Equine Care Associate

Description

Are you compassionate about animals and have a desire to speak for those who cannot? For over 100 years, the Dumb Friends League has been working to end pet homelessness and animal suffering by providing a strong and steadfast voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. As the largest community-based animal welfare organization in the region, we care for more than 46,000 homeless pets and horses each year at our four facilities and are a national model in animal welfare. If you work well with people too, join our team and help us provide that voice. As a Barn Attendant, you will provide all animals at Harmony Equine Center with proper care and attention including adherence to established feeding, sanitation, and medical procedures.

Purpose of Position:

Provides all animals at Harmony Equine Center with proper care and attention including adherence to established feeding, sanitation, and medical procedures. Provides guidance to volunteers regarding the general upkeep and maintenance of the property.

Responsibilities

• Provide care and handling of all animals including feeding and watering, stocking feed and supply bins, and checking and updating animal feed sheets.
• Observe animals to ensure proper feeding and report any signs of illness, symptoms requiring medical attention, and behavioral problems.
• Update animal records in database.
• Maintain a clean and safe environment for the animals and the public including maintaining fencing, stocking cleaning supplies, washing laundry, and cleaning and sanitizing stalls, equipment/vehicles, barns, and turnouts.
• Maintain cleaning and care of facility equipment and vehicles to ensure proper functioning and safety reporting any damaged equipment or repair needs.
• Support adoptions through interviewing potential walk-in adopters; providing basic medical and other information to help adopters make good choices; completing accurate adoption paperwork; receiving adoption fees and providing receipts; and recording transactions and reconciling monies for daily deposits.
• Answer and route incoming calls; answer questions about equine center, adoptions, League services, and other general information; record and relay messages to appropriate staff.
• Assist with receipt of equines and entering animals into the database.
• Assist humane agents, law enforcement officers, and patrons.
• Keep and maintain the property including but not limited to: General landscaping, mowing, trimming, weed control, snow removal, maintaining roads, pens, and pastures
• Assist with veterinary and farrier appointments

People Care

People are the key to fulfilling our mission. Making internal and external patrons and their needs a primary focus is expected in all situations. This position interacts with and collaborates with employees at all levels of the organization. Communication occurs through face to face, telephone, and electronic interactions and may also include contact with the general public and League business partners. Communication and contact must be clear, understandable, cooperative, professional and respectful in all circumstances. Employees are expected to actively support a positive team environment, directly address conflict, and appropriately express concerns.

Competencies

Competencies are work behaviors and expectations necessary for successful job performance. They encompass knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and actions.

Organizational competencies apply to all jobs at the League; position competencies are specific to this position.

Organizational Competencies

• Integrity and Ethics
• Adapting to Change and Ambiguity
• Customer and Community Focus
• Emotional Intelligence
• Excellence

Position Key Competencies

• Organization
• Attention to detail

Supervisory or Managerial Responsibility

• Volunteers

Travel

• This position may include driving a company vehicle
• This position may require travel to different work sites

Full Time Benefits – Please visit our website for a comprehensive list of all offered benefits.

• Benefits (medical, dental, and vision)
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life and Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Sick Time
• Employee Discounts
• Sabbatical
• Holiday Pay
• 401(k)
• And more!

Schedule requires four 10-hour shifts (Full time, 40 hours a week)

Compensation: Starting at $20.60 - $21.52 per hour (starting pay commensurate with market, experience, and equity)

Work Conditions:

Work is performed in a horse boarding/barn and outdoor setting. Potentially subject to animal bites, scratches, kicks and unpredictable dangerous situations. Frequent lifting up to 50 lbs. with reasonable accommodations. Frequent walking, standing, bending, stooping, movement, and repetitive motion. Work outside in weather extremes, both heat and cold.

Posting will remain open until filled, with a minimum posting period of 5 days.

Requirements

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Basic Equine Husbandry

Required

• High school diploma or GED equivalent.

Desired

• Six months experience handling equines.
• Experience as a barn attendant or related position in an equine program (boarding, training, or care facility environment).