Position: Animal Care Specialist
Classification: Full-time
Pay Rate: $17.13/hour after completion of 90 day probationary period
Benefits: PTO, six paid holidays, medical reimbursement plan, matching 401(k), discounted adoption and personal pet medical care.
Work Hours:
- Full-time: 40 hours/week on-site; rotating weekends
- Holidays: Optional
Who We Are:
The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, serving animals and people of the Lewis Clark Valley since 1950. Taking in over 1,200 animals annually, we provide vital services to animals and people alike through sheltering and adopting animals, providing in-house positive reinforcement behavior training and partnering with the P.A.W.S. Training Program through the Idaho Correctional Institution - Orofino. Additionally, LCAS maintains a robust foster program, provides low-cost veterinary services, support during animal cruelty and neglect, provides volunteer opportunities, sharing animals through pet-assisted therapy, and rescuing animals in emergency situations.
- Our Mission: To provide shelter, healthcare and neglect/abuse intervention for stray and abandoned pets. To provide humane education, enhancing the human-animal bond and to end pet over-population through an aggressive spay/neuter campaign.
- Our Vision: The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter envisions a time when our community celebrates the human-animal bond, embraces the mutual benefits therein and treats all fellow beings with care, compassion and respect; a time when LCAS is primarily a resource for health, education and recreational services for animals and people.
Position Summary:
The Animal Care Specialist is responsible for the overall daily care of shelter animals. This includes maintaining clean and orderly animal housing and work areas to meet organizational standards of care, daily feeding and supporting the overall wellbeing of each animal. This position includes assisting clients with adoptions while ensuring thoughtful adoption placements and data entry into shelter software system.
- Daily sanitization and disinfection of animal housing areas
- Food preparation for shelter animals; may include medication administration
- Providing daily enrichment for all animals to maintain or improve quality of life through established protocols that can reduce stress, prevent boredom and maintain physical and mental health
- Daily cleaning of animal care supplies and ensuring each animal care area is stocked with all necessary care supplies
- Maintains clean and organized animal and work areas to ensure a sanitary and safe environment for all animals, team members and visitors
- Following the daily schedule and additional assigned tasks provided by the Assistant Manager
- Observe animals’ behavioral health and promptly report concerns to the Animal Behavioral Specialist
- Observe animals for signs of illness, injury, disease, or pain and report to the Clinic Manager or lead veterinary assistant. Also ensuring concerns are documented on the established “Vet Check List” for veterinary examination.
- Positive and interactive engagement with shelter visitors about current adoptable pets, lost pets, and answering questions or directing visitor questions to the appropriate department
- Admitting new arrival animals into shelter; following established protocols, making detailed observations and collaborating with other departments for concerns. This includes administering vaccinations and parasite treatment
- Accurate data entry into the shelter system that relates to intakes, outcomes, animal observations, adoption bios, medical care, etc.
- Positive collaboration with all shelter team members to share ideas that improve animal care, length of stay, live outcomes, visitor experience, community outreach and other areas of relating to LCAS’ mission.
- Become Fear Free Certified (on-site training)
Required Skills & Abilities:
- Must be able to successfully work in a fast-paced environment and be able to successfully multi-task
- Adept at handling complex or high-stress interactions and situations
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Positive attitude and self-motivated
- Detail-oriented and organized
Desired Experience:
- Experience in an animal shelter or animal welfare
- Previous animal handling experience
- Previous experience with customer service
- Proficient computer skills; ability to learn LCAS-specific computer programs quickly
Employment Requirements:
- 18 years or older
- Clean criminal record; ability to pass a background check
- Can successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening
- Possess a current and valid driver’s license
- High school diploma or equivalent
Physical Requirements:
In this position, regular exposure to temperature variations, high noise levels, zoonotic diseases and hazardous chemicals are expected. Position includes prolonged periods of repetitive movement and stationary positions. The ability to move animals and/or equipment weighing 50 lbs or more. Additionally, the applicant may be around animals that attempt to bite, nip or scratch.
Disclaimer: the statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and levels of work performed by this position but are not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Nothing in this job description restricts leadership’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $16.66 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Employee discount
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
Work Location: In person
