Canine Animal Care Specialist
Reports To: Operations Manager
Status: Full-Time or Part-Time
Hours: Varies based on operational needs
Position Summary
The Canine Animal Care Specialist is responsible for the daily care, housing, monitoring, recordkeeping, and adoption support of dogs housed in the shelter's adoption center. This position plays a vital role in maintaining animal welfare, supporting disease prevention efforts, ensuring accurate documentation, and facilitating successful adoptions through appropriate matchmaking and adopter education.
The Canine Animal Care Specialist must be able to recognize signs of illness, injury, stress, and behavioral concerns; maintain clean and sanitary housing; administer treatments as directed; and ensure all animal records remain accurate and up to date. This position requires strong observational skills, effective communication, sound decision-making, and the ability to work safely and efficiently in a physically demanding, fast-paced shelter environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Animal Care & Welfare
- Provide daily care including feeding, watering, walking, monitoring, medicating, grooming, and enrichment.
- Ensure all dogs receive care that meets or exceeds shelter standards and ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters.
- Utilize safe, humane, low-stress handling techniques, including Fear Free principles.
- Observe dogs daily for signs of illness, injury, stress, behavioral concerns, or abnormal conditions.
- Immediately report any medical or behavioral concerns to the Kennel Lead or Operations Manager.
- Ensure all dogs are properly identified with accurate kennel cards, warnings, and other required labeling.
Housing & Animal Movement
- Assess and house dogs according to health, behavioral, and operational needs.
- Assist with receiving animals brought to the adoption center while maintaining appropriate animal flow and minimizing overcrowding.
- Safely transport dogs throughout the shelter, including surgery, medical, and adoption areas, while minimizing stress and ensuring safety.
- Monitor kennel assignments and communicate any housing concerns to management.
Medical Support
- Assist with routine preventative care including vaccinations, parasite prevention, and other treatments as directed.
- Administer medications according to shelter protocols.
- Accurately document all treatments, observations, and medical concerns.
- Monitor dogs recovering from illness, injury, surgery, or other medical conditions.
Recordkeeping & Documentation
- Maintain accurate animal records in the shelter's data management system.
- Document medical treatments, behavioral observations, location changes, and other relevant information.
- Complete daily health observation records and intake/output documentation as required.
- Photograph dogs and maintain current records for identification and adoption purposes.
- Ensure all records remain accurate, complete, and up to date.
Adoption Support
- Match dogs with potential adopters based on lifestyle, household composition, activity level, and other compatibility factors.
- Educate adopters on common canine medical conditions, behavioral concerns, training needs, and adjustment expectations.
- Supervise dog-to-dog introductions and interactions when assessing compatibility with resident pets.
- Advocate for the best interests of each dog while supporting positive adoption outcomes.
- Provide accurate and professional communication regarding each dog's needs and history.
Sanitation & Facility Maintenance
- Clean, disinfect, and organize adoption center areas, kennels, equipment, and common shelter spaces in a timely manner.
- Follow established disease prevention and biosecurity protocols.
- Assist with general shelter duties including laundry, dishes, trash removal, supply stocking, and facility organization.
- Monitor inventory levels and notify management when supplies require replenishment.
Teamwork & Professionalism
- Build collaborative and respectful working relationships with staff, volunteers, adopters, and community members.
- Maintain professionalism and composure in fast-paced and emotionally challenging situations.
- Participate in ongoing training, continuing education, webinars, and professional development opportunities.
- Perform additional duties as assigned to support shelter operations.
Qualifications
- Passion for animal welfare and commitment to the shelter's mission.
- Ability to safely handle dogs of various sizes, breeds, and temperaments.
- Strong observation, communication, organizational, and customer service skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Comfortable working in a physically demanding environment.
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and perform frequent bending, standing, walking, cleaning, and animal handling tasks.
- Prior animal care, veterinary, rescue, or shelter experience is preferred but not required.
- Fear Free, canine handling, or shelter medicine experience preferred.
Work Environment
This position involves regular exposure to animal waste, cleaning chemicals, noise, odors, and potentially fractious animals. Employees must be able to work safely while maintaining a high standard of animal welfare, sanitation, and customer service.
Pay: From $14.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
