Animal Rescue Specialist

ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL OF NYC • New York, NY

1h • Onsite

About The Position

ACC is one of the nation’s largest open-admission animal shelters, whose mission is to End Animal Homelessness in NYC. They touch the lives of nearly 20,000 animals each year and are a resource to the community, always seeking ways to keep the human-animal bond intact, with a 90% placement rate. ACC strives to find loving homes for homeless and abandoned cats, dogs, guinea pigs and rabbits, both by adopting animals directly to the public and by partnering with more than 200 dedicated animal placement organizations. They also help keep NYC communities safe and rescue animals in need, responding to emergencies that involve animals as well as keeping their doors open 24/7 for people and animals in need. The Animal Rescue Specialist (ARS) is a community-focused position responsible for helping promote a safe community for people, pets, and wildlife, by providing emergency animal rescue and response in all five boroughs. Under the direction of the Animal Rescue Team supervisors, the ARS serves as the front-line liaison between ACC and the community, delivering excellent customer service, compassionate animal care, and a top-notch representation of ACC as an organization.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Valid Driver’s License and clean driving record required.
• At least 6 months of experience in animal behavior required; safe handling and restraint experience obtained through previous work in an animal-related field.
• Must be forward thinking and anticipate challenges, responding to them quickly and completely.
• Must have basic computer skills.
• Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs.
• Fear Free certification within 30 days of hire.

Nice To Haves

• Previous professional driving experience is preferred.
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced, often high stress environment.
• Is an expert communicator, a people person, and a team player.
• Is organized, detail oriented, able to maintain composure when faced with emotional situations including medically and behaviorally compromised animals.

Responsibilities

• Respond to animal related issues and emergencies in the 5 boroughs which may include capture of stray animals, rescue of injured or abandoned animals, removal of dangerous or illegal animals or any animal domestic or wild that is a threat to public safety.
• As part of a team, deploy to an emergency response when requested.
• Assist in the management of animal hoarding cases.
• Transport of animal emergencies to and from the shelters to NYC based hospitals.
• Maintain a clean vehicle, disinfect cages, and equipment according to ACC policy and procedures.
• Maintain a clean driving record and practice safe driving habits.
• Work cooperatively with various ACC departments, programs, volunteers and external partners.
• Deliver compassionate and professional client service in emotional and stressful situations, provide appropriate onsite counseling, advice and direction for further follow up, and accurate information and representation of ACC as an organization.
• Paid on-call rotation shared with other ARS.
• Gather extensive detail from various point people involved in any response; may include members of the public, partnering organizations, and internal stakeholders.
• Act as an ambassador for the organization in the community.
• Conduct data entry for animal intakes including creating comprehensive animal profiles and detailed reports, providing as much information as possible for pathway planning and delivery of services.
• Complete annual Animal Control Officer Training provided by ACC.
• Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Benefits

• Generous paid-time-off (PTO) package that includes vacation time, birthdays off, personal days and sick pay.
• Open access Cigna medical, dental and vision insurance at a low premium to our employees.
• 401K and Pension.
• Life Insurance.
• On-the-job training for 2-4 weeks.
• Periodic all staff trainings to include safety, DEI, cross training, and other growth opportunities.
• Eligibility for loan forgiveness, cancellation, and/or consolidation under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) for Federal Direct Loans, after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees