Animal Care Attendant - Dog Team

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Animal Care Attendant is responsible for making sure each animal has the proper food and water; all animal cages and kennels are clean; each animals’ physical hygiene is maintained, and each animal is supplied with enrichment activity to meet their needs such as socializing and exercising.  The Animal Care Attendant is also responsible for ensuring that all shelter animals have clean and humane living conditions.  All responsibilities are to be carried out in accordance with The Palm Springs Animal Shelter standards, policies, and procedures.       

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

All Animal Care Attendants

• Care and husbandry of shelter animals, including but not limited to: providing food and water; cleaning cages and kennels.  
• Provide exercise, socialization and enrichment as time permits and as requested by the lead ACA or management.  
• Cleaning, sanitizing, and maintaining assigned area(s) of the shelter.  Must meet acceptable standards of cleanliness determined by management.  
• Ensure all secondary tasks and responsibilities are satisfactorily performed, including but not limited to: dishes; laundry; sweeping; mopping; dusting; sanitizing furniture and equipment; properly disposing of animal waste (indoors and outdoors). 
• Consistently maintain a clean and orderly kennel area, including restocking supplies and equipment as necessary. 
• Inspect donated items carefully determining if item(s) should be kept or moved along. 
• When needed and requested, properly put away all donations related to animal care. 
• Assist with making sure that all volunteers have an enjoyable experience by professionally greeting volunteers, answering volunteers questions, directing volunteers to the appropriate person as needed and following up with volunteers in a timely manner.    
• As needed and requested, assist prospective adopters with animal visitations.  
• Accurately keep all records and documentation up to date as required for your position.  
• Continuously exhibit a positive working attitude by demonstrating respect for staff members, volunteers and members of the public. 
• Exhibit a humane and caring attitude at all times towards the animals in our care 
• Use a humane and safe approach in all handling and restraint of animals, striving to maintain safety and security for the animals, staff, volunteers, and the public
• Carry and safeguard a shelter-issued communication radio making yourself available for communication with your lead and co-workers during your scheduled shift(s). 
• Adhere to the cleaning procedures as detailed in the Standard Operating Procedures and protocols for animal care, kennel maintenance, sanitation, parasite and disease control, and other animal care practices
• Provide careful, ongoing observation of animals throughout the shelter to see that the animals are safe, healthy, clean, and comfortable - promptly notify appropriate staff if any animal shows signs of stress, injury, or illness.
• Provide prompt and proper receiving and kenneling of new animals entering the shelter.
• Move animals to different housing areas of the shelter; or for medical checks, play groups, or in preparation for transport as directed.
• As needed and requested, assist medical staff or adoption counselors with handling animals during exams, vaccinations, medical treatments, or introductions to potential adopters.
• Use the shelter’s computer animal database program (PetPoint) to keep accurate computer records at all times including current location within the shelter.
• Report any maintenance issues to appropriate staff.
• Maintain security by ensuring animal housing areas and individual kennels are kept locked, ensure exterior doors and gates are locked when shelter is closed.
• May be asked to take dogs outside when volunteers are not available or for dogs who are designated to be handled by “staff only”.
• May be asked to use a shelter vehicle to transport animals locally.
• May be asked to assist in training new staff or volunteers.
• May be asked to participate in adoption and community outreach events.
• Comply with established safe work practices and attend all safety-related training provided or made available by the Shelter. 
• Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned. 

Personal Attributes

The incumbent should be able to consistently demonstrate the following personal attributes: 

• Maintain a positive, upbeat role, promote and exemplify Shelter values and represents departmental objectives and interests to internal and external customers
• Customer Service – Follow up on complaints, questions, and concerns; respond to internal/external customer needs in a friendly, timely and efficient manner
• Teamwork - Develop and promote teamwork and cooperation among co-workers
• Flexibility – Willingness to remain flexible and have an open mind to changing practices, processes and procedures.  
• Time Management – Ability to consistently possess strong and effective time management skills. 

QUALIFICATIONS – To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• Must be at least 18 years of age. 
• High School Graduate or G.E.D
• At least one year prior animal handling experience which may include working at an animal hospital, animal shelter, animal rescue, or a pet specialty retailer such as Petco.  caring for animals in an animal facility.

Required/Preferred technical & other skills and abilities

• Basic knowledge of animal care is preferred. 
• Must have basic computer skills and be willing and able to learn new computer programs. 
• Must be comfortable working with animals of all types and sizes. 
• MUST BE WILLING AND ABLE TO WORK VARYING SHIFTS, WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS

PHYSICAL DEMANDS – Also see attached “Physical Demands of the Position”.  Must be able to do repetitive bending, kneeling, stooping and similar movements required, must be able to lift 50 pounds to waist, to physically restrain dogs weighing up to and including 100 lbs.  

Salary : $20