Part-time Shelter Associate

Cat Adoption Team•Sherwood, OR

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The shelter associate is both an animal care and a customer service position. This position is responsible for caring for shelter cats, shelter sanitation, and front-line customer service. Depending on the assigned shift, the shelter associate may work as a cat caregiver and adoption counselor or as staff at the reception/retail desk.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent
>1 year of professional experience
Animal sheltering knowledge
Cat behavior knowledge
Cash handling knowledge
Computer programs, including Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Shelter Buddy. Adopets, and Acuity knowledge
Communicate effectively in person and in writing
Prioritize tasks to meet deadlines
Analyze and solve problems effectively
Remain organized
Work independently with little direction or supervision
Input data precisely
Handle animals safely
Follow protocols and procedures
Operate standard office equipment, including computers, copy machines, telephone systems
Work cooperatively within a team environment
Diffuse conflict
Listen empathetically
Facilitate difficult conversations
Provide corrective feedback in a positive manner
Delegate tasks effectively
Connect with new people
Move and/or transport items up to 50 pounds (assisted or unassisted)
Position oneself at various levels to successfully carry out the essential functions of the job
Provide direct animal care including feeding, providing water, cleaning litter boxes, and other animal handling
Clean animal housing and facility
Disinfect and sanitize using agents such as bleach and Rescue®
Communicate effectively with other staff, volunteers, and the public by email, phone, or in-person
Navigate the shelter and building
Read and keep accurate records/files
Work on a computer and use various software programs
Operate office equipment such as a copy and fax machine, printer, scanner, and multi-line telephone
Candidates must be authorized to work in the US

Nice To Haves

Customer service experience
Previous experience working within a volunteer organization or animal shelter

Responsibilities

Provide care to shelter cats by cleaning and setting up kennels in accordance with shelter protocols; providing food and water for cats according to established feeding protocols; moving cats to different housing areas throughout the shelter based on their needs and shelter capacity.
Maintain accurate records for cats and kittens throughout the duration of their stay by updating a cat’s Shelter Buddy record when their location, status, or evaluation category changes; creating animal care requests when a cat requires medical attention; processing holds and adoptions; completing bite reports when necessary.
Monitor the cats’ health and well-being by conducting daily assessments of their kennel environments, food consumption, urination, and bowel movements, as well as changes in behavior; reporting medical and behavioral issues to the behavior and hospital teams following shelter protocols.
Train and oversee volunteers on tasks related to cat care, sanitation, socialization, and adoption by demonstrating and delegating volunteer tasks; leading and providing corrective feedback to new and seasoned volunteers in a positive and professional manner while adhering to shelter protocols and CAT’s culture agreement when necessary.
Manage laundry by utilizing the washer and dryer to clean items staying onsite for washing; drying and decontaminating soiled laundry; folding and putting away clean laundry; bagging and labeling other soiled laundry according to written protocols that will be sent out to the laundry service; putting away returned laundry.
Clean dishes by loading and unloading the dishwasher according to the written protocol in order to properly clean and sanitize cat dishes and hard toys; putting away clean dishes, labeling and bagging all items with known fomite contamination.
Maintain washrooms by scrubbing, washing and sanitizing all items that cannot go in the dishwasher or washing machine according to written sanitation protocol; maintain an organized washroom by labeling and bagging all items with excessive contamination and following the established written protocols.
Clean and organize retail, hallways, stairways, public and private shelter areas by tidying, dusting, sweeping, and mopping; following sanitation protocols and procedures to prevent disease transmission.
Maintain all cleaning and janitorial products, supplies, and equipment by using organizational protocols to properly mix and dilute cleaning solutions based on the application of the product; using cleaning products and equipment properly and safely; reporting malfunctioning equipment to supervisors for repair or replacement.
Educate clients, foster parents, volunteers, and the general public by possessing a working knowledge of best shelter practices, cat behavior, basic cat care and enrichment, cat handling, common ailments, and medical terminology; actively sharing knowledge and resources when applicable.
Facilitate cat adoptions by effectively communicating the medical and behavioral history of cats to adopters; establishing realistic expectations regarding an adopter’s cat and adjustment to a new environment; providing information regarding introductions and addressing any other adopter concerns; assisting with pet retention by educating clients on cat behavior and providing behavior modification tools.
Assist with CAT’s helpline program by responding to client inquiries in a caring, knowledgeable, and professional manner; share resources and tools to promote pet retention; identify shelter candidates and schedule admissions when necessary.
Assist adopters and volunteers with showing cats by using a conversation-based screening system to help clients determine the right cat for their home based on their experience level, household dynamics, and desired personality traits; practicing safe handling to move cats to the Get Acquainted room or advise clients on how to safety interact with the cat in their kennel or alternative housing.
Promote a positive shopping experience for customers by attending to retail clients who have questions about products or cat care supplies and practices; recommending the best solutions, toys, or supplies based on knowledge of specific cats or information provided by the customer.
Serve as a CAT representative to the general public by greeting and directing shelter customers; checking phone tickets and responding to all phone messages; answering phones in a timely and professional manner; monitoring and responding to emails from adopters using an upbeat, professional tone; screening calls and forwarding to appropriate departments when necessary; creating a positive first impression over the phone, via email or in person.
Schedule veterinary and admissions appointments by sending appointment links for veterinary appointments when appropriate; sending surgery clients to our online appointment system; sending admissions requests to the admissions team.
Process financial transactions accurately and in a timely fashion by entering retail purchases in Square; finalizing adoptions in Adopets; processing credit card transactions; accepting cash and check payments and providing appropriate change; reconciling cash and credit card transactions against Square nightly; preparing deposit bags; elevate financial discrepancies to management when necessary.
Maintain cat and client records by creating, updating, and editing records accurately when processing adoptions, donations, and retail purchases.
Provide clients with accurate information regarding cat admissions by using our resources to provide clients with information regarding laws in the area governing cats, admissions, and property law; directing clients to services when appropriate; maintaining realistic client expectations; protecting CAT’s interests by upholding internal policies and applicable laws.