Animal Care Specialist

SUMMARY: The Animal Care Specialist is primarily responsible for working to fulfill the Pennsylvania SPCA’s mission to protect animals, prevent cruelty and to improve the health and quality of life throughout Pennsylvania. The employee will assist clients of the Pennsylvania SPCA Main Line Animal Rescue location with their needs by providing optimal customer service. As well as providing compassionate and attentive care to the animals housed at the shelter, educating and assisting adopters, and helping to reunite stray animals with their caring families.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

· Promoting a friendly and professional environment where emphasis is placed on compassion, quality, integrity, and service.

· Provides high quality customer service to those who visit or call including adopters, volunteers, donors, and pet owners.

· Cashier duties, obtaining accurate customer information, recording data, patient check ins and checkouts, scheduling appointments, and phone calls.

· Multi-task between live customers and phone customers in a professional welcoming manner.

· Ensure a continuous flow of clients by checking in patients, continuously updating the clients and checking out patients.

· Interpret animal medical records for vaccines and medical conditions.

· Possess the ability to identify the need for critical triage requests.

· Alternate between the client service desk and animal care positions.

· Evaluate dogs using SAFER assessment.

· Facilitate adoption meet and greets with potential adopters to help ensure a lasting adoption placement.

· Provide compassionate and attentive care to the animals housed at the center.

· Performs daily, thorough cleaning of all animal areas and spot cleaning throughout the day.

· Provides food, water, bedding, and enrichment for the animals.

· Provides any other basic care animals may require.

· Perform animal intakes through PetPoint, following all protocols as required.

· Comfort and ability to work with animals of unknown disposition and those who may exhibit medical and other problems, as well as aggressive tendencies.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

· Minimum High School diploma or GED required; some college, trade, vocational school, college or further education preferred.

· Must be proficient using computer. Knowledge of Internet, Microsoft Word and Excel required, knowledge of Pet Point Animal Management System, Cornerstone, and web based software a plus.

· Bi-lingual is a plus.

EXPERIENCE, ABILITIES AND QUALITIES REQUIRED:

· Experience in animal care and a connection to the mission of the PSPCA

· Affection for animals, concern for their welfare, and a willingness to accommodate animals in the work place.

· Excellent customer service skills; ability to remain professional under stressful situations

· Ability to work quickly and efficiently; proven ability to quickly assess situations and determine urgency of treatment required (triage)

· Ability to handle delicate client financial situations tactfully and with compassion while enforcing policies

· Superior verbal communication skills

· Attention to detail and excellent follow through on required steps in a process

· Knowledge of the following is required:

o Client/Patient care: review discharge instructions with owner, demonstrate routes of medication to owner, answer basic client questions and obtain history from client for healthy animals.

o Medical Records: scan in and attach medical records, update records, properly log historical client communications.

o Medical Terminology: vaccine protocols, parasite preventives, retrovirus risks and testing protocol and heartworm testing protocol

· A quick learner and desire to expand animal care knowledge

· Ability to problem solve and work cooperatively in a team environment; affection for animals and concern for their welfare.

· Ability to accommodate varied work assignments and schedules; reliable and dependable, yet flexible.

· Physical strength and ability to lift and carry a pet or other object weighing up to fifty (50) pounds without assistance; must be able to assist in lifting patients or other objects weighing more than fifty (50) pounds.

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Site Director

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt

INTRODUCTORY ASSESSMENT PERIOD The introductory assessment period runs from the date of hire for three months thereafter. For employment in any position with the Pennsylvania SPCA, this introductory assessment period is the period during which the specifics of the job are learned. During this period, either the employee or the Pennsylvania SPCA may end the employment relationship without notice or prejudice.

EMPLOYMENT There is no minimum period of employment guaranteed or implied by acceptance of an employment offer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $15.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $15