POSITION SUMMARY
This position supervises kennel operations and oversees Kennel Technicians and the Animal Care Technician to ensure high standards of animal husbandry, enrichment, sanitation, and disease control within the County’s animal services facility. Responsibilities include but are not limited to scheduling, task assignment, staff training, work quality inspections, assist with overseeing shelter medicine and monitoring animal health, animal behavior, animal enrichment, and departmental protocols. The role maintains a humane, sanitary, and efficient shelter environment by directing daily feeding, watering, cleaning, enrichment activities, and customer-service interactions. Duties also include handling fearful or aggressive animals and performing or supervising strenuous physical tasks such as lifting over 50 pounds, bending, standing, and working in kennel environments. Regular contacts include co-workers, the public, animal owners, volunteers, community service workers, and veterinary partners.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Supervises Kennel Technicians and the Animal Care Technician; assigns daily tasks, schedules shifts, and maintains appropriate staffing levels.
- Trains staff in sanitation, animal handling, enrichment, safety protocols, and customer-service standards.
- Conducts routine inspections to ensure compliance with best practice procedures, cleaning protocols, and animal-care expectations; provides coaching, performance documentation, and corrective action consistent with County policy.
- Assist with overseeing the shelter medicine program along with administering vaccinations, dewormers, medications, and treatments (oral, topical, injectable) in accordance with shelter protocols.
- Oversees volunteer and community service worker participation to ensure productive and proper work practices.
- Ensures all animals receive proper feeding, watering, cleaning, grooming, and enrichment.
- Monitors animal health, behavior, and welfare; ensures accurate documentation and timely reporting for medical review.
- Manages intake setup, kennel assignments, population flow, and movement of animals between kennels, adoption areas, and isolation/quarantine spaces.
- Enforces approved cleaning and disinfecting protocols across all kennel, adoption, isolation, and public-facing areas; conducts quality-control inspections for chemical use, dilution ratios, and safe handling.
- Assist with coordinating facility maintenance needs such as malfunctioning kennels, drains, gates, lighting, ventilation, washers/dryers, and related equipment.
- Ensures staff support customer interactions, including shelter tours, adoption assistance, and answering questions about animal behavior and care; provides resolution for customer concerns related to sanitation or kennel conditions.
- Assist with the animal reclaim processes and ensures professional, accurate assistance to citizens.
- Ensures accurate entry of care notes, behavior observations, microchip data, and photographs into Chameleon or equivalent software; reviews logs, cleaning records, enrichment documentation, and checklists for completeness and compliance.
- Assists with or performs humane euthanasia in accordance with County policy and state law.
- Performs related duties as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Knowledge of animal care, shelter sanitation standards, enrichment practices, and safe animal handling.
- Knowledge of zoonotic diseases, cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, and biosecurity procedures.
- Skill in supervising staff, providing direction, evaluating job performance, and ensuring compliance with procedures.
- Skill in handling potentially dangerous or aggressive animals safely and humanely.
- Ability to assess animal behavior, recognize signs of stress or illness, and communicate concerns clearly.
- Ability to plan, schedule, and prioritize work across multiple staff members and kennel operations.
- Ability to maintain accurate records, including use of Chameleon or similar software.
- Ability to interact effectively and professionally with officials, staff, volunteers, community service workers, and the public.
- Ability to read, write, and perform basic mathematical calculations.
- Ability to work in physically demanding shelter environments with exposure to noise, odors, chemicals, and outdoor elements.
- Knowledge, skill, and ability to operate a county vehicle for transportation of animals to and from veterinary medical providers, off-site adoption events, etc.
- All other duties as assigned.
DESIRABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
High school diploma or equivalent required.
Completion of NACA Level 1 and 2 desired
Three (3) years of experience in animal sheltering, kennel operations, or animal care, and supervisory experience preferred.
Prior experience implementing enrichment programs or behavior-support activities preferred.
Completion of animal-handling, sanitation, disease-control, or enrichment-related training preferred.
Possession of or ability to obtain a valid driver’s license required
A combination of education and/or work experience may be substituted for minimum requirements.
