Animal Care Specialist

Job Overview

Reporting directly to the Animal Care Supervisor, responsible for providing care to animals within the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter, by providing a positive quality of life to the animals, customer service to potential adopters, and always maintaining a clean and safe shelter. Level I of II in Animal Care Specialist.

• Conducts daily cleaning and disinfection of kennel area, and other shelter areas, to include laundry, washing animal dishware, and other custodial tasks
• Supplies food, water, toys, clean bedding, socialization time, and routine enrichment care
• Offers assistance to potential adopters with the animals, answering questions, transporting animals to and from kennel areas, and assessing likelihood of matches for adoptions
• Performs customer service duties related to the intake and processing of animals for impoundment, adoption and redemption
• Administers routine well‑being checks of all animals, documenting any concerns and communicating to Operations Manager for follow‑up
• Assists medical staff with medical workups and vaccinations of animals
• Socializes fractious animals to help them become adoptable, and assist with behavior modification plans as written by the Animal Behavior Coordinator
• Restocks cleaning and animal care supplies throughout the facility as needed
• Utilizes shelter software to record and communicate information about animals, including up‑to‑date medical and behavior histories
• Helps identify animals that are candidates for outside rescue organizations or foster care
• Transports animals to other facilities, as needed
• Provides supervision and training to volunteer staff and community service workers, by overseeing daily work tasks, offering guidance as needed
• Follows all safety measures and policies, including proper animal restraints and reading animal behavioral cues, and promptly reports any safety incidents to leadership
• Performs special duties as assigned

• Reports directly to – Animal Care Supervisor
• Direct Reports – No

• Position involves prolonged standing, walking, twisting, bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, and other fine motor repetitive motions
• Position requires grasping, repetitive hand movement, and fine motor coordination
• Position involves lifting and carrying of animals and equipment weighing up to fifty (50) pounds, or up to one hundred (100) pounds with assistance, and exertion of up to twenty‑five (25) pounds of force to move objects
• Ability to hear and/or see alert cues regarding animal and staff security

• Work tasks are conducted indoors and outdoors
• May work outside in inclement weather, including extreme heat, cold and wet conditions
• Frequent handling of animals, including contact with waste and blood
• Exposure to unpleasant smells and a noisy and wet environment associated with a shelter
• Frequent exposure animals that are agitated or injured that may attempt to bite or scratch

• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays is a schedule requirement
• May be deemed essential personnel for emergency situations, at discretion of Director

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified in this position. This job description is subject to change as the needs and requirements of the job change.

• High school diploma/degree and six (6) months of experience working with animals in an animal hospital, shelter, or related animal facility; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Demonstrated customer service and communication skills

• Valid driver’s license – required within thirty (30) days of employment

• Two (2) years of experience working with animals in an animal hospital, shelter, or related animal facility
• One (1) year of animal welfare experience
• Knowledge of dog and cat body language cues
• Euthanasia certification
• Basic Animal Control certification