Animal Care Assistant

Pinellas County Government•Largo, FL

7h•Onsite

About The Position

The Animal Care Assistant performs responsible animal care and animal services maintenance work at a large animal control shelter operation, cares for impounded animals, assists the public on animal control-related matters, feeds and observes the condition of animals held in the kennel. This position is responsible for implementing and following through with sanitary policies to ensure humane conditions are met. Performs a variety of independent tasks and assists with euthanasia tasks on animals.

Requirements

Graduation from high school or possession of GED Certificate
At least 1 year of animal care/training or handling experience or coursework in veterinary technology; or An equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience.
Possession and maintenance of a valid State of Florida driver's license upon hire with eligibility based upon evaluation of a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) driving report.
Assignment to work a variety of work schedules including compulsory work periods in special, emergency, and/or disaster situations.
Physical strength and agility to lift heavy animals, equipment, and supplies up to 50 pounds on a frequent basis.
Ability to take animals on walks and be on feet for long periods of time.
Exposure to personal risk during assignments causing periodic contact with hostile or diseased animals.
Possession of State Euthanasia and Crematory Certification; or equivalent credentials recognized by the Florida Animal Control Association with 6 months of hire.
Ability to work weekends, weekdays, and holidays. The schedule is rotating with multiple shifts for weekdays and weekends. Weekday shifts are 6:30 AM - 3:00 PM and 9:45 AM to 6:15 PM. Weekend and holiday shifts are 5:30 AM - 2 PM.
Ability to work at the Animal Services facility located at 12450 Ulmerton Rd., Largo, FL 33774.

Responsibilities

Checks for licensing and inoculation of animals admitted to kennel; records animal history, weight, food intake, and license tags, microchips, or vaccination/license tags.
Assists Veterinary Technicians to constrain animals, prepares animals for surgery, and does post-surgery examination.
Assists with euthanasia and cremation processes.
Cleans and sterilizes operating room, instruments, and equipment.
Prepares dead animals for delivery to Health Department for laboratory analysis.
Feeds and waters animals according to established schedules; cleans and disinfects cages, pens and walking yards.
Inspects animals for signs of illness and/or injuries; reports health problems to supervisor or medical personnel.
Assists veterinary staff in screening animals for adoption.
Transports animals to and from the surgical area and between quarters.
Responds to in-person or telephone requests for information concerning lost animals, admission of strays or unwanted animals, and licensing laws.
Performs custodial and housekeeping tasks, preventative maintenance, and equipment repair.
Cleans and maintains animal’s quarters in a sanitary and humane way. May perform preventative maintenance and equipment repair.
Performs routine work in shelter maintenance operations.
Performs related work as assigned or required.