Animal Care Attendant - Dog Lead at Greater Palm… · Palm…

Animal Care Attendant - Dog Lead

Location: Palm Springs, California

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Animal Care Attendant Shift Lead (Canine) is a person who works under the direction of the Canine Behavior & Animal Care Supervisor and the Canine Behavior Manager to encourage, motivate, help train and provide suggestions to help other ACA staff in their area achieve their daily tasks. This person will answer questions, provide resources and share team progress and/or performance concerns with the Supervisor and Manager.

The goal of the position is to make sure that all animals in their assigned area have the proper food, water, attention, and specialized care as deemed appropriate by the manager. All responsibilities are to be carried out in accordance with The Greater Palm Springs Animal Allies standards, policies, and procedures.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Exhibit a humane and caring attitude at all times towards the animals in our care.
• Use a humane and safe approach in all handling and restraint of animals, striving to maintain safety and security for the animals, staff, volunteers, and the public.
• Demonstrate by example adherence to all cleaning procedures as detailed in the Standard Operating Procedures and protocols for animal care, kennel maintenance, sanitation, parasite and disease control, and other animal care practices.
• Work with the supervisor and department manager to help ensure that all Canine ACA staff follow appropriate cleaning and care procedures and protocols. Any performance issues are to be handled by the Department Manager.
• Assist in training and mentor new ACAs and volunteers.
• Assist to ensure all ACAs maintain accurate and timely records and documentation of cleaning, feeding and care of animals in their assigned areas.
• Use the shelter’s computer animal database program (Shelter Luv) to keep accurate computer records at all times including current location of animals within the shelter.
• When requested, work with the Supervisor and Behavior Department Manager to help assign additional daily tasks.
• Work with the supervisor and department manager to help identify animals in need of exercise and enrichment.
• Ensure that additional tasks are satisfactorily performed, including but not limited to: dishes; laundry; sweeping; mopping; dusting; sanitizing furniture and equipment; properly disposing of animal waste (indoors and outdoors).
• Help to consistently maintain a clean and orderly kennel area, including restocking supplies and equipment as necessary.
• When needed or requested help inspect donated items carefully determining if item(s) should be kept or moved along. Direct staff to put away all donations related to animal care.
• Assist with making sure that all volunteers have a productive and enjoyable experience by professionally greeting volunteers, answering volunteers questions, directing volunteers to the appropriate person as needed and following up with volunteers in a timely manner.
• As needed and requested, assist prospective adopters with animal visitations.
• Carry and safeguard a shelter-issued communication radio making yourself available for communication with your manager, customer service, and co-workers during your scheduled shift(s).
• Working collectively with PSAS staff, provide careful, ongoing observation of animals throughout the shelter to see that the animals are safe, healthy, clean, and comfortable - promptly notify appropriate staff if any animal shows signs of stress, injury, or illness.
• Provide prompt and proper receiving and kenneling of new animals entering the shelter.
• Move animals to different housing areas of the shelter as directed by management.
• As needed and requested, assist medical staff or adoption counselors with handling animals during exams, vaccinations, medical treatments, or introductions to potential adopters.
• Report any maintenance issues to appropriate staff.
• Maintain security by ensuring animal housing areas and individual kennels are kept locked, ensure exterior doors and gates are locked when shelter is closed.
• May be asked to take dogs outside when volunteers are not available or for dogs who are designated to be handled by “staff only”.
• May be asked to use a shelter vehicle to transport animals locally.
• May be asked to participate in adoption and community outreach events.
• Comply with established safe work practices and attend all safety-related training provided or made available by the Shelter.
• Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned.

Personal Attributes

The incumbent should be able to consistently demonstrate the following personal attributes:

• Attitude - Maintain a positive, upbeat role, promote and exemplify Shelter values, and represent departmental objectives and interests to internal and external customers
• Customer Service – Follow up on complaints, questions, and concerns; respond to internal/external customer needs in a friendly, timely and efficient manner
• Teamwork - Develop and promote teamwork and cooperation among co-workers and volunteers
• Flexibility – Willingness to remain flexible and have an open mind to changing practices, processes and procedures.
• Time Management – Ability to consistently possess strong and effective time management skills.

QUALIFICATIONS – To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

• High School Graduate or G.E.D
• One year prior animal handling experience which may include working at an animal hospital, grooming business, animal shelter, animal rescue, or a pet specialty retailer.
• Prior experience leading/motivating a team.

Required/Preferred technical & other skills and abilities

• Excellent communication skills are required.
• Must have basic computer skills and be willing and able to learn new computer programs.
• Must be comfortable working with animals of all types and sizes.
• Must be willing and able to work varying shifts, weekends and holidays.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS – Also see attached “Physical Demands of the Position”. Must be able to do repetitive bending, kneeling, stooping and similar movements required, must be able to lift 50 pounds to waist, to physically restrain dogs weighing up to and including 100 lbs.