Animal Care Assistant

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 day‑to‑day care of shelter animals and plays a critical role in ensuring all animals receive the best chance of placement in caring homes. The right candidate thrives in a fast‑paced environment, is skilled at multi‑tasking, and has strong customer‑service skills.

If you enjoy working as part of a hands‑on team to deliver the best care possible for shelter animals, this position may 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 chance 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

• Assist the general public, customers, and/or County employees in person or by phone answering inquiries related to services, programs, and records.
• Assist Office Specialist and Animal Control Officers as needed.
• Cares and feeds all shelter animals to include administration of medications and visual observation to detect illness, disease, allergies, or parasites.
• Cleans and sterilizes all dog and cat kennel areas and performs general grounds keeping.
• 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.
• Safely handles, restrains, examines, and exercises animals as required.
• Uses County vehicle to perform various tasks related to job duties.
• Properly vaccinates animals and implants microchips; transports animals to veterinary facilities.
• Performs humane euthanasia using proper techniques and controlled substances.
• Participates in County initiatives and programs to promote adoptions; utilizes and updates social media and online adoption systems.
• Schedules and conducts volunteer orientations; counsels and trains as required.
• Utilizes office computer software (Microsoft Office and County ERP) to prepare and maintain animal shelter statistics and grant reports.
• Represents the County with dignity, integrity, and a spirit of cooperation in all relationships with staff and the public.
• Contributes effectively to the accomplishment of team or work unit goals, objectives, and activities.

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

• Valid Driver’s License

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…