If a four-day workweek caring for cats and dogs sounds like your dream job, we'd like to hear from you! As an Animal & Client Care Specialist at Santa Barbara Humane you'll provide compassionate care for animals, bring and keep families together, and perform purpose-driven work in a fun, team environment.
Apply at SBHumane.org
Position Summary:
Provide all aspects of daily shelter animal care, shelter sanitation and disease control, and client services.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Animal Care & Shelter Operations
Prepare animal food and feed animals in accordance with dietary or other specific instructions.
Provide animals with daily exercise, socialization, grooming, and enrichment; follow handling, enrichment, behavior and training plans, and practice and promote Fear Free™ animal handling and positive-reinforcement training techniques.
and practice safe, low-stress (i.e. Fear Free™) animal handling.
Perform daily cleaning and sanitizing of animal housing per Shelter SOPs; practice disease control procedures; monitor housing throughout shifts to ensure animals reside in a safe, clean living environment.
Perform laundry tasks, dishwashing, and general cleaning and janitorial duties to ensure a sanitary shelter environment.
Observe, report, and document animal behavior; take immediate action to ensure animal and human safety; be prepared to discuss individual animal behavior and welfare during Daily Rounds.
Observe, report, and document changes in animal health; promptly alert supervisor or medical team of urgent medical needs; be prepared to discuss individual animal medical conditions and welfare during Daily Rounds.
Assist with behavioral assessments and animal-to animal interactions; safely introduce and match animals to potential adopters and provide counseling on animal behavior, handling, safety, and transition to home.
Assist with incoming animal’s needs and shelter population flow and management.
Transport animals for veterinary treatment; assist the medical team with animal treatment as requested.
Administer animal treatments, medications, and medicated baths as directed.
Immediately report any dog or cat bite that breaks human skin in accordance with California Code of Regulations.
Clean, sanitize, and maintain animal crates, traps, workrooms, storage, and general shelter areas; assist with special projects as assigned.
Assist with deliveries and donations, restock food and supplies; maintain an orderly shelter environment overall.
Maintain animal records, create memos and profiles; update location status; take and upload photographs to enhance animal adoptability.
Perform general facility, janitorial, vehicle, and/or grounds maintenance and other projects as assigned.
Follow workplace safety protocols, working in a safe manner at all times and proactively ensure the safety of co-workers, clients, and volunteers. Take immediate action to prevent or address safety concerns.
Assist with animal euthanasia and prepare deceased animals for cremation.
Other duties as assigned.
Client Care:
Provide welcoming, informative, courteous and non-judgmental customer service; proactively assist visitors with tours, general questions, and referrals; maintain knowledge of SBH programs and services in order to identify and offer solution-based recommendations, such as financial assistance, TNR, retail, dog training, pet surrender, and pet pantry.
Accurately and efficiently process animal intake and outcome, waivers, adoptions, cremation requests, retail sales, and other shelter related data-entry tasks; display proficiency in shelter software.
Encourage animal adoption through conversational match-making and
education; provide accurate information on animal health and behavior; introduce
potential adopters to animals; make good faith effort to ensure animal’s
behavior, medical, and social needs will be met in the home; bring placement
concerns forward to supervisor as-needed.
Counsel and assist pet owners on alternatives to animal surrender and availability of SBH Safety Net services in a non-judgmental and empathetic manner; work cooperatively and liaison with other departments to ensure clients have access to programs.
Work collaboratively with the Philanthropy and Outreach Department on
marketing animals, including photographs and videos, and other special
projects as assigned.
Work off-site outreach and/or adoption events as assigned practicing low-stress
animal handling to ensure positive and safe interactions with the public; provide general event support as-assigned.
Perform all general front desk duties including answering phones and voicemails; data entry and recordkeeping; retail inventory; accepting in-kind donations; and general housekeeping duties.
Proactively promote SB Humane programs and services and encourage charitable support for the organization.
Actively integrate volunteers by providing a welcoming work environment; practicing mentorship, training, and advancement opportunities; and offering feedback on volunteer performance.
Maintain the clinic department in a safe, orderly, clean, manner; perform daily housekeeping and restocking, promptly report facility or equipment repair or maintenance needs.
Minimum Qualifications:
A sincere interest in supporting and advocating for the philosophies, policies, and mission of Santa Barbara Humane.
Effective verbal and written communication skills; able to read, speak, and write in English.
Experience providing customer service in a busy environment.
Ability to multitask and shift priorities throughout the workday.
Ability to assist people from a variety of backgrounds who may have different orientations to animals due to cultural traditions.
Volunteer or paid experience in an animal shelter, kennel, or veterinary hospital environment is preferred as is knowledge of dog and cat behavior characteristics, training, and handling.
Ability and willingness to work in an environment where euthanasia of animals occurs.
A commitment to Fear-Free™ animal handling and a sincere interest in supporting the mission and philosophy of Santa Barbara Humane, a Socially Conscious Shelter.
Working Environment:
Work is conducted within an animal shelter environment. This may involve exposure to environmental factors, including temperature fluctuations, elevated noise levels, zoonotic diseases, animal waste, potentially hazardous chemicals or materials requiring OSHA Safety Data Sheets, anesthetics, sharp objects, as well as the possibility of interacting with hostile individuals and handling dangerous or aggressive animals.
Physical Requirements:
Must be able to stand, walk, sit, talk, hear and see, stoop, bend, squat, kneel, grasp, put fingers together firmly and reach above and below shoulder level and lift; push, lift or pull 30 pounds for situations of restraining or moving animals and lifting supplies, materials and equipment;
Repetitively use hands to move animals around and operate computers;
Flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist;
Specific vision abilities required are close and mid-range vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and ability to focus;
Appropriately and humanely restrain cats and dogs; control dogs on a leash; work with a variety of animals in multiple settings both in and out of the clinic/shelter;
Be able to tolerate extended work periods of ten (10) hours of performing moderately strenuous activities, standing, lifting, stretching and bending;
Work in an environment with daily changes in indoor and outdoor climates;
May require long hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, to ensure the shelter’s operation and address emergencies or issues outside of regular working hours.
Please note: Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Mental and Emotional Resilience:
This position involves direct exposure to animals in various conditions, including those who may be injured, sick, neglected, in distress, or deceased. Employees may also be required to interact with members of the public during emotionally charged or sensitive situations. As a result, the role necessitates a high level of mental and emotional resilience to effectively perform duties, maintain professional judgment, and provide compassionate care.
Organizational Competencies
Dependability
Demonstrates reliability by consistently meeting work schedules, deadlines, and commitments; responds to changing priorities with flexibility while maintaining focus on organizational goals and animal welfare needs.
Critical Thinking
Analyzes situations objectively, using sound judgment to make decisions that balance animal care, public safety, and organizational resources; anticipates potential challenges and proactively develops solutions.
Customer Service
Provides compassionate, respectful, and responsive service to the public, volunteers, and colleagues; effectively manages sensitive interactions, including emotionally charged situations involving animals and community members.
Diversity and Ethics
Promotes a culture of inclusion and respect for diverse individuals, backgrounds, and perspectives; upholds ethical standards in handling animals, confidential information, and interactions with the community.
Teamwork
Collaborates with colleagues across departments to achieve shared goals; fosters a positive work environment by valuing others’ contributions and providing support during high-volume or emergency situations.
Work Quality
Completes tasks accurately and thoroughly, maintaining high standards for animal care, facility cleanliness, and record-keeping; actively seeks opportunities to improve efficiency and outcomes.
This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change, for example, emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological breakdown.