Animal Care, Dog Handling, and Adoption Counselor

East Montpelier VT

Description

Are you comfortable handling dogs, cats, bunnies, and guinea pigs? Do you have strong people skills? Do you love physically demanding work? Would you like to help match dogs and cats with perfect homes? We may have the position for you! Central Vermont Humane Society is seeking a dynamic and efficient person to help care for animals, and join a team of people working with potential adopters to make positive matches. Excellent communication skills (with pets and people!) required to join this go-go-go team of animal welfare professionals! Primary responsibilities are to enhance the welfare of all CVHS animals through excellent care, enrichment, humane and compassionate treatment, and adoption. Shelter & General Care • Follow all protocols as set forth by the CVHS Leadership Team. • Perform routine housekeeping duties necessary for the optimal cleanliness and sanitation of all animal quarters. This includes cleaning equipment, kennels, cages, and cat colony rooms, managing large amounts of laundry, resupplying all areas, and other routine and special assignments to maintain the shelter hygiene, safety, appearance and function. • Perform all tasks relating to animal intakes (including conversations with owners needing to relinquish their animals), strays, returns, transfers, adoptions. • Provide food, water, medication, care, exercise, and enrichment in a manner necessary to improve the overall health and comfort of animals • Perform and record behavioral evaluations, develop and implement Behavior Modification Plans and the on-going training to improve adoptability of our dogs. This includes daily work on basic good manners, utilizing every interaction with each dog to enhance adoptability. It can include physically challenging work with large, rambunctious dogs. • Monitor and document behavioral changes, and communicate recommendations for in-shelter options and modifications for best care of animals to appropriate staff. • Monitor and document all signs of illness, implementing treatment criteria established by the Medical Team, as required • Assist with animal check-in’s/medical care/euthanasia as directed by the Shelter Manager or the Director of Operations. • Transport animals to and from veterinary appointments as needed. Adoption Center • Perform all tasks relating to animal adoptions, return to owners, and receiving transfers and transports • Perform duties related to: • Evaluating and preparing animals for adoption • Successfully marketing animals for adoption, which includes taking photos and writing profiles, listing animals on CVHS’s website and other marketing tools that promote adoptions. • Successfully matching animals with appropriate adoptive homes, done with conversational interviews, including completing adoption paperwork, and providing the adopters with counseling and education. • Customer service for the Adoption Center and Shelter (phones, guests, etc.) • Process payments for adoptions, donations, and retail sales. • Follow up on adoptions to ensure that animals have been placed in appropriate homes, and provide support and advice for the adopters. • Maintain animal information in PetPoint database and other required paperwork in a way that ensures all information is communicated appropriately to staff and adopters. • Maintain clear adoption signage on all adoption areas and properly label all animals with identification • Facilitate offsite adoptions (Subaru events, Agway, etc.) as necessary • Assist adopters with merchandise questions and sales Position Details, Conditions, and Requirements • Desire to work in a team environment. Generalized computer proficiency, and high-level proficiency with our databases, including experience with social media. High-level proficiency in verbal and written skills, for regular communication with our customers and partners, both face-to-face, on the phone, and through email. • Minimum of 1 year of professional experience in animal care/animal shelter and customer service preferred • Positive Reinforcement training skills preferred. • The checklist for physical activities and requirements, visual acuity, and working conditions for this position will be available for review at an interview, or can be sent upon request. This is a physically demanding position. • Typical schedule: 8 am to 5:00 pm, with a 1 hour, unpaid lunch. Typical work days are Tuesday through Saturday, but can include scheduling on Sundays and Mondays. • Full-time position. • Wage: $15.00/hour • Valid driver’s license required This position description is intended to provide an overview of the requirements of the position. As such, it is not necessarily all inclusive, and the job may require other essential and/or non-essential functions, tasks, duties, or responsibilities not listed herein. Management reserves the sole right to add, modify, or exclude any essential or non-essential requirement. Prior to the implementation of any substantial changes, management may serve a written notification. Nothing in this position description, nor by the completion of any requirement of the job by the employee, is intended to create a contract of employment of any type. To apply, send cover letter and resume; no phone calls