Animal Care Specialist

Animal Care Specialist

Reports to Medical Operations Manager


Join the Team at Cincinnati Animal CARE

At Cincinnati Animal CARE (CAC), we do work that matters.

Every day, our team protects animals, supports our community, and helps save thousands of lives each year through compassionate care, advocacy, and education.

This work is meaningful, fast-paced, and can be challenging, but for the right person, it's incredibly rewarding.

We are a team built for impact, made up of people who care deeply, work hard, support one another, and show up every day committed to making a difference.

If you are passionate about animals, thrive in a mission-driven environment, and want your work to have purpose, we'd love to have you join us.

About the Role

We are looking for an Animal Care Specialist to join our team and play an important role in supporting CAC's mission.

In this position, you will:

• Care for our hospitalized, resident, and surgical patients.

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys meaningful work, takes pride in helping others, and wants to contribute to a growing organization making a real impact in the community.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Your day-to-day may include:

• Maintain stock of animal care essential items (food, treats, toys)
• Deliver feedings, outdoor exercise, and in-kennel enrichment for patients
• Provide clinic yard, walks, playgroup, and in-kennel enrichment
• Ensure cleanliness of kennels, bowls, linens, toys, and crates for all patients
• Follow proper cleaning procedures and use appropriate products and chemicals to mitigate the risk of disease spread
• Animal care dishes, laundry, and other assignments as requested by shift leads or management
• Contribute to the overall cleanliness of several clinic spaces and clinic trash removal
• Follow feeding plans, weight monitoring, symptom monitoring, and other medical protocols to monitor and/or report on patient status
• Restrain and provide other forms of patient management for medical procedures, surgeries, and exams
• Collaborate with Animal Care Leads to advance animal welfare within the Medical Department
• Like all employees at CAC, this individual may be assigned additional duties at the request of their supervisor
• Work alongside of and collaborate with our dedicated volunteer staff to ensure daily responsibilities and ongoing projects are optimal and high functioning.
• Supporting additional organizational needs as they arise

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role

We're looking for someone who:

• Is passionate about CAC's mission and animal welfare
• Brings a positive, team-first attitude
• Communicates openly and professionally
• Takes ownership and solves problems proactively
• Thrives in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment
• Can balance compassion with accountability
• Is dependable, adaptable, and eager to learn

Qualifications

Preferred/Required:

• A true team builder who makes everyone feel welcome,
• Comfortable handling dogs, cats, pocket pets, and other animals with a variety of temperaments and socialization levels,
• Embodies unwavering commitment to CAC's values, positive workplace culture, and animal care.
• Strong verbal communication skills,
• Ability to stay calm under pressure,
• Willingness to learn medical procedures and protocols to advance ability to assist within the department,
• Ability to clearly explain surgical discharge instructions and recovery expectations to fosters and adopters,
• Ability to follow oral instructions.
• Ability to maintain composure and professionalism during high stress and often challenging medical situations

Why Join CAC?

At CAC, you'll be part of more than just a workplace. You'll join a team of people doing meaningful work together.

We offer:

• The opportunity to make a real difference every day
• A mission-driven, supportive team culture
• Growth and development opportunities
• Competitive benefits package
• A workplace where your work directly impacts animals and the community

Compensation & Benefits

• Pay: Minimum pay of $18.50 after successful 90 day training period. $16.19 during training period.
• Retirement plan with employer match
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Professional Development Assistance
• Life Insurance

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or operate objects, controls, or tools listed above; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts; in high, precarious places; and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.
• Exposure and handling unvetted animals and their waste is frequent.