Animal Shelter Attendant

Animal Shelter Attendant

Do you have a passion for helping animals and want to make a positive impact in the community? Consider joining the City of San Bernardino's Animal Services Department as an Animal Shelter Attendant!

About the City: As a future member of our team, you'll be joining a city with deep roots, cultural diversity, and exciting momentum. Located in the heart of Southern California's Inland Empire, San Bernardino is the county seat and largest city in San Bernardino County, home to more than 222,000 residents. Its rich history — shaped by Native American, Mexican, and Spanish influences — continues to inspire the city's evolving identity.

San Bernardino offers access to major transit corridors, natural beauty, and a wide range of housing and lifestyle options. It's a place where public service careers are supported by a strong sense of community and purpose — and where motivated professionals can grow, contribute, and be part of something meaningful.

About the Position: The City of San Bernardino is seeking motivated individuals to join our team as Animal Shelter Attendants. This recruitment will be used to fill both regular and temporary positions. This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience while making a difference in the lives of animals in need. As an Animal Shelter Attendant, you will assist with feeding, cleaning, and caring for animals, as well as supporting shelter operations to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for both animals and visitors. If you're passionate about animal care and looking to start a meaningful career, we'd love to hear from you!

The Ideal Candidate:

• Customer Service Skills: Possesses strong communication and customer service abilities, with a capacity to address requests and inquiries from customers and the public effectively.
• Animal Care Knowledge: Is proficient in the safe and humane handling and care of animals of various sizes and temperaments, including familiarity with humane euthanasia practices.
• Record Keeping Experience: Skilled in maintaining accurate animal inventory records using a computer system.
• Team Player & Quick Learner: Works collaboratively with veterinary staff, technicians, and animal control officers. Quickly learns and follows procedures for medications, vaccinations, euthanasia, and data entry into animal management systems.

Day in the life consists of: As an Animal Services Attendant with the City of San Bernardino, your day revolves around ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of animals in our care while also providing vital support to members of the community. Whether cleaning kennels, comforting a nervous stray, or helping a family find their perfect new pet, you play a key role in the shelter's mission. Your day may include:

• Performing animal intake duties, including data entry, health assessments, and identification of diseases or behavioral concerns.
• Feeding, bathing, grooming, and monitoring animals for signs of illness or stress.
• Cleaning kennels, cages, and shelter grounds, ensuring a sanitary and safe environment for both animals and people.
• Assisting with vaccinations, parasite treatments, and microchipping procedures.
• Transporting animals to and from veterinary clinics when needed and assisting with specimen collection for lab testing.
• Supporting the adoption process by guiding visitors, answering questions, and helping families make informed pet choices.
• Performing humane euthanasia when necessary, with care, accuracy, and compassion.
• Maintaining animal inventory and medication records, and assisting with shelter facility upkeep.
• Responding to public inquiries with empathy, professionalism, and accurate information about animal care and shelter services.

What You Need to Qualify:

Education and Experience: High School diploma or G.E.D. AND at least six (6) months of experience in handling and working with animals preferred, or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Licenses, Certifications, and Equipment: A valid California driver's license is required. Euthanasia Certificate preferred.

Knowledge of and skills in:

• Methods, practices, and procedures in the restraint, handling, care, and feeding of animals.
• State, county, and local laws, ordinances, and regulations applicable to the control, care, and protection of animals.
• Animal breeds, behaviors, and proper animal handling techniques.
• Safe and humane methods of animal euthanasia.
• Infectious or contagious animal diseases and their symptoms.
• Safe operation of cleaning equipment and chemicals used to sanitize the kennels and animal holding area.
• Safely, confidently, and humanely handle and care for animals of all sizes and temperaments.
• Learn and follow appropriate procedures for administering medications and vaccinations; familiarity with euthanasia is essential.
• Respond to requests and inquiries from customers at the shelter and the public, providing quality customer service.
• Maintain accurate animal inventory records in a computer system.
• Observe, assess, and understand animal behavior.
• Effectively use leashes, control sticks, animal traps, cat tongs, and other animal handling equipment.

Physical Requirements and Work Experience: The employee frequently works in extreme outside weather conditions and on slippery and uneven surfaces. The employee is often exposed to dangerous, injured, or diseased animals. The employee is frequently exposed to wet or humid conditions, fumes, or airborne articles; toxic or caustic chemicals; and zoonotic and other communicable diseases. The noise level in the work environment is frequently loud within confined areas. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use hands to manipulate, handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, walk, sit, talk, and hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Recruitment Timeline

This recruitment will close on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at 11:59pm, or until a sufficient number of applications have been received.

Applications review: Week of Monday, July 20, 2026

Online Exam: Week of Monday, August 03, 2026

1st Interview: Week of August 10, 2026, or agreed upon date by both HR recruiter & Dept (TENTATIVE)

**All dates are subject to change at the discretion of the personnel officer**

All applicants are required to submit an online application through the City's official website at This recruitment will remain open until Sunday, July 19, 2026, at 11:59 PM or until a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

Applications must be fully completed and clearly demonstrate that the minimum qualifications for the position are met. All information provided is subject to review, investigation, and verification. While resumes may be uploaded as supplemental documentation, they will not be accepted in place of a fully completed City application.

Following the initial screening, the most qualified candidates whose backgrounds best match the needs of the City will be invited to continue in the selection process. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee advancement. Candidates will remain under consideration until a final selection is made and an offer is accepted. The City of San Bernardino reserves the right to close the recruitment at any time and may determine that none of the applicants, including those who meet the minimum qualifications, are suitable for the position.

Successful candidates shall be required to:

• Application Review
• Oral Examination
• Background Investigation (California Department of Justice and FBI)
• Pre-employment Medical Examination, including drug screening
• Employment and Professional Reference Checks

The City of San Bernardino reserves the right to adjust the selection process as needed to meet administrative or operational requirements.