Animal Care and Adoptions Specialist

Best Friends Animal Society; New York (NY); On-site; USD 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Best Friends Animal Society in New York, NY is seeking an Animal Care and Adoptions Specialist to support adoptions, care, and lifesaving programs. The role emphasizes compassionate animal handling, client counseling, and teamwork to advance the no-kill mission.

The position requires experience with cats and dogs, a service‑oriented mindset, and the ability to work in a fast-paced shelter environment. Hiring range is $20–$22 per hour, plus benefits.

Qualifications

• Experience with cats and dogs; able to leash, kennel, walk, and handle animals, including those with health/behavior needs.
• Basic ability to identify medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats.
• Fear Free certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Promote and facilitate pet adoptions, provide customer service, new pet parent counseling, and post-adoption support.
• Deliver superior customer service to adopters, fosters and transfer partners; match animals with clients.
• Support volunteers; follow lifesaving care protocols, data entry, and communications.
• Collaborate with team to achieve lifesaving goals; follow policies, documentation, and task lists.
• Maintain a safe workplace and communicate unsafe practices to leadership.

Skills

Cat & Dog Handling

Fear Free

Bilingual

Customer Service

Team Player

Organization

Microsoft Office

Tools

Shelter software

Animal management software

Job description

Animal Care and Adoptions Specialist - New York, NY

The Best Friend's Mission is to do nothing short of making history by bringing about a time when there are No More Homeless Pets. Our goal is that every animal shelter in every community in the country be no kill.

The fact is, we have a great culture, populated by fun, dedicated, and brilliant people. But we're always looking for talented people who can help us make history, and that's where you come in.

Hiring Range: This position’s hiring range is anticipated to be $20 to $22 per hour, depending on experience, plus great benefits!

Permanent Location: 307 W Broadway, New York, NY 11206

Position Summary:

Lifesaving & Care Specialists are responsible for the daily functions, and growth of lifesaving programs such as adoptions, as well as providing basic animal care for animals in our program locations. Specialists act with urgency to accomplish important tasks and play a direct role in achieving Best Friends Animal Society’s no-kill mission and organizational success. Specialists may receive intensive assignments in a particular program, based on organizational needs.

• Demonstrate kindness and the Golden Rule in our everyday actions by practicing inclusion and respect for every person for the value they bring to the table. Be a role model for the spirit of authenticity, kindness and positive influence with each other, our visitors, and volunteers as well as to the animals every day. This includes listening, being present, being supportive of others and demonstrating compassion and curiosity in conflict.
• Promote and facilitate pet adoptions, providing superior customer service, new pet parent counselling, and post-adoption support throughout.
• Deliver superior customer service, assist adopters, fosters and transfer partners by gathering information to match them with appropriate animals; develop general knowledge of the animals in the Best Friends’ care, and in our partner shelters’ care, when necessary, to best match both animal and client needs.
• Work directly with and support volunteers on all aspects and protocols of lifesaving care and outcome programs, including but not limited to program protocols, cleaning protocols, specific animal behavior and care, animal handling, transportation requirements and procedures, data entry, and communications.
• Work collaboratively with Best Friends’ team members in all areas of operations to achieve lifesaving goals; follow Best Friends policies, procedures, and task lists for daily lifesaving outcome assignments, including accurate and timely communications, work completion, data entry, and recordkeeping.
• Maintain a safe workplace, value, and model safe work practices, adhering to organizational safety practices and rules, and communicate to leadership about unsafe practices and conditions.

Skills and Experience:

• Previous experience working with and/or volunteering with cats and dogs is required. Ability to work with, leash, kennel, walk, and handle cats and dogs, including those with health and/or behavior conditions/concerns; basic ability to identify and speak to medical and behavioral characteristics of dogs and cats. Fear free certification is a plus.
• Bilingual or multi-lingual skills preferred but not required.
• Customer-centric, non-judgmental approach to engaging with adopters, partners, visitors, volunteers, and colleagues; familiarity and comfort with a conversational adoption process.
• Strong interpersonal skills, a team player, personable, professional, and able to get along with people from different backgrounds, as well as the ability to handle sensitive and confidential situations.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with well-developed organization skills to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Resourceful, get-it-done attitude; initiative to assist in any area or process; problem solving, seeking answers independently and enthusiastically; flexibility to persist until goals are achieved.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products; familiarity with shelter software/animal management software, or desire to learn.

Physical Requirements:

• Routinely lift 40 pounds and perform daily strenuous activity including, but not limited to lifting, carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, cleaning, and bending.
• Perform repetitive tasks for extended periods of time including typing, sitting, walking, arm, and hand motion.
• Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.
• Exposure to dogs, cats and other animals of all sizes, temperaments, and medical status.
• Valid driver’s license, meeting Best Friends Animal Society’s driver qualification standards; ability to travel, including overnight stays, when needed.
• Daily hours and days of the week may vary according to the needs of the department schedule; position includes weekends, nights, and holiday work.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.

Culture Statement and Responsibility

We believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, building trust through authenticity and following through on commitments. We prioritize well-being alongside our mission, fostering strong relationships through open communication and transparent feedback. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, enriching team dynamics by valuing diverse perspectives. Each team member is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where all voices are respected and contributing to a workplace that embodies our shared values and commitment to progress. By consistently aligning our actions with our Guiding Principles, we strengthen our culture and ensure that our values are lived every day.

Best Friends received a 2022 Top Workplaces USA award from Energage.

Visit the Best Friends Animal Society page on the Energage Top Workplaces award winners' site here to learn more. Not only do we take pride in cultivating a welcoming and supportive community and culture for our employees, but we also offer competitive benefits that make it easy to see why we were granted such an awesome award. We offer competitive pay including the opportunity to receive a discretionary bonus based on performance. We offer medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short- and long-term disability, dependent care reimbursement, pet sitting reimbursement when traveling for work, flexible spending account, and health savings account. We offer generous paid time off, nine paid holidays annually, an auto insurance discount, and legal and identity theft coverage. For added well-being support, we offer pawternity leave for employees to have time to care for their personal pets, mental health support, and an employee assistance program. We also offer a generous 401(k) savings plan.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status. Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.