Animal Care & Adoption Specialist

Joybound People & Pets•Walnut Creek, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Animal Care & Adoption Specialist supports Joybound’s mission by ensuring the humane care of animals while providing exceptional service to the public throughout the adoption process. This hybrid role combines direct animal care, behavior enrichment, and medical observation with adopter engagement, education, matchmaking, and adoption facilitation. This role balances responsibilities equally between Animal Care and Adoptions, starting each day with hands-on animal care duties (feeding, cleaning, etc.) and transitioning to the Adoption department at mid-day to support peak operational needs.

Requirements

6 months in an animal care setting and 1 year of people centered, relationship based service experience, required.
Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem solving skills.
Comfortable working with diverse populations including volunteers and the general public.
Proficient with Microsoft Office and capable of learning new software.
Familiarity with dog and cat breeds, behavior, and common diseases.
Ability to assess animal temperament and match pets with appropriate adopters.
Affection for animals, concern for their welfare and a willingness to accommodate animals in the workplace.
Pre employment background screening required.
Must have a valid California Driver’s License and must not have more than two at fault incidents in a three year period and no major at-fault violations in the last ten years and must be insured.
Constant exposure to animals and allergens.
Lift and carry animals/items up to 50 lbs; walk dogs up to 150 lbs.
Ability to kneel, stoop, bend, and be on feet for long periods.
Work indoors and outdoors in varying weather conditions.
Work environment includes constant exposure to animals and animal allergens.
Tetanus and rabies inoculations are required or must be waived.
Drive an automobile for extended periods of time.

Responsibilities

Interact and communicate with colleagues, volunteers, and the public in a manner that advances a culture of positivity, professionalism, trust, transparency, empathy, and excellence at Joybound.
Provide daily care, exercise, enrichment, feeding, and cleaning for shelter dogs and cats.
Administer medications as prescribed by Veterinary Clinic staff.
Monitor animal health and behavior, reporting signs of illness or distress.
Assist with behavioral training and follow behavior plans as directed.
Clean and sanitize animal areas and equipment.
Guide potential adopters through the adoption process and ensure a positive experience.
Match animals with suitable adopters based on lifestyle, behavior, and needs.
Conduct meet-and-greet sessions with animals and potential adopters.
Educate the public on responsible pet ownership and post-adoption care.
Facilitate accurate and complete adoption paperwork, fee collection, and data entry.
Work closely with veterinarians, trainers, volunteers, and other departments to ensure animal well-being and adoption success.
Participate in off-site adoption events and community outreach programs.
Promote and maintain a respectful and compassionate environment for animals and people alike.
Maintain accurate records of animal care and adoptions in databases.
Uphold confidentiality of sensitive information.
Assist with boutique sales using Shopify and help maintain store presentation.