What are the responsibilities and job description for the Seasonal Foster Care Assistant position at Humane Society of Huron Valley?
Position Title: Seasonal Foster Care Assistant
Hours: Part-time, includes week-ends, Seasonal
Supervisor: Foster Manager
Classification: Non-exempt, Hourly
SUMMARY
The Foster Support Intern is under the Foster Care Manager and responsible for assisting with the medical care and support of animals in foster care. The Foster Support Intern provides crucial support to the Shelter Veterinary Team, Foster Care Veterinarian, and Foster Care Manager. This position has a wide range of responsibilities and requires someone who is self-motivated, flexible, and who enjoys a fast-paced environment.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
May be licensed by the state of Michigan, or considered a veterinary assistant as trained on the job by veterinarian(s) or experienced assistant(s)/technician(s). Must be an energetic and caring individual with excellent communication and customer relations skills, possess exceptional time management and organizational skills, be detail oriented, be able to multi-task, be able to thrive in a high stress, fast-paced environment, and remain calm under stress. Must be comfortable handling animals, including those with potentially zoonotic diseases, and a variety of species including, but not limited to, cats, dogs, small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Must be comfortable working with both internal staff and with foster parents.
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
- Perform general kitten wellness evaluations, including weight checks, routine kitten vaccine boosters, FeLV testing, deworming, or other routine preventative measures necessary for otherwise healthy kittens while in foster care.
- Schedule and coordinate foster pick-ups with foster parents; gathering supplies, including medications, as needed.
- Assist with scheduling sick animals in foster care to be seen by the Shelter Vet Team or at a foster clinic.
- Closely follow written protocols to provide and schedule treatment for common non-emergent conditions in kittens.
- Provide assistance to the veterinarians, including but not limited to helping with well and sick-animal exams, vaccinations, routine blood testing, foster animal medical needs and routine foster animal medical care such as boosters and various tests.
- Will hold primary responsibility over the care of kittens in the Foster Nursery location during scheduled working hours. This includes daily weight checks, bottle or tube feedings, supplemental syringe feedings, or other necessary supportive or routine care.
- Will be responsible for scheduling and coordinating appointments and transport for foster animals with outside specialists/hospitals as necessary.
- At times it may be required to be a liaison for the veterinary team, effectively communicating or relaying information between the veterinarian/team and other organizational departments.
- Dispense prescribed and preventative medications to foster parents for their foster animals. Manage all medications in accordance with defined policies and procedures. Ensure medications are accurately filled.
- Assist with diagnostic tests as directed by the veterinarian. This may include running blood work, taking radiographs, setting up and evaluating in-house diagnostics such as urinalysis, fecal floats, ear cytologies, skin scrapes, and preparing and submitting diagnostics to be sent to outside laboratories which may include packing samples and coordinating pickups. Will be responsible for scheduling and administering/performing routine preventative care for animals in foster.
- Provide excellent customer service while talking with fosters regarding any questions or concern about behavioral, health, or surgery related issues. Provide accurate instructions for animal care and medications.
Adoption/FOH Liaison
1. Be the liaison between the adoption desk and the shelter veterinarian regarding basic medical history questions or explanations regarding animals in foster care.
2. May be required to counsel adopters about health or surgery related issues if involving an animal that is, or has been, cared for in a foster home as directed by the veterinarian, and provide accurate instructions for animal care and medications.
3. Assist veterinarians with risk assessment when known or possible disease outbreak is identified that may involve foster homes.
General duties
1. Work cooperatively with coworkers and foster volunteers to ensure a smooth flow of operations and to meet the highest standards of quality animal care.
2. Attend team and all-staff meetings.
3. Keep informed of and abide by HSHV policies and procedures.
4. Overtime may occasionally be required.
5. Weekend responsibilities will require the ability to work independently, prioritize required tasks, and make rational and responsible decisions. May need to communicate with management from other departments or contact the on-call veterinarian.
6. Other duties as assigned.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing this job, you will be required to continually walk, stand, squat, twist, kneel, reach and grab with your hands and arms, in addition to being able to lift and move animals, materials and equipment weighing 40 pounds or more. This position requires the ability to speak normally and to use normal or aided vision and hearing. Work is subject to frequent interruptions. You will be exposed to kennel/foster setting, mainly indoors, but sometimes outdoors. 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.
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; fulfill intensive deadlines; and interact with staff, the public, volunteers and others encountered in the course of work. There will be exposure to animal death and animal cruelty in this position.
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.
