Pet Support Counselor (Full-Time)

Richmond SPCA • Richmond, VA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pet Support Counselor provides pet-retention counseling and services to the community and plays an essential role in the intake of dogs and cats into the care of the Richmond SPCA, a nonprofit animal-welfare organization in Richmond, Virginia. The organization’s mission is to provide education and resources to achieve and sustain a no-kill community. The role reports to the Manager of Pet Support Services and works with community members, volunteers, partner agencies, and colleagues across shelter operations.

The position involves helping people who inquire about surrendering a pet or seeking assistance, facilitating animal intake and transfers, collecting animal background and behavioral information, and administering vaccines, blood draws, and dewormer. Counselors document information in PetPoint and animal files, communicate medical and behavioral observations to the appropriate teams, maintain supplies and workspaces, and participate in trainings and meetings. This is a full-time position at $18 per hour, scheduled for 40 hours per week across five 8-hour shifts. Daytime weekday and weekend availability is required.

Requirements

• Demonstrated alignment with the Richmond SPCA’s mission to achieve and sustain a no-kill community, including promoting adoption and spaying/neutering.
• Commitment to the wellbeing of every pet in the organization’s care.
• Effective, professional, and empathetic written and verbal communication and customer-service skills with the public, volunteers, and employees.
• Ability to multitask, follow written and verbal directions, adapt, and accommodate changing demands productively.
• Computer skills and ability to learn new systems.
• Ability to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment.
• Strong work ethic, reliability, punctuality, and attention to detail.
• Customer-service experience and ability to satisfactorily resolve customer-service issues.
• Ability to provide productive feedback to management.
• Resourcefulness and ability to work independently in a mature, professional, and productive manner.
• Team-oriented approach, including recognizing when assistance is needed and asking for help.
• Strong time-management and prioritization skills.
• Comfort handling animals, or willingness to learn, including routine handling, petting, leash-walking, lifting and carrying, restraint, blood draws, vaccination, and placing animals in cages or carriers.
• Ability to work with needles or willingness to learn procedures such as drawing blood and administering vaccines.
• High degree of emotional intelligence.
• Daytime weekday and weekend availability.
• Ability to travel several hours for transfers, either driving or as a passenger.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation, including during inclement weather.
• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Able to routinely lift 40–50 pounds.
• Able to work around animals, including sick or injured animals and animals with behavior challenges, loud noises, cat litter, animal waste, and various chemicals.
• Able to bend, use arms repetitively, kneel, stoop, and use stairs.
• Able to remain on feet for an entire 8-hour shift and willing to work in all weather conditions.
• Physical strength to perform medical restraint, animal handling, and cleaning duties effectively and efficiently.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, PetPoint, and DaySmart Vet.
• Bilingual ability in English and Spanish, speaking and writing.
• Experience working in animal welfare or the veterinary field.

Responsibilities

• Assist people inquiring about pet surrender or assistance with empathy and compassion, and help them identify solutions suited to their circumstances.
• Provide timely pet-retention counseling by phone, email, and in person.
• Facilitate intake for owner surrenders and transfers from partner agencies.
• Drive company vehicles to transfer pets from partner organizations throughout Virginia and neighboring states.
• Collect detailed behavioral and background information from people surrendering animals.
• Administer vaccines, draw blood, and give dewormer to dogs and cats of varying sizes, temperaments, and medical histories.
• Enter information accurately in the PetPoint database and each pet’s physical file.
• Report medical concerns and observations to Internal Veterinary Services and behavioral concerns and observations to the Behavior and Training team.
• Work with volunteers and respond to their questions professionally.
• Notify appropriate personnel when pet support supplies are running low.
• Clean, restock, and maintain the workspace, including sweeping, dusting, mopping, taking out trash, and restocking files and supplies.
• Maintain regular communication with the Manager and Assistant Manager of Pet Support Services and the Senior Director of Shelter Operations.
• Assist department colleagues as needed and complete special cleaning projects, side duties, and other job-related duties as assigned.
• Attend and participate in required trainings and meetings.

Benefits

• Access to the low-cost, full-service Susan M. Markel Veterinary Hospital as an eligible client.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Employees averaging 15 or more hours per week may enroll in voluntary, employee-paid accident insurance, hospital indemnity, and critical illness insurance.
• Employees averaging 20 or more hours per week may participate in the 401(k) retirement plan and access paid wellness leave.
• Full-time employees are eligible for medical, dental, and vision insurance; life insurance; short-term and long-term disability insurance; and paid personal leave.
• Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed