Animal Care Assistant

Animal Rescue League Of Iowa•Des Moines, IA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is seeking compassionate and dependable Animal Care Assistants to join our team in a temporary, part-time role through November 2026. This position provides daily care for shelter animals while helping maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for animals, staff, volunteers, and visitors. This is a great opportunity for someone with animal care, shelter, kennel, veterinary, pet care, boarding, farm, or hands-on animal handling experience who enjoys meaningful work, staying active, and making a direct difference for animals every day.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Previous experience working with animals strongly preferred.
Animal shelter, veterinary clinic, kennel, pet care, boarding, farm, or similar experience highly desirable.
Previous customer service experience preferred.
Dependable, observant, compassionate, and able to work in a fast-paced environment.
Comfort working with animals of varying sizes, breeds, temperaments, and medical needs.
Ability to work independently while contributing to a team environment.
Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

Provide daily care for dogs, cats, and other shelter animals, including feeding, watering, walking, exercise, and enrichment.
Clean, disinfect, and maintain animal living spaces, dishes, laundry, and shared areas.
Observe animals for signs of illness, injury, stress, or behavior changes and report concerns promptly.
Document animal care information accurately in Shelter Buddy and other systems.
Support positive interactions with adopters, volunteers, visitors, and team members.
Assist with general facility cleaning and daily operational needs.
Follow animal handling, safety, sanitation, and organizational procedures.