Relief Animal Caretaker

Position Summary

The part-time Relief Animal Caretaker supports animal care staff with day-to-day upkeep of the property and all animal residents of the Sanctuary. The Caretaker, reporting to the Director, Sanctuary & Military Affairs Programming (Director) and working in close collaboration with the full-time Caretaker and Chief Veterinary Officer & Animal Ethicist (CVO), is responsible for ensuring the welfare, safety and proper care of animals residing on the property, whether their stay is short- or long-term, as well as ensuring the property remains in good condition.

Responsibilities

• Provide appropriate quantity and quality of food and water to animals daily.
• Ensure animals are properly groomed, bathed, exercised, and provided with enrichment as appropriate.
• Monitor animals, noting any eating, drinking, health, behavior or temperament changes and report concerns to the Sanctuary Director to discuss any issues.
• Follow all veterinary care instructions and recommendations.
• Ensure stress and disease risk are minimized by following best husbandry practices on housing and caring for animals.
• Follow established disease control protocols to extensively clean, disinfect and maintain kennels, cages, stalls, and other areas of the Sanctuary.
• Administer basic first aid to any animal’s minor wounds as needed following the guidance of onsite Horse Care SOP’s, Birds Care SOP’s and Kennel Protocols.
• Maintain detailed records on the daily husbandry and medical care of each animal.
• Regularly walk the property and keep an eye on things to ensure any issues are addressed or taken care of in a timely manner.
• Perform basic, routine maintenance work, which could include things like clearing brush, mending fences, shoveling manure, etc.
• Keep leadership apprised of work being done on site, flagging any issues or communicating decisions that need to be made, particularly about things that may have short- or long-term impact on animal health and welfare.
• Ensure the facility remains stocked with all necessary inventory, informing management of any low supplies.
• Ensure a safe work environment, follow safety guidelines and model safe work practices; take immediate action to remedy or address any safety issues.
• Ensure the Sanctuary facility meets American Humane Certified Animal Welfare Standards, as they pertain to species residing permanently or temporarily at the property.

Essential Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• High school diploma or equivalent experience required. Associate’s or Bachelor’s level degree in animal science, biological sciences or other relevant degree, preferred.
• Licensed Animal Care Technician or equivalent experience strongly desired but not required.
• General knowledge of animal behavior, husbandry, and care is important, equine experience required, bird care and dog kennel experience desired.
• Proven knowledge and experience to safely implement and carry out care-related animal husbandry best practices for all species of animals residing at the Sanctuary.
• Skills assessing animals such as whether they are alert and responsive or not acting normally as well as taking their temperature, pulse, and respiration rate.
• Able to administer medications via mouth and/or injection, eye and nasal medications, clean wounds, and change bandages.
• Able to check vital signs against previous assessments and report significant differences. Administer a cursory physical examination to assess general health including the condition of the animal’s teeth.
• Basic maintenance skills and ability to troubleshoot property issues before they become major problems.
• Able to remain calm and composed in stressful or emergency situations.
• Able to effectively prioritize workload and need.
• Able to effectively work with a variety of people in different situations.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Always maintain professional demeanor.
• Handle confidential information with a high level of discretion.
• Use sound judgement; able to problem-solve quickly and independently.
• Able to collaborate effectively and work as part of a team.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, in particular Outlook for email and scheduling, and Excel for record keeping.
• Able to learn new technology and enter and track information in a database.

Direct Reports

None

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Position will be based out of American Humane Society’s Sanctuary facility in Palm City, FL. Work is expected to be on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for up to 30 hours. Schedule and hours per day are flexible.
• Must be able to lift up to 50lbs and carry 30lbs as needed for animal care and property management.
• Must be able to bend, lift, push, pull, stoop, kneel, reach, manual dexterity, etc. in order to perform daily animal care needs.
• Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to communicate with staff, volunteers, vendors, and animals.
• May require immunization against Hepatitis A&B, Rabies and Tetanus.
• Must have valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
• May be required to submit to pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment.

Company Information

American Humane Society (AHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to fostering a welcoming, supportive workplace where our work makes a real difference in animals' lives.