ADOPTION SPECIALIST

Adoption Specialist

Starting Pay: $13.00 per hour

Under general supervision, the Adoption Specialist serves as the primary point of contact for the public at the Animal Shelter. This position provides excellent customer service while assisting citizens with animal-related services, facilitating animal intake and adoptions, and helping create positive outcomes for animals entering or leaving the shelter. Responsibilities include assisting the public in person, by phone, and via email; processing animal intakes and adoptions; maintaining accurate records; and supporting daily shelter operations. This position may require working evenings, weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide high levels of customer service by assisting citizens in person, by phone, and via email in a prompt, courteous, and professional manner.
• Staff the front desk and provide accurate information regarding shelter policies, programs, and services.
• Facilitate animal intakes by assessing general health and temperament, assigning case numbers, recording vital statistics, and placing animals in appropriate enclosures.
• Check animals for collars, tags, and microchips and attempt to locate owners of lost animals.
• Assist citizens with animal adoptions, including counseling adopters, facilitating meet-and-greets, and preparing and completing adoption paperwork.
• Process adoption, surrender, reclaim, and other shelter-related transactions and collect associated fees.
• Assist with bathing and preparing animals for adoption as needed.
• Administer vaccines, microchips, and other basic medical care to animals as directed.
• Maintain and enforce sanitation and biosecurity procedures in front desk, intake, and adoption areas.
• Clean and disinfect workspaces, equipment, animal enclosures, and traps as needed.
• Maintain accurate shelter records and update animal information in shelter software and online platforms.
• Assist with behavioral assessment groups, rescue coordination, and animal transport when needed.
• Respond to citizen inquiries, schedule appointments for intake or services, and assist with follow-up communications.
• Process and record donations made to the shelter.
• Assist with surgery pick-ups and provide basic post-surgery information to adopters or owners.
• Maintain inventory and stock supplies in front desk and intake areas.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of animal shelter procedures and humane animal handling practices.
• Knowledge of sanitation, safety, and biosecurity practices in an animal care environment.
• Ability to safely handle animals with unknown health or temperament.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to handle difficult or emotional situations professionally.
• Excellent customer service and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to multitask and work in a fast-paced environment.
• Skill in operating standard office equipment such as computers, multi-line phone systems, cash registers, and software applications for record keeping and data entry.
• Ability to safely operate animal handling equipment such as control poles, nets, ropes, and traps.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent (GED).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with animals in a shelter, veterinary clinic, or similar environment.
• Customer service experience in a public-facing role.
• Must have or be able to obtain pre-exposure rabies vaccinations within six (6) months of hire.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally exert up to 50 pounds of force and frequently exert up to 25 pounds to lift, carry, push, or pull objects. The employee is required to walk, stand, see, hear, speak, and perform repetitive motions. Work may occur indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions and requires adaptability to a dynamic and sometimes emotionally challenging environment.

The City of Amarillo is an Equal Opportunity employer and encourages applications from eligible and qualified persons regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, disability, genetic information or protected veteran status, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. The City of Amarillo provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case by case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Office.