Animal Care Technician

Job Description

Job Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title:                Animal Care Technician

Hours:                          Full-time, includes week-ends and holidays

Supervisor:                   Animal Care & Behavior Manager; Animal Care Supervisor

Classification:              Non-exempt, Hourly

SUMMARY

Animal Care Technicians are focused on providing the highest standards of animal care according to national best practices. This care includes but is not limited to: cleaning, feeding, medicating, monitoring, transporting, behavior enrichment and behavior modification.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Must be a compassionate and caring individual with excellent communication skills, and ability to work effectively in a high stress, fast-paced environment. Requires prior experience with and knowledge of higher animal care. Must be able to work independently as well as part of a team.

An animal care facility can be an emotionally challenging, high-stress, rapidly changing, and high-demand environment.  Feelings of grief and loss, secondary trauma, and compassion fatigue are not uncommon.  As such, working at HSHV requires a high degree of emotional regulation and resilience; the ability to tolerate and manage stress; adaptability to change; empathy for both animals and people; and an overall positive outlook.  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Animal Care Duties

• Treats animals humanely and with respect, following the highest standards for animal care and handling.
• Provides adequate food and water to shelter animals daily, with awareness of and compliance with any special feeding requirements and medications.
• Completes other daily care tasks for animals, including walking dogs, changing cat litter pans, providing enrichment as needed, etc.
• Observe animals daily for changes in behavior (aggressiveness, listlessness, not eating) and possible health problems (vomiting, diarrhea). Use medical and behavior concern boards, logs, and memos on a daily basis to report changes. 
• Follows the highest standards for preventing the spread of contagious disease.
• Work cooperatively with other departments to assist with movement of animals within the shelter as necessary.
• Participates in stress reduction efforts through purposeful handling and placement of animals in the shelter environment, in accordance to Fear Free Shelter Guidelines
• Work closely with Behavior Department to participate in enrichment activities
• Assists behavior department with behavior modification efforts
• Work with volunteers to coordinate a smooth flow of shelter operations and daily care of animals (including dog walking, enrichment, cleaning, feeding, etc.)
• Care for a variety of animal species including cats, dogs, small mammals (rabbits, hamsters, etc.), birds, reptiles, and other domestics.
• Assist Community Cat Coordinator on weekends by feeding/watering cats in the TNR room, and cleaning as needed.
• Perform adoptable dog introductions, as needed.
• Operates laundry machines and organizes laundry used in shelter; distributes bedding throughout shelter
• Assists in distributing HSHV in-kind donations for shelter use, as needed
• Keep all cages, kennels, and all assigned areas clean following daily cleaning procedures.
• Operates sanitizer and distributes clean products and supplies throughout assigned areas
• Keep clean, neat, and appropriately stocked working areas. Organize and maintain storage areas.
• Complete opening and closing tasks in accordance with appropriate checklists.

Adoptions Counseling and Support Services

• Represents HSHV in a professional and courteous manner at all times 
• Facilitates client/animal interactions to ensure a safe and pleasant experience 
• Actively promotes HSHV’s mission, services, programs, and events. 
• Develops relationships with customers and provides a positive experience for our clients by practicing HSHV’s Ten Principles of Great Customer Service. 

Other Duties

• Actively supports the advancement of HSHV goals and mission.
• Attends and participates in HSHV training programs as assigned.
• Attend agency staff meetings. Read email on a daily basis and respond as appropriate.
• Maintain awareness of SOPs and policies established in other shelter departments and how they pertain to/affect staff and animals.
• Follows all safety guidelines to ensure a safe work environment and take immediate action to address any safety concerns.
• Other duties as assigned.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing this job, you will be required to continually walk, stand, squat, twist, and kneel, reach and grab with your hands and arms, in addition to being able to lift and move animals, materials and equipment weighing 60 lbs. or more. You will be exposed to kennel/shelter setting, both indoors and outdoors while cleaning animal areas and transporting animals. You will be exposed to various weather conditions when working outdoors. You will be exposed to disinfectant solutions while cleaning. You will be consistently exposed to animals and animal allergens, including animal hair, dander, saliva, fecal matter, urine, zoonotic diseases, fleas and other mites or bugs. You may also be subject to potential danger including parasites and infectious diseases, animal bites and scratches. Tetanus and rabies (pre-exposure) inoculations are highly suggested.

MENTAL DEMANDS

While performing this job, you will be regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; observe and interpret situations; analyze and solve problems; learn and apply new information and skills; perform repetitive work on multiple, concurrent tasks; and interact with staff, the public, volunteers and others encountered in the course of work. You will be exposed to animals’ pain and suffering and must be able to handle occasional volatile situations.

Please note: This job description reflects the assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

The Humane Society of Huron Valley is an at-will employer.