Animal Welfare Attendant

Wake County; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 52,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Wake County Animal Center in Raleigh, NC is seeking an Animal Welfare Attendant (AWA) to provide daily care, monitoring, and feeding for most animals housed at the center. You will also sanitize kennels, assist adoption counselors, and support daily shelter operations during adoption hours.

This fast-paced role requires compassion, reliability, and teamwork, with responsibilities including handling communal tasks and supporting foster partners. Work shifts include weekends and varied start times.

Qualifications

• Two years of related animal care experience.
• Previous animal shelter experience.
• No specific education level required.
• Equivalent education and experience accepted.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily care, monitoring, and feeding for most housed animals.
• Sanitize assigned kennels each morning and provide follow-up care during the day.
• Act as adoption counselor during adoption hours, assist customers seeking a new pet or lost pet.
• Perform communal tasks like laundry, cleaning the animal kitchen, sweeping, and mopping.

Skills

Animal care exp

Animal shelter exp

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Fast-paced

Animal handling

Job description

What You'll Be Doing

The AnimalWelfare Attendant (AWA) team members are expected to provide and maintain a high standard of daily care, monitoring and feeding almost all the animals housed at the Wake County Animal Center. AWAs are responsible for sanitizing their assigned kennels each morning in the time allotted and providing follow-up care throughout the day

The staff members on the AWA team are also responsible for tasks assigned by the Animal Welfare Manager or Animal Welfare Supervisors, as well as daily tasks that are performed communally. Some examples of communal tasks are:

• Laundry
• Cleaning the animal kitchen
• Sweeping
• Mopping
• Putting away animals after surgery

Some examples of daily assigned tasks are:

• Deep cleaning supply areas
• Deep cleaning the kitchen
• Performing animal inventory

The AWAs at WCACare also act as adoption counselors throughout our adoption hours, which are normally noon to 6:00 pm. During this time, the AWA staff members may assist customers who are looking for a new addition to their family or searching for their lost pet, answer radio calls from the front desk staff to provide support, and assist foster parents or rescue partners. Due to the large number of kennels and duties to be performed daily, the AWAs work in a fast paced environment where efficiency and effectiveness are of the upmost importance. Also, because the Animal Center is an open-admission facility, the animals that come into the Center may have behavioral or medical issues which require special care, proper and humane animal handling, and recognition of common or infectious animal disease.

About Our Team

The Wake County Animal Center is an open-admission animal shelter operated by Wake County Government and on average takes in between 7,000 to 9,000 animals each year. We receive all stray, abandoned and surrendered pets in Wake County. The Center works in partnership with fosters, volunteers and local rescues, to treat and rehome thousands of homeless animals every year.

The Basics (Required Education and Experience)

• No specific education level required
• No specific experience required
• Equivalent education and experience are accepted

• Please include ALL prior work experience on your application and resume.

Beyond the Basics (Preferred Education and Experience)

• Two years of related animal care experience
• Previous animal shelter experience

How Will We Know You're 'The One'?

• Ability to confidently and proactively assess situations and determine the appropriate course of actions within assigned parameters
• Ability to demonstrate a high degree of accountability
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to build and maintain positive, productive relationships with peers, colleagues and management
• Excellent customer service skills
• Ability to work with all types of domesticated animals
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Knowledge of animal handling techniques
• Ability to work well with others in a stressful environment
• Self-motivation and proven time management skills
• Ability to work under general OR constant supervision

About This Position

Location: Wake County Animal Control Raleigh, NC 27610

Employment Type: Regular

Work Schedule: 40 hours Sunday through Saturday with shifts varying between 7:00am to 6:30pm

Hiring Range: 24.98 - 27.17

Market Range: 24.98 - 29.36

Please include ALL prior work experience on your application and resume.

Posting Closing Date: 7:00 pm on 9/21/2026

What Makes Wake Great

Consistently ranked high among the best places to live and work in America, Wake County is the proud home to NC State University, Research Triangle Park, and the two-time Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes, winners in 2006 and 2026. In addition to being Wake County’s seat of government, Raleigh is also the center of state government, with the Capitol Building, legislature and many state government offices located in Raleigh. With an estimated population of just over 1.2 million residents, Wake County is North Carolina’s most populous county. Entertainment, recreation, and art and culture abound with the North Carolina Museum of Art, JC Raulston Arboretum, and the Neuse River Trail all in the heart of Wake County. Wake County uses the Council/Manager form of government. Currently, the seven members of the Board of Commissioners are elected by district on a partisan basis and serve four-year terms. Starting in fall 2026, the Wake County Board will have seven commissioners elected by voters in their districts and two at-large commissioners elected by the whole County. The County is regarded as a fiscally responsible and well-managed government, enjoying a AAA bond rating. The County’s FY2027 General Fund budget is approximately $2.28 billion, and the County has more than 5,000 full time employees. Wake County Government came in at #2 on the Healthiest Employers list for 2024. This year, US News & World Report ranked Raleigh #5 on its list of Best Places to Live, and the Milken Institute ranked Raleigh #1 on its 2025 list of Best-Performing Cities.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Wake County provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

Background Check Statement

Position may require a background check that may include: criminal, credit, motor vehicle, education, and sexual offender registry or others based on job requirements. Unless required by state law, a record of conviction will not automatically exclude you from consideration for employment. Wake County Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Emergency Service Worker Statement

In the event of an emergency, as determined by the County Manager or designee, participation in preparedness and response operations should be expected. Employee may be required to fill a temporary assignment in a role different from standard duties, work hours and/or work location in preparation for, during and after the emergency. Employee may also be required to participate in relevant exercises and regular preparedness training.