Job Description

Summary:

Under general supervision, provides a wide variety of animal shelter support duties involved in the care of impounded animal, cleaning and maintaining animal care facilities, and operating light vehicles; performs related work as required.

Supervision Received and Exercised:

Receives general supervision from assigned supervisory or management personnel. No direct supervision of staff is exercised. May provide training to less experienced staff.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Senior Animal Services Specialist: This is a journey-level class in the Animal Services Department. Incumbents perform a variety of specialized animal shelter support duties and technical maintenance activities for animal care facilities, fleet vehicles, and other administrative, budgetary, database, and support work.

Essential Functions:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions but are an essential function. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Maintains animal shelter facilities, including cleaning and disinfecting kennels, equipment, and checking fire extinguishers and smoke detectors; cleans facility yard; cleans office areas and restrooms; contacts vendors for maintenance repair estimates.
• Provides care to impounded animals by providing food, water, and comfort; observes animal behavior and health; isolates sick, quarantined, or injured animals; notifies supervisor or other staff members if an animal needs immediate veterinary care.
• Reviews adoption applications to ensure the appropriate placement of animals; counsels citizens regarding animal behavior and temperament; obtains final approval from Animal Shelter Supervisor or designated supervisor.
• Assists in screening calls and visitors; responds to complaints and requests for information; assists in interpreting and applying regulations, policies, procedures, systems, rules, and precedents in response to inquiries and complaints from public.
• Takes photographs of animals, posts them on the animal shelter website, and enters information into the appropriate database for adoption purposes.
• Maintains shelter and office supplies, including inventory, order, and pick-up; operates forklift to store supplies.
• Assists staff with medical exams, drug administration, euthanasia, and microchip implants.
• Provides appropriate housing placement of animals brought into the shelter; updates and modifies impound records; enters information into database; prints applicable forms and obtains appropriate signatures; issues kennel cards.
• Oversees volunteers and work release workers.
• Assists in evacuation of animals during local emergencies or disasters.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

An equivalent combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.  A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Education, Training, and Experience Guidelines
An equivalent combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities may be considered. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
Animal Services Specialist and Senior Animal Services Specialist: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth (12th) grade.
Senior Services Specialist: In addition to the above, two (2) years of experience caring for animals in an animal related care facility and one (1) year varied maintenance experience, preferably involving commercial animal shelter facilities and equipment.

License and Certification Requirements:

• Valid California class C driver’s license with satisfactory driving record and automobile insurance.
• Must obtain initial or renewal of euthanasia certification within first twelve (12) months of employment.

Knowledge of:

• Methods and techniques of handling, collection, impoundment, and registration of a variety of wild and domestic animals in various conditions.
• Identification of various breeds of dogs, cats, and other domestic and wild animals.
• Principles of animal behavior and humane care.
• Applicable codes, regulations, policies, and technical processes and procedures related to the department to which assigned.
• Safe work methods and safety practices pertaining to the work, including the handling of hazardous chemicals.
• Safe driving rules and practices.
• The operation and maintenance of a variety of, vehicles.
• Modern office practices, methods and computer equipment.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for dealing with and solving the problems presented by a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, in person and over the telephone.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to public and Town staff, in person and over the telephone.

Ability to:

• Handle animals in a humane and compassionate manner.
• Learn, interpret, and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Respond to phone calls, walk-up traffic, and other requests for information.
• Conduct safety inspections and establish safe procedures.
• Estimate needed materials and labor and secure sufficient quantities.
• Organize, maintain, and update office database and records systems.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy.
• Operate modern office equipment, including computer equipment and software programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines in politically sensitive situations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Physical Demands and Working Environment:

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to operate a motor vehicle; and to walk on uneven terrain; strength, stamina, and mobility to perform medium physical work; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a field classification with frequent standing in work areas and walking between work areas required. Wrist flexion and lateral rotation are necessary in combination with grasping to handle a snare and leash. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, typewriter keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information and evaluate and/or restrain animals. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects necessary to perform job functions.
Employees primarily work outside with exposure to loud noise levels and may be exposed to inclement weather conditions, animal hair, dust, and potentially hazardous physical substances. May involve exposure to wild, dangerous, and/or diseased animals, and animals known to cause allergies. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Fair Labor Standards Act labels cannot be given to a group of employees. Each employee must meet every requirement for the claimed exemption. The designation mentioned above is for general manager guidelines.