ANIMAL CARE ASSOCIATE

Animal Care Services Position

Under general supervision, provides a variety of animal care services for animals impounded by the County from impound through final disposition (intake, assessment, placement, care, disposition); provides care of feeding, exercising, and overall care of impounded animals at the County's temporary holding facility; cleans kennels and ensures a safe and sanitary environment for the animals; collects and transports animals to the shelter facility, veterinarians, foster/adopt homes, and/or area shelters for adoption; serves as the liaison between volunteer foster/adopt homes and the County; and is cross-trained as an Animal Control Officer to serve as backup or backfill of vacancies when needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma/GED Certificate from an accredited institution and one year of animal handling experience within an animal shelter, veterinarian's office, or similar work environment.

• Valid New Mexico Driver's License; other licenses and certifications may be required within a specified time period after hire.
• Pre-employment drug and alcohol screening

This is a safety-sensitive position subject to random drug testing in accordance with County policy. This position is also subject to certain on-call hours.

Supervision varies by position. Position does not exercise supervision over lower level staff.

Essential Job Functions: The following duties are not intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Provides full care and case management oversight of impounded animals from intake through final disposition.
• Transports animals to area adoption agencies, foster homes, veterinary clinics, and related field-based settings.
• Provides and ensures safe animal handling practices at all times.
• Maintains welfare of impounded animals; feeds, waters, exercises and cares for impounded animals; ensures shelter and overall health of animals is in accordance with sheltering standards.
• Provides customer service assistance as needed; answers questions, helps with paperwork, and provides information as appropriate.
• Provides and ensures full and proper written tracking of all impounded animals.
• Reviews and maintains all necessary supplies.
• Conducts daily facility checks to ensure a consistent safe, secure, and sanitized environment.
• Provides and ensures timely posting of all impounded animals on the County website and related media, including Petfinder.
• Assesses reported or observed violations of animal care regulations; makes determinations and takes appropriate action to address.
• Supports the relationship between the County and the constituent population by providing excellent customer service; promotes the County's goals and priorities in compliance with all policies and procedures; and maintains absolute confidentiality of work-related issues, client records and County information.
• Ensures that job duties are completed in strict adherence to established safe work practices.
• Reviews foster/adopt applications, conducts interviews and home visits with interested parties, and provides approval/denial recommendations to the Community Services Director.
• Provides certain on-call services as cases demand.
• Is cross-trained as an Animal Control Officer and serves as backup or backfill of vacancies when needed. This includes but is not limited to responding to routine and emergency calls for service of animals; providing field services specific to capture and containment; removing animals from hazardous situations; gathers evidence and collects information on animal care cases; makes court appearances and provides testimony as needed; and provides information to the public covering a range of animal care topics.
• Performs other job related duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge of:

• Operational characteristics, services, and activities of an animal shelter environment.
• Principles and practices of animal care, control, and behavior management.
• Safe and efficient techniques for capturing and containing animals.
• Safe and effective techniques of animal handling.
• Safe transportation and animal restraint procedures.
• Proper and appropriate sheltering and caring for animals.
• Common animal diseases and their diagnosis.
• County geography.
• Report preparation and record keeping.
• Federal, state, and local laws affecting area of assignment.
• Effective communication principles and practices to include public relations.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers, computer applications such as word processing and spreadsheets.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Principles of business letter writing.

Required Skill in:

• Safely apprehending, handling, and transporting animals.
• Interpreting and administering policies and procedures sufficient to administer, discuss, resolve, and explain them.
• Keeping complete, accurate records.
• Testifying accurately and effectively in court.
• Working cooperatively, courteously, but firmly with all segments of the public.
• Working with equipment, tools, and materials required in area of assignment.
• Utilizing personal computer software programs and other relevant software affecting assigned work and in compiling and preparing spreadsheets.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff, management, vendors, outside agencies, community groups and the general public.
• Communicating effectively verbally and in writing.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed mainly at the County's temporary holding facility or in the field at foster/adopt homes, veterinary clinics, area animal care agencies, or when serving as backup for Animal Control.
• Regularly required to lift or carry items weighing up to 90 pounds.
• Regularly is exposed to extreme weather conditions, potential physical harm, hazardous chemicals, and infectious disease when caring for impounded animals.
• May be required to climb or balance; reach with hands and arms; sit; stand; stoop, kneel, or crouch; talk and hear; smell; use hands to finger, handle, or feel.
• Work requires visual and hearing acuity sufficient to perform essential and supplemental duties and to safely interact with a variety of animals.
• Work regularly requires speaking, hearing and utilizing a phone, cell phone, calculator, copier, and computer.
• Operates a County vehicle as necessary to perform transport/related job duties.