Overall Responsibility:

Responsible for maintaining a safe and sanitary facility for animals and people and providing humane handling and care for all shelter animals. Assures all animals' nutrition, housing and basic medical needs are met on a daily basis. Assists the public when admitting and adopting animals and promotes responsible pet ownership in conversations with customers.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

Responsible for all duties related to the care of shelter animals to include cleaning of holding areas, assuring that animals receive food and water, bathing and grooming, and providing humane handling when animals need to be moved.

Observes and evaluates animals for signs of illness and reports symptoms to appropriate personnel.

Assists citizens and customers who are seeking lost pets and those interested in adopting. Responds to questions about specific animals and adoption process. Assists customers in completing applications and makes assessments of applicants' qualifications.

Performs continual maintenance duties to include repairs and upkeep. Cleans vehicles and equipment used in transporting animals. Assists with inventory and restocking supplies. Runs errands as necessary.

Maintains accurate records. Assesses information related to animal case files, supply inventories, pharmaceutical use data and animal inventory.

Assists in a variety of entry-level duties of Animal Control officers and works on declared holidays and/or weekends and vacations.

Performs other tasks as assigned or as necessary.

Skills and Attributes:

Must be able to develop and maintain effective working relationship with the public, fellow employees, volunteers and supervisors.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to carry out each essential duty and task satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required:

Must be computer literate

Skill in animal first aid and CPR, performing euthanasia, and basic animal grooming techniques.

Ability to identify signs of animal illnesses, diseases and injuries.

Ability to identify animal species, breeds, ages and sexes.

Demonstrate animal control knowledge, skills and abilities.

Must deal in polite, calm and professional manner at all times with persons and animals in sometimes stressful situations.

*Errors in judgment and action could cause serious liability problems for the County and potentially pose hazard to life and limb to self, shelter employees and volunteers and the public at large

Experience Requirement:

High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalency

Physical Effort/Environment:

May involve hazardous situations with animals

When talking one must convey detailed or important instructions or ideas accurately, loudly, or quickly

Must be able to hear average or normal conversations and receive ordinary information

Average, ordinary visual acuity necessary

Able to deal with complex variables

Must be able to lift 25 pounds on a regular basis and 50 pounds on an occasional basis

Work may be performed outside and in any type of weather

Able to hear average or normal conversations and receive ordinary information

Average, ordinary visual acuity necessary to receive animals.

Mental Activities and Requirements of This Position:

Ability to apply logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems

Ability to use basic math

Ability to read related journals