Feline Care Technician

Wayside Waifs Inc•Grandview, MO

About The Position

The Feline Care Technician provides cats with high-quality daily care at Wayside Waifs, including food and water, clean and comfortable living quarters, and socialization. The role works closely with volunteers and the public and communicates with other departments about animals’ mental and physical health. The technician supports efficient animal-care operations, ensures supplies and equipment are available and operational, follows regulatory, safety, security, and operational standards, and complies with Wayside Waifs policies and best practices. The position also requires attending training to build animal-handling knowledge and skills. The schedule is Thursday through Monday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The pay rate is $17.50 per hour. Employees who demonstrate and maintain Spanish-language proficiency and are willing to use it for Wayside Waifs business purposes receive an additional $1.00 per hour.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience collaborating effectively with people and animals in a variety of high-stress situations.
High school diploma or GED.
Ability to lift 50 pounds to waist height, move animals from kennels, lift food bags, and push or pull a force such as a squeegee.
Ability to perform repetitive bending, kneeling, stooping, and similar movements.
Ability to work in wet and/or humid conditions and outside weather.
Ability to tolerate substantial standing, exposure to fumes, animal smells, airborne particles, animal waste, and moderate to high noise levels.
Ability to build rapport and work compassionately with animals, coworkers, volunteers, and members of the public.
Initiative and critical-thinking skills to better serve animals and the organization.
Strong mindfulness and task orientation.
Ability to work under pressure and manage conflicts if they arise.
Dependability and punctuality.
Effective communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Animal-care experience in a shelter or veterinary clinic is preferred.
Spanish-language proficiency is eligible for an additional hourly differential when maintained and used for Wayside Waifs business purposes.

Responsibilities

Feed and provide water to cats and small animals.
Deep-clean kennels as necessary and clean floors in cat areas daily.
Wash cat bowls and toys, and run laundry as needed.
Spot-clean occupied kennels to avoid unnecessary stress and follow cleaning protocols to control disease spread.
Provide blankets and toys for animals.
Socialize cats and small animals and schedule and implement daily enrichment.
Enter relevant animal information into the database, including behavior, health, movement, and personality.
Make animals available in the database and move them to the Adoption area after medical and behavioral clearance.
Schedule and conduct Feline-ality behavioral assessments.
Provide behavioral support to members of the public seeking assistance.
Assign cats to the TABBY behavior program.
Communicate regularly with the manager about challenges, ideas, and suggestions, and maintain communication with other team members about animal health.
Complete animal-care tasks properly and on time, and assist other Feline Care Technicians when necessary.
Ensure shelter supplies and equipment are available and operational.
Maintain effective working relationships with the public, staff, and volunteers.
Attend required training classes and comply with organizational policies and best practices.
Perform other duties as assigned.