Animal Care/Adoption Technician - Newington Pet Resource Center
About The Position
The Animal Care/Adoption Technician provides daily care for animals housed in kennels, cat areas, and small-animal enclosures, including rabbits, ferrets, mice/rats, and guinea pigs. Duties include providing food and water, cleaning kennels, walking dogs in all types of weather, monitoring animals and reporting health or behavior concerns, socializing animals, maintaining animal records, and entering data. The role also includes basic training and social-skills work with shelter dogs, bathing and basic grooming, and assisting with animal intake, evaluation, and treatment. The position supports customers through the adoption and surrender process by providing information, educating them about pet ownership responsibilities, and offering species- and breed-specific information. Staff greet visitors, explain sign-in procedures, answer and appropriately forward calls, and provide basic shelter information. Other duties may include cleaning the shelter, entering information in PetPoint, handling animals at off-site events, supporting Fox Memorial Clinic and other District locations as needed, and completing other duties assigned by a supervisor. This is a full-time, benefit-eligible position in a busy team environment. It includes a weekend schedule and requires the ability to manage multiple priorities and communicate with people who have different communication styles. The training rate is $18.00 per hour; after successful completion of the training program, an increase to as much as $19.50 per hour is possible.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED.
- At least one to two years of experience in a customer service position or a shelter environment.
- Proficiency with computers.
- Basic knowledge of animal handling and care and a basic understanding of different types of companion animals.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work well within a team in a busy environment.
- Ability to communicate with people who have different communication styles and provide customer service.
- Ability to perform strenuous physical activities, including lifting moderate to heavy weights up to 40 pounds, standing or bending, pushing brooms or mops, walking or controlling dogs or cats, using cleaning solutions, and sitting at a desk for long periods.
- Availability to work weekends.
Nice To Haves
- Associate degree in animal science or a related field.
- Knowledge of animal handling and experience with animal handling.
Responsibilities
- Provide daily care for animals in kennels, cat areas, and small-animal enclosures, including food, water, and kennel cleaning.
- Walk dogs in all types of weather conditions.
- Monitor animals and report health or behavior abnormalities.
- Socialize animals and create and maintain animal records, including data entry.
- Assist customers with adoptions and surrenders; educate and counsel them about pet ownership responsibilities and species- and breed-specific information.
- Greet visitors, explain sign-in procedures to visitors and volunteers, answer phone calls, forward callers appropriately, and provide basic shelter information.
- Work with shelter dogs on basic training and social skills.
- Bathe animals and provide basic grooming.
- Assist with animal intake, evaluation, and treatment.
- Clean the shelter and enter information in PetPoint.
- Handle animals at off-site events.
- Support Fox Memorial Clinic and other District locations as needed.
- Perform other duties assigned by a supervisor.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
