Kennel Attendant - Feline

HumanePro; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Richmond Animal League is seeking an Animal Care and Enrichment Specialist to provide top-tier care for shelter cats. You will monitor health, perform enrichment, and collaborate with feline, veterinary, foster, and adoption teams to support welfare and adoption efforts.

The role requires attention to animal well-being, documentation, and adherence to Fear Free and safety protocols. This full-time position involves weekend shifts and working in a dynamic shelter environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 21 years of age or older.
• At least one year of paid hands-on small animal care experience; paid or substantial volunteer experience accepted.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet shelter driving and insurance requirements.
• Bilingual speakers are encouraged to apply and will be compensated ($1000 annually).

Responsibilities

• Observe animals for health, stress, injury, or illness and document concerns.
• Follow established shelter protocols and low-stress handling.
• Assist with animal care, medications, vaccinations, and other treatments as trained.
• Maintain animal records, enrichment, and medical observations.
• Transport animals to partners and off-site appointments.
• Assist with shelter maintenance, cleaning, laundry, stocking supplies, and transport vehicles.
• Provide daily enrichment and socialization based on cat needs.
• Follow sanitation and disease prevention protocols.
• Support moves, adoptions, foster transitions, and volunteers.
• Assist and train volunteers on procedures and safety.

Skills

Feline care

Observation & documentation

Time management

Safety protocols

Communication skills

Fear Free handling

Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Google Workspace

Database usage

Independent & team work

Tools

Google Workspace

Database

Job description

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Job Description

The Animal Care and Enrichment Specialist (ACES) will provide top-tier care for cats at Richmond Animal League. This role is essential in ensuring our shelter cats' physical and mental health, safety, and well-being while maintaining a clean, organized, and enriching environment.

The position works closely with the feline, veterinary, foster, and adoption teams to provide consistent, compassionate, and efficient care.

Essential Functions

• Observe individual animal appearance and activity for general physical conditions, stress, injury, and/or illness, and accurately document and promptly communicate concerns.
• Follow established shelter protocols/procedures.
• Use low-stress and Fear Free handling techniques when moving, restraining, medicating, and caring for cats.
• Assist the animal care and veterinary team as needed with animal handling, medication administration, vaccinations, and other treatments as trained and authorized under established veterinary protocols.
• Maintain accurate animal records, including daily care, enrichment, behavior, medical observations, and other relevant information.
• Transport animals from RAL’s transfer partners and to off-site appointments.
• Assist in the general maintenance of the shelter facility, including cleaning kennels/floors/ etc, washing laundry, removing trash, stocking supplies, and cleaning/stocking transport vehicles.
• Provide daily enrichment, socialization, and opportunities for choice based on each cat’s behavioral and medical needs.
• Follow established sanitation and infectious-disease prevention protocols.
• Assist with animal movement, population rounds, adoption preparation, foster transitions, and transfers as needed.
• Assist and train volunteers with procedures and safety protocols.
• Perform opening and closing duties.
• Greet and welcome all visitors; communicate with foster parents as needed.
• Communicate respectfully and professionally with adopters, foster caregivers, volunteers, coworkers, and community members.
• Maintain kennel signage and information boards in the shelter.
• Cross-train with the canine team and the adoptions team.
• Volunteers are an integral part of RAL. As an employee, you will work closely with volunteers in many aspects. Employees are expected to build and maintain positive relationships with volunteers, recognize their contributions, and serve as a resource for questions, training, and support.

Required Education & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 21 years of age or older
• At least one year of paid experience in hands-on small animal care / veterinary medicine; paid or substantial volunteer experience accepted
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet RAL’s driving and insurance requirements
• Bilingual speakers are encouraged to apply and will be compensated ($1000 annually)

Competencies

• Knowledge of basic feline care, behavior, body language, and handling
• Ability to recognize signs of illness, injury, pain, fear, anxiety, and stress
• Ability to follow written medical, sanitation, behavioral, and safety protocols
• Basic companion animal handling skills
• Initiative with time management and organizational skills
• Astute observation and documentation skills
• Sound judgment and the ability to determine when concerns require escalation
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team
• Ability to remain calm and professional in a fast-paced and emotionally demanding environment
• Basic technology abilities, including using a database and Google Workspace
• Ability to work with a diverse group of individuals
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Commitment to positive reinforcement, low-stress handling, and humane animal care
• Complete Fear Free Shelter training within 90 days of hire

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, non-exempt position requiring approximately 40 hours per week. The schedule includes one weekend day each week and may include evenings, holidays, and occasional schedule changes based on shelter needs. Shifts may range from eight to ten hours. Regular, predictable, and reliable attendance is essential to the position.

Work Environment

Work is performed primarily in an animal shelter environment with frequent exposure to loud noise, cleaning and disinfecting chemicals, animal hair and dander, bodily fluids, infectious diseases, zoonotic illnesses, and the possibility of animal bites and scratches. The position may involve emotionally difficult situations, including animals experiencing illness, injury, behavioral decline, or euthanasia. Appropriate personal protective equipment must be worn as required.

Physical Demands

This position requires frequent standing, walking, bending, kneeling, crouching, reaching, grasping, and repetitive hand movement. The employee must be able to safely handle and restrain cats, move animal carriers and supplies, and lift and carry up to 50 pounds with or without reasonable accommodation.

This is a full time job

Contact Information

Name Anne Auditore Title HRBP Email Address [e-mail] Website https://www.ral.org/work-at-ral

Job Contact Details

Closing Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Posting Date: October 6, 2026

Closing Date: October 27, 2026