.
• Assists with the euthanasia of animals, in accordance with established laws and departmental policy; disposes of euthanized animals in accordance with established departmental procedure.
• Provides information and assists members of the public, including individuals who may be angry, hostile, or distraught, in search of lost or adoptable pets according to established laws and departmental procedures.
• Provides assistance and training to volunteers to help take care of the animals.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Animal breeds, species, illnesses, vaccines, conditions, terms, behaviors.
• Animal related codes and laws pertaining to care and welfare.
• Methods and techniques used in customer service and public relations.
• Methods for caring for and feeding domestic animals.
• Occupational hazards and standard safety practices related to the areas of assignment.
• Physical and behavioral characteristics of various animal species.
• Practices, methods, and materials used in cleaning animal facilities.
• Principles and procedures of record keeping.
• Safe and humane animal handling principles and practices
• General practice and operation of municipal shelters.
• Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
• Recent and on-going developments, current literature, and sources of information related to the operations of the assigned division.
• Methods and techniques of preparing general business correspondence.
• City and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging concepts and principles, including their significance in organizational dynamics and the functioning of the City and their impact on fostering innovation and collaboration.
• The structure and content of the English language at a level necessary to successfully perform the duties assigned.
• Current equipment and communication tools used for business functions and program, project, and task coordination, including computers and software programs relevant to work performed.

Ability to:

• Provide affection and concern for animals.
• Utilize public relations techniques to interact with internal and external customers, including responding to general inquiries and complaints.
• Effectively represent the City to outside individuals and agencies to accomplish the goals and objectives of the unit.
• Independently handle and care for animals housed in the City's Animal Shelter.
• Learn to euthanize animals in a humane manner.
• Learn to operate the equipment used in handling various types of animals.
• Plan and organize work to meet changing priorities and deadlines.
• Recognize symptoms of common animal health concerns and disease.
• Work safely with aggressive animals and hazardous chemicals.
• Effectively use computer systems, software applications relevant to work performed, and modern business equipment to perform a variety of work tasks.
• Communicate clearly and concisely in the English language at a level necessary for successful job performance.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and procedural.
• Engage with a diverse public and workforce, facilitating inclusive service delivery, and implementing equitable city policies.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience:

Completion of the twelfth (12th) grade and six (6) months of animal shelter, animal care and protection, humane society, veterinary experience, or related job responsibilities.

Licenses and Certifications:

Possession of, or ability to obtain by the time of appointment, an appropriate, valid California driver's license. This requirement may be waived for individuals who are unable to obtain a driver's license due to a disability.

Retired Annuitants: This is a regular full-time position. Retired Annuitants are not eligible for appointment to this position under Government Code Sections 7522.56, 21224, 21227,