Animal Care Technician

Overview

Do you have a passion for the care of animals? Do you enjoy interacting with all animals, including dogs, cats, critters, and birds? 🐾
Come work as a full-time Animal Care Technician for Animal Humane Society, where caring for animals isn’t just a job – it’s our passion. We are on a mission to compassionately and responsibly create a more humane world for animals and their people.

Purpose: The Animal Technician is responsible for providing humane and compassionate care to all types of shelter animals, ensuring that animals have a safe and clean environment, drinking water, and food.

Pay Rate: $16/hour

Benefits (see additional benefits below):

• 15 Days Paid Time Off in your first year
• 4 Floating Holidays (per full calendar year) and 9 Paid Holidays
• 401k Retirement Plan with a 4% company match

Schedule: Full-time; 40 hours per week

• 5 8-hour shifts per week.
• Required to work Sundays. Flexibility for other shifts throughout the week.
• Shifts will between the hours of 7am-8pm Tuesday-Friday and 7am-6pm Saturdays-Mondays

Location: Golden Valley, MN

Essential Functions

• Prepare and distribute food and water to all animals per dietary needs.
• Perform daily cleaning and sanitization of transfer cages, litter boxes, kennels and animal areas including cleaning up animal feces, urine, vomit and other debris.
• Monitor animals’ wellbeing, including appearance, appetite, hydration, stools, vomit and activity, reporting any health concerns or behavioral changes.
• Safely handle animals of varying sociability in a variety of ways including walking, restraining, placing in transport crates, etc. using appropriate PPE procedures.
• Handle animals who may have transmittable illnesses to other animals and humans, following proper handling, quarantine and PPE procedures.
• Move animals throughout the shelter as needed.
• Interpret animal body language, read animal cage cards and communication boards.
• Escalate animal concerns and communicate directly with appropriate department regarding concerning animal appearance or behavior in a timely manner.

• Assist in enrichment programs for animals in shelter.
• Assist Veterinary Services with fecal/urine collection of animals.
• Assist with animal restraint for transportation, medical procedures, collection of animal waste and euthanasia as required.
• Collaborate with other departments and assist as needed.

• Utilize approved chemicals to clean animal and non-animal areas.
• Operate dishwasher, washing machine and dryer.
• Remove garbage and recycling as needed.
• Sweep and mop animal areas.

• Communicate in a positive and professional manner with customers, other employees, and volunteers.
• Promote a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion to make AHS a more welcoming environment for employees, volunteers, customers, and the community.

• Accurately update animal records in PetPoint.
• Manage and view work schedule in Makeshift.
• Clock in and out of shifts using ADP.
• Monitor AHS email and other messaging software.

Other duties as assigned.

• Required to be on time to scheduled shifts during operational hours which may include evenings, weekends and holidays.
• May be required to work at a different site based on department needs.
• May be required to attend occasional off-site meetings and events.
• Attend and participate in regular team meetings and one-on-one meetings with direct leader.

• Environment can be dirty, wet, warm and humid.
• Exposure to zoonotic diseases and pests such as fleas and ticks.
• Possibility of being bitten or scratched.
• Exposure to unpleasant odors, chemicals and noises, including barking.
• May be exposed to extreme weather conditions including but not limited to cold, heat, rain and snow when outside.

• Animal handling experience preferred.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail, multi-tasking and time-management skills.
• Proficient with computers, specifically a working knowledge of Microsoft products.

• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. unassisted and 100+ lbs. assisted.
• Prolonged periods of standing and walking.