Animal Care & Enrichment Specialist
About The Position
Join Our Pack & Pride as an Animal Care & Enrichment Specialist. At HSSC, we’re more than just a shelter—we’re a community fueled by compassion, innovation, and high-quality care. For more than 70 years we’ve been Sarasota County’s trusted animal shelter, pairing lifesaving programs with a people-first culture that supports the staff and volunteers who make the magic happen. We provide compassionate care for over 2,000 cats and dogs each year, plus another 2,000 felines through our community cat program, investing every donor dollar back into their rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming. By fostering collaboration, expanding volunteer-powered initiatives, and sharing expertise statewide, we’re building a No-Kill Florida—one wag, one purr, and one adoption at a time.
Requirements
- Share HSSC’s volunteer-centered culture and a deep compassion for both dogs and cats.
- Ability to read body language and safely manage animals of any size or temperament (or eagerness to learn).
- Ability to stand, bend, walk, and lift up to 50lbs, indoors and out.
- Emotional resilience and professionalism in tough moments, including humane euthanasia.
- Multitasking skills.
- Respectful communication with teams, volunteers, and the public.
- Fear-Free certification (or willingness to earn).
- Basic tech/shelter-software skills.
- Reliable transportation.
- Punctuality.
- High school diploma/GED (or equivalent experience).
Nice To Haves
- Fear-Free certification
Responsibilities
- Scrubbing kennels
- Refreshing litter boxes
- Preparing enrichment puzzles
- Providing chin scratches
- Conducting twice-daily leash walks for canines
- Facilitating energy-burning playgroups for canines
- Conducting confidence-building enrichment sessions with felines
- Moving and bending
- Lifting up to 50lbs
- Working in various weather conditions (Sarasota heat, rain)
- Handling sick and scared animals
- Daily exposure to animal dander, common food allergens, cleaning agents, and potential zoonotic diseases
- Feeding animals
- Cleaning
- Record keeping
Benefits
- Medical Insurance
- Dental & Vision Insurance
- Life & AD&D Insurance fully covered
- Disability Insurance
- 401(k) with up to 3% employer match
- 3+ Weeks of PTO starting to accrue from day one of employment
- FSA and Supplemental Insurance
- Employee Discounts on retail and medical care for your own pets
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
