Animal Behavior Specialist

Operation Kindness, a leading non-profit Animal Shelter, in Carrollton, TX is seeking an Animal Behavior Specialist to join our team!

Do you love working with animals and want to work on our Animal Behavior Team? If you have work experience handling dogs and cats of various temperaments and experience executing positive reinforcement training, we invite you to apply!

Signing bonuses available for external candidates - up to $500! We offer great benefits and paid time off! Hourly employees receive overtime rate pay when they work on 10 company holidays during the year.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: Reports directly to Animal Behavior Manager

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Animal Behavior Specialist (ABS) will monitor animal behavior in the kennel environment, create and provide on-site training for the animals, work with staff and volunteers to provide quality care and training for animals in the shelter. Provide daily enrichment to the animals in the shelter, and regularly monitor changes and communicate animal behavior statuses to Behavior Manager.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Monitor animal behavior
Check on animals in the shelter daily via daily rounds to assess animal behavior and monitor for changes in behavior.
Change animal status based on animals’ behavior
Add, change, or remove training plans according to the animals’ overall progress.
Recommend environmental changes to improve animal welfare and behavior (i.e. moving animal to a new kennel, changing kennel set up, foster recommendation, etc.)
Provide enrichment to animals in the shelter
Observe, document, and report changes in interspecies communication during group interactions

Communication
Communicate with Animal Behavior Manager about changes to animal behavior including improvements or deterioration.
Communicate with Foster team for animals that would benefit from foster.
Communicate with staff and volunteers about safe animal handling, training plans and enrichment.
Communicate with fosters regarding behavior progress of pets in foster
Be available to counsel prospective adopters on behavior issues as needed
Make recommendations on dog play groups or cats housed in community cat rooms
Update staff and volunteers via slack, or in person as needed, on animal status changes, training plan changes, or other behavior plans.
Assist clients with questions about behavior and training as appropriate
Update Pet Point with behavior and training information.
Update post adoption material for pets as needed
Mentor Animal Care Technicians regarding safe animal handling, animal behavior and body language, animal enrichment, animal integration, and animal training.

Animal Handling and Training
Adhere to Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive standards
Handle animals safely, reducing the risk of injury from animals.
Execute training plans assigned to and/ or created for animals in care.
Coach staff and volunteers on safe animal handling, animal behavior and body language, training plans, and enrichment
Assist with creating dog play groups and community cat room selection, integration, and rotation.
Provide feedback to staff and volunteers for creating successful and safe dog play groups
Provide feedback to staff and volunteers for creating successful and safe community cat room groupings to maintain healthy and positive placements.
Assist Kennel Operations, Medical, and Client Services with dog-to-dog introductions and cat/dog introductions as requested.
Work with staff and volunteers to provide quality care and a positive experience for the animals.
Educate and assist other staff members with the handling of difficult animals.
Assist intake with intake assessment as requested and recommend any training plans as needed.

General Responsibilities:
Reports suspicion of animal abuse or neglect to any Behavior Manager, Manager I, Manager II, or higher Manager immediately.
Reports on any unsafe working conditions to any Behavior Manager, Manager I, Manager II, or higher Manager immediately.
Maintains client, donor, volunteer, and staff confidentiality always.
Always follow SOPs and other safety regulations .
Completes all necessary and requested training in a timely manner, following shelter policy.
Attends staff meetings as requested
Participates in shelter events as requested by the Manager.
Performs other duties as requested by the Manager.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Education Requirements
Minimum High School Diploma or equivalent

Experience Requirements
At least 1 years’ experience within an animal-handling position at Operation Kindness, or in a similar animal-handling position
Basic computer skills in Microsoft Office (outlook, SharePoint, word, excel, etc.)
Experience handling animals of various temperaments, including fractious and fearful animals

Experience in reading of animal body language
Experience executing positive reinforcement training principles

Demonstrated behavioral competencies:

Behavior Competency Technical Competency

Action Oriented Implementation of dog and cat enrichment
Self-Development Training of Basic Manners in all handling / Treatment Plans
Peer relationships Identifying dogs and cats with behavioral needs
Dealing with Implementation of interspecies integration programs (Playgroup/ Community Cats)
Ambiguity Customer Focus / Post adoption, Foster, Surrender Prevention Counseling
Listening

Personal Requirements
Feels and expresses a genuine liking for animals and for working in an animal care environment.
Supports Operation Kindness’s mission and understands how it is organized and functions as a non-profit organization.
Can work equally well with paid staff members, clients, and volunteers.
Can relate well to people with varied backgrounds and beliefs.
Maintains a positive attitude; is open to innovative ideas.
Adaptive and able to accept change
Satisfactory or better attendance and job performance.

Physical Effort:
Requires lifting and carrying animals and shelter materials weighting up to 40 lbs.;
Requires assisting in lifting animals or materials weigh over 40 lbs., another staff member will assist in the lifting and carrying.
Position also requires sitting, walking, or standing for extended periods of time and speaking over the telephone.

Working conditions:
May be exposed to unpleasant odors, noises, and animal feces.
May be exposed to bites, scratches, or other means of physical contact.
Exposure and/or handling of industry specific cleaning supplies
Exposure to season outdoor conditions, including hot and cold temperatures, wind, rain, etc
Weekend and holiday work may be required

Compensation
The position is regular, full-time and non-exempt.
Compensation varies.

Some weekend and holiday availability is required. Drug screens and background checks are part of the hiring process at OpK. EOE.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $16.28 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Weekend availability

Supplemental Pay:

• Signing bonus

COVID-19 considerations:
COVID Workplace Safety- Masks, Social Distancing, Etc

Experience:

• Animal handling work: 1 year (Preferred)
• positive reinforcement training work with dogs and cats: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: One location