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Animal Care Technician
Happy Life Animal Rescue is a 501(c)3 based out of Pawling NY. Happy Life is committed to helping rescue dogs and cats not just from the local area but also helping alleviate animal overpopulation all over the country through participating in several animal transport and relocation programs.
The Animal Care Technician position ensures animal care at Happy Life Animal Rescue is timely, exact, and thorough for dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens. They work together to help the system run smoothly when it comes to essential daily tasks like cleaning and feeding, but they also pause when appropriate to recognize individual animals and their unique needs in that system. While some aspects of care are broken down into a science, care workers are also encouraged to explore it as an art when they become more advanced and trained.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Perform basic observations and report the general behavior and health of animals in all departments of the program
• Adhere to strict sanitation protocols specific to each program
• Ability to clean animal habitats including

1. scooping litter boxes
2. removing feces
3. replacing soiled bedding
4. disposing of litter/debris
5. scrubbing and sanitizing rooms and/or kennels
6. replenishing water bowls
7. sanitizing play yards

• Perform deep clean tasks on a regularly scheduled basis
• Sweep and mop floors daily
• Empty trash in all assigned areas
• Wash and sanitize dirty litter boxes
• Wash and sanitize dirty food and water bowls
• Wash dirty laundry
• Restock essential supplies
• Maintain special feeding protocols for certain animals
• Work collaborative and in a positive manner with all volunteers and staff
• Walk dogs as needed and rotate into play yards
• Set up dog and cat kennels, with fresh water, food, and bedding
• Meet transporters bringing dogs and cats to APA and assist with loading/unloading
• Customer service and helping potential adopters, volunteers, and visitors
• Walk dogs and take cats to their appropriate kennels, and ensure they have kennel cards
• Assist with van and kennel cleaning and preparation for transport
• Assist with transport load-ups for events, vetting

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings
• Maintain open and consistent communication with Program Manager or designee, supervisor, and other colleagues
• Able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned
• Able to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
• Able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment
• Comfortable working both autonomously when given goals and deadlines

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, & EXPECTATIONS:

• Must be able to handle all animals with kindness at all times without exception
• Act with integrity at all times
• Must be able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment. Self-motivated, great attitude, and team-oriented
• Work efficiently with minimal oversight to complete all duties and responsibilities
• Safely work with and around animals of varying temperaments
• Attention to detail, ability to follow directions
• Timely and good attendance
• Effectively communicate with others in person, on the phone, and through email
• Basic experience in animal handling and care
• Basic knowledge of common animal health conditions
• Basic knowledge of animal behavior
• Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings
• Maintain open and consistent communication with the Program Manager or designee, supervisor,
• and other colleagues
• Willing and committed to working well with volunteers and staff in all roles
• Desire to engage in regular networking and partnership-building
• Solution-oriented, positive attitude when encountering challenges or barriers
• Interest in growing and expanding a program on a state and national level

PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to routinely lift 40-50 pounds
• Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, chlorine or other chemicals, and inclement weather
• Must be able to comfortably interact with cats/dogs of various health levels, including zoonotic diseases such as ringworm, scabies, intestinal parasites, etc.
• Be able to bend and use your arms in a repetitive manner
• Can be on your feet for an entire 3-5 hour shift
• Must have physical strength to perform cleaning duties quickly and on schedule
• Must be able to walk big dogs that pull and jump
• Must be able to visually observe people and animals from up to 150 feet away
• Ability to hear normal speech at close contact and shouting up to 150 feet away with the ability to hear and discern dog vocalizations both soft and loud
• periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to focus in a loud and busy environment despite distractions
• Must be able to walk around the rescue as needed - on uneven ground, keeping a safe distance from dogs and handlers
• Will sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, stoop, bend, stretch, squat, kneel, grasp, grip, put fingers together firmly and reach above and below shoulder level, lift and/or carry up to 50 pounds, and push and pull up to 50 pounds for situations of moving supplies and setting up for events; repetitively use hands to operate computers; flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Rapid pace with exposure to potential hazards including animal waste, disinfectants
• High levels of noise, dogs barking
• Potential for animal bites and scratches and diseases that can be transmitted from animals to people
• Occasional after-hours or weekend work will be required to support program needs
• Exposure to unpleasant odors.

TIME COMMITMENT: This is a part-time position of up to 32 hours per week.
COMPENSATION: $16.00/hr Starting
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: This position reports directly to the Animal Care Lead.
LOCATIONS:

• Happy Life Animal Rescue Adoption Center - 550 Route 22 Pawling NY 12564

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT
Happy Life Animal Rescue is an equal employment opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we engage on. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ people, women, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.
Happy Life Animal Rescue does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Happy Life Animal Rescue is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, community focus, and innovation.