Animal Services Associate

Mission Statement: 

Humane Society of Sonoma County is dedicated to transforming animal welfare in Sonoma County through prevention, community veterinary care, innovative sheltering, education, and partnerships. Our mission, vision, and values guide our commitment to kindness

SUMMARY

Animal services staff are charged with the care of animals in HSSC’s shelters including cleanliness, kindness and compassion for homeless animals. This is a diverse position encompassing all aspects of animal care, customer service, adoptions, and animal intake. This is an entry level position that can lead to career growth in the areas of customer service, veterinary care, and supporting animal behavior. This position is the foundational building block for individuals motivated to learn animal welfare from the ground up and improve the lives of animals while serving our community. 

Key Responsibilities:

Animal Care:

• Clean and disinfect all shelter animal housing areas, cages, and runs as necessary to maintain a safe and sanitary environment. 
• Feed and provide fresh drinking water to all shelter animals.
• Mop floors; perform laundry, dishwashing, light maintenance, and other janitorial duties as assigned.
• Unload, store and restock equipment, supplies and feed in a proper manner. 
• Monitor the daily health, safety, behavior and appearance of all shelter animals reporting anything that requires training and medical services.
• Give medication and supplements as prescribed by the Shelter Veterinarian. 
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records as required.
• Provide special care as needed or directed including walking dogs and moving animals throughout the shelter.
• Assist with holding animals during medical procedures as needed.
• Complete online classes and hands-on trainings with the Shelter Behavior staff and Shelter Medicine staff.
• Actively support and promote the mission, goals, and values of the Humane Society of Sonoma County by fostering a positive image of the organization, strengthening its operations, and improving the quality of life for animals and the people who care for them. 
• Demonstrate HSSC’s core values of Dignity, Compassion, Integrity, and Connection in all interactions, decisions, and services.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Perform minor medical tasks such as gross physical examination, sub-Q vaccinations, microchip implantation, oral general de-wormer and blood draw at time of admittance, if needed.  
• Accurately, completely, and consistently document all animal information in ShelterBuddy, including admission and intake information, medical concerns, behavioral observations and concerns, treatments, assessments, and other relevant animal records. Maintain timely and accurate records to support continuity of care, informed decision-making, reporting, and the overall health and welfare of each animal.
• May be required to work at the Santa Rosa or Healdsburg shelters for training or as needed

Customer Care:

• Ensure a culture of high-quality customer service for both internal and external customers.
• Participate in animal surrender and adoption process, as well as stray intake from the public.
• Assist the general public in the admittance of their pet or stray animals through proper interviewing techniques and completion of all necessary paperwork.
• Maintain a pleasant, professional, courteous and tactful position with co-workers and the public at all times.
• Assist the general public as requested, responding to inquiries of a general nature by telephone and in person.
• Partner with and supervise volunteers assisting in the department.
• Provide information to the public on all services and programs of the Humane Society, articulating the organization's policies and philosophies in a positive manner.
• Remain educated and up-to-date on the animals available for adoption.
• Problem-solve and think creatively to provide a positive outcome for clients and the animals in our care.  Diffuse conflict when necessary.
• Understand animal behavior and common issues in order to make good adoption matches.
• Monitor the health of adoptable animals reporting any medical or behavioral problems to the Petaluma Shelter Manager or Medical team.
• Treat all animals humanely at all times; display kindness, compassion and empathy for both people and animals.
• Embrace a culture of teamwork and cooperation.
• Photograph adoptions keeping record of positive adoption stories.
• Discuss lifestyle needs and preferences with adopters and cross reference with animals’ placement needs to make appropriate adoption matches.  Communicate courteously when denying a request.
• Maintain efficient interdepartmental procedures and processes.
• Support outreach and offsite adoption events.
• Complete opening and closing procedures including running reports and balancing cash drawer.
• Provide advice to clients having problems with their pet with the goal of keeping the animal in the home.
• Process animal cremation requests (may require handling of deceased animals).
• Occasional intake of wildlife; communicate and partner with other community agencies.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervision:

This position reports directly to the Petaluma Shelter Manager with secondary reporting to the Director of Shelter Operations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Prior experience with animals, including pet sitting and/or ownership

Preferred QUALIFICATIONS:

• Prior employment experience
• High School Diploma
• Six (6) months related animal care experience.
• Willingness to work flexible days and hours, including evening shifts, weekends and/or holidays, as well as sometimes working at the Santa Rosa or Healdsburg Centers, as neede

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Must demonstrate integrity, self-motivation, responsibility, and excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment. 
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn domestic animal breeds, diseases, health care and basic animal behavior.
• Experience in or willingness to be trained in humane animal handling, restraint and confinement.
• Verbal and written communication skills adequate to job requirements.
• Enjoy interacting with people as well as animals, willingness to be trained in customer service principles which establish a positive customer experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to be personable, outgoing, patient, professional and compassionate under pressure.
• Basic understanding of computer information management systems like MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) or similar, and a willingness to be trained in and use Shelter management system (Shelter Buddy) or other data management systems as needed.
• Willing to use Basic photography using a smart phone or point and shoot camera.
• Ability to participate and collaborate in a team environment, in person and online.
• Accurate typing, data entry and computer skills. 
• A love of both animals and people and willingness to accommodate animals in the workplace.
• Use curiosity and empathy to interact with people and animals.
• Experience or willingness to be trained in working with animals of unknown disposition and those who may exhibit medical or other problems, as well as aggressive behavior.
• Drivers license and willingness to be trained in animal transport, transporting animals between sites as needed.
• Bilingual English-Spanish preferred

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to interact with and handle animals.
• Ability to walk and/or stand throughout a normal workday.
• Must be able to communicate effectively (speak and listen).
• Must be able to lift, move, and carry objects and animals up to 50 pounds.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; stand, walk, use hands to handle objects/operate keyboards and telephones; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear; bend, reach, stoop, kneel, squat, and crawl; climb or balance. Use of arms above the shoulder is sometimes required.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Allergic conditions, which would be aggravated when handling or working with animals may result in disqualification.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The employee is generally working in a shelter environment and will be exposed to moderately loud noise levels (such as barking dogs, ringing phones), cleaning agents, bites, scratches, and animal waste.  There is possible exposure to zoonotic diseases. 

EEO STATEMENT:

HSSC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable team. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities, especially those historically underrepresented in animal welfare and veterinary medicine.