Looking to make a difference in the lives of pets and people? With an almost year-round beautiful blue sky and a scenic mountain backdrop, HSPPR is a nonprofit animal shelter serving El Paso, Pueblo, and Douglas Counties as well as the City of Centennial in the colorful State of Colorado. We employ a total of 200 employees. We are an organization that celebrates and prioritizes diversity and inclusion. HSPPR welcomes you to apply for this exciting opportunity at our socially conscious organization.

Job Summary

The Behavior & Placement Technician is responsible for performing all duties related to processing animals in the shelter; assessing the initial health and behavior of animals and monitors changes; assisting in the humane euthanasia process. The Behavior & Placement Technician ensures an environment of compassionate and respectful animal and people care in accordance with HSPPR's mission, values, goals, and management philosophy.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Completes intake and follow-up exams, including daily exam reviews, vaccine boosters, and health and weight checks. Responsible for identifying health and behavior concerns for animals and reporting findings to the veterinary and behavior teams accordingly.
• Assists in keeping all training manuals, procedures, and checklists up to date.
• Responsible for completing all duties of the Behavior & Placement Technicians related to processing and behavior assessments
• Works cohesively with multiple departments to assist in the movement of animals throughout the building.
• Participate in activities and behavior support strategies to improve the wellbeing of animals within the shelter.
• Periodically covers overnight on-call emergency animal transport.
• Assess temperament of animals to provide a factual, nonbiased assessment of the animal's behavior.
• Makes appropriate routing decisions for animals based on health, behavior, and other considerations.
• Performs formal behavioral evaluations for dogs in accordance with PCAT assessment procedures, ensuring objective language is used when entering data for memos and assessments.
• Performs informal behavioral evaluations for cats
• Properly maintains equipment used.
• Restocks all supply items daily. Report any need for ordering, maintenance, and inventory of supplies and equipment.
• Serves as the Euthanasia Lead, performing humane euthanasia of animals and proper care and disposal of deceased animals in accordance with current HSPPR Humane Euthanasia Standard Operating Procedures and HSUS guidelines for best practices.
• Provides behavior support & enrichment to all animals actively enrolled to receive behavior accommodations
• Consults adopters and patrons on behavior management to promote success in the home
• Train staff and volunteers to safely handle animals
• Assist in animal handling requests for dangerous or fractious animals in care
• Assist with population reporting as requested

Other:

• Commitment to the mission, values, goals, and success of HSPPR.
• Appropriately documents observed animal behaviors utilizing objective language as required in relevant procedures and/or policies.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Duties

None

Physical Demands

• The employee must regularly lift and/or move 25 or more pounds of moving weight and occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 or more pounds of moving weight.
• Occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, smell, talk, and hear.
• Occasionally required to sit, reach with hands and arms.
• Frequently required to stand and walk, expected to be on feet for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to use both hands and arms to grip, pull and push utilizing safety equipment such as, but not limited to catch poles, snappy snares, leashes, ropes, muzzles.
• Consistently exposed to animals in the workplace and animal allergens under conditions with limited alternatives available.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception.
• Must handle various animals of various sizes and temperaments.
• Potential exposure to zoonotic diseases.
• Regularly exposed to noise and potential exposure to hazardous weather conditions.
• Potential exposure to cleaning supplies and/or other substances containing toxic or caustic chemicals.
• Periodically drives for extended periods of time.

Schedule Requirements

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday (4 10-hour shifts), weekends in addition to occasional evenings and holidays as required.

Education/Experience Necessary

• Ability to effectively read, write, interpret, communicate, perform basic problem solving, and perform basic math as commonly expected from completion of a High School Diploma or Equivalent Education
• One year of professional experience with HSPPR preferred.
• One year of professional experience working with animals in an animal welfare, zoological organization, or veterinary clinic experience preferred.
• Euthanasia by Injection (EBI) certification required at time of hire or ability to obtain within 1 year.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of veterinary care/animal health desired.

**Application Deadline: Thursday, April 24, 2025, or until filled**

Benefits include:

Health Insurance ~~ 401K with employer matching up to 4% of salary ~~ Dental and vision* Insurances ~~ Supplemental Group Insurance* ~~ Short and long term disability Insurance ~~ Paid time off ~~ Holidays ~~ Direct Deposit ~~ Personal Pet Perks

(*) Employee pays the full premium

The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer. To learn more about this program, go to https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/.

The core values of the staff unite us and guide us to provide the best service to the animals in our care, our organization, and our community.

Core Values Statements-

• Compassion: We believe that animals matter. We are committed to treating animals and people with kindness, respect and compassion.
• Stewardship: We are accountable and transparent in our actions and in the use of our resources to build trust in those we serve.
• Integrity: We believe we can make the greatest impact by staying true to our mission, always doing what is best for the animals and people of our community, and by standing united in our decisions.
• Excellence: We are passionate about our mission, and strive for excellence through continual learning, innovation and the development of our board, staff and volunteers.
• Collaboration: We seek strategic partnerships and alliances to advance the welfare and protection of animals and people.
• Service: We exist to serve our communities and operate with this commitment to serve as front and center in all we do.

As a condition of employment with HSPPR, you will be required to authorize HSPPR and ProScreening to conduct a background check before confirming an employment start date. The background check will include a criminal investigation, verification of citizenship/immigration status, and a motor vehicle record. By applying for this position, you acknowledge and agree that any offers of employment will be contingent upon completion of the background check to the satisfaction of HSPPR.

In consideration of any offers of employment made as a result of your interest in this position, by applying for this position, you hereby waive any and all claims that you may have against HSPPR for invasion of privacy in respect to drug testing and background checks as listed above.

Salary : $17 - $17