Animal Care Assistant

**Applications are reviewed on a regular basis. The posting may close prior to the listed closing date, and hiring may occur early in the recruiting process.Individuals are encouraged to apply immediately.**

Douglas County Community Services is looking for an individual with hands-on experience in the care of animals to join their Animal Services team as an Animal Care Assistant. This role is responsible for providing for the day to day care of shelter animals and serves a critical role in assisting with the shelter's goal of working to ensure all animals are given the best chance of being placed in good homes. The right person for this position is someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, is skilled in multi-tasking, and has strong customer services skills. If you enjoy working as part of a hands-on team to provide the best care possible for shelter animals, this position could be right for you.

Please note: Animal Care Assistants are scheduled to work one weekend day and holidays on a rotating schedule.

Performs intermediate work ensuring that kennels are maintained to a satisfactory standard; Providing for the care of shelter animals; assisting with public education programs and administration of rabies control, enforcement, and responsible pet ownership programs; promoting humane ethics and working to ensure all animals are given the best chances of being placed in good homes; performing related tasks as apparent or assigned.

This is a safety sensitive position and is subject to random and pre-employment drug and alcohol screening.

None

1. Assists the general public, customers, and/or County employees in person or by phone answering inquiries related to services, programs, and records.
2. Assists Office Specialist and Animal Control Officers as needed.
3. Cares and feeds all shelter animals to include administration of medications and visual observation to detect illness, disease, allergies, or parasites.
4. Cleans and sterilizes all dog and cat kennel areas and performs general grounds keeping.
5. Performs various customer service functions: intake of animals to shelter; processes adoptions; releases animals into owner’s custody; produces lost-and-found reports; issues licenses; collects fees; maintains records for all transactions.
6. Safely handles, restrains, examines, and exercises animals as required.
7. Uses County vehicle to perform various tasks related to job duties.
8. Properly vaccinates animals and implants microchips; transports animals to veterinary facilities.
9. Performs humane euthanasia using proper techniques and controlled substances.
10. Participates in County initiatives and programs to promote adoptions; utilizes and updates social media and online adoption systems.
11. Schedules and conducts volunteer orientations; counsels and trains as required.
12. Utilizes office computer software (Microsoft Office and County ERP) to prepare and maintain animal shelter statistics and grant reports.
13. Represents the County with dignity, integrity, and a spirit of cooperation in all relationships with staff and the public.
14. Contributes effectively to the accomplishment of team or work unit goals, objectives,and activities.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Position requires a High School diploma or GED and one (1) year of experience cleaning and maintaining kennels and providing care for animals within an animal shelter, veterinary office, animal hospital, or pet store; OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

• Valid Driver's License
• Must obtain Nevada State Veterinary Board Euthanasia Technician certification within six (6) months of date of employment.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The characteristics listed below are representative of the physical demands, physical agility, sensory requirements, and environmental exposures required by an individual to successfully perform the essential duties of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

• This work requires the regular exertion of up to 25 pounds of force, frequent exertion of up to 50 pounds of force and occasional exertion of over 100 pounds of force.
• Work regularly requires standing, walking, speaking or hearing and using hands; frequently requires sitting, kneeling or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling and repetitive motions; occasionally requires climbing or balancing and tasting or smelling.
• Work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to receive detailed information through oral communication and/or to make fine distinctions in sound.
• Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, use of measuring devices, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities.
• Work is generally in a loud noise location (e.g. heavy traffic, large equipment).
• Work frequently requires exposure to wet/humid conditions (non-weather) and exposure to outdoor weather conditions; occasionally requires exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals and exposure to bloodborne pathogens (may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment).
• Exposure to animal bites and other related injuries; incumbent must be willing to handle injured, ill or dead animals in potentially hazardous situations.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

i. Continued employment is contingent upon all required licenses and certificates being maintained in active status without suspension or revocation.

ii. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of background/screening.

iii. Douglas County participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each applicant’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. All candidates who are offered employment must complete Section 1 of the Form I-9 along with the required proof of their right to work in the United States and proof of their identity prior to starting employment. Please be prepared to provide required documentation as soon as possible after the job offer is made.