Relief Animal Caretaker

American Humane Society; Palm City (FL); On-site; USD 21,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

American Humane Society seeks a part-time, independent contractor to serve as an Animal Caretaker at the Sanctuary in Palm City, FL. The Relief Animal Caretaker supports animal care staff with day-to-day upkeep of the property and all animal residents, reporting to the Director, Sanctuary & Military Affairs Programming.

Responsibilities include feeding, grooming, monitoring health, administering medications, providing enrichment, and basic property maintenance.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s in animal science preferred.
• Licensed Animal Care Technician or equivalent experience desired but not required.
• General knowledge of animal behavior, husbandry, and care important; equine experience required.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and handle physical duties.

Responsibilities

• Provide appropriate quantity and quality of food and water to animals daily.
• Ensure animals are groomed, bathed, exercised, and provided with enrichment as appropriate.
• Monitor animals for changes and report concerns to Sanctuary Director.
• Follow veterinary care instructions and disease control protocols.
• Maintain detailed records of daily husbandry and medical care.

Skills

Animal care knowledge

Equine experience

Bird care

Dog kennel experience

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate or Bachelor’s in animal science or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Outlook

Excel

Job description

American Humane Society(AHS)isseekingapart-time, independent contractor to serve asanAnimalCaretaker(Caretaker) at its Sanctuary.This positionwill bebasedon-siteat theAHS Sanctuary in PalmCity, FLand reports directly to theDirector, Sanctuary & Military Affairs Programming.

Fornearly 150years,American HumaneSociety(AHS)has led the way in protecting animals and strengthening the bonds between animals and people. We respond first when animals need rescue, shelter, or protection. Through our groundbreaking programs – from our “No Animals Were Harmed®” certification in Hollywood to our farm and conservation welfare standards – we set the highest level of care and compassion in animal protection.

WorkingwithAHSmeans being part of something bigger. With offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Palm Beach, we provide a supportive, professional environment where your work makes a real difference in animals’ lives.American Humane Society is committed to fostering a welcoming workplace. As weseekto fill this position, we highly encourage high-performing applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

Position summary:

The part-time Relief AnimalCaretakersupports animal care staff withday-to-dayupkeepof the property and all animal residents of the Sanctuary.The Caretaker, reporting to the Director, Sanctuary & Military Affairs Programming (Director) and working in close collaboration with thefull-time Caretaker andChief Veterinary Officer & Animal Ethicist (CVO), is responsible for ensuring the welfare, safety and proper care of animals residing on the property, whether their stay is short- or long-term, as well as ensuring the property remains in good condition. Daily animal care duties include cleaning, feeding, grooming, administration of veterinary medications and treatments, providing enrichment, etc. for a variety of animals including horses, dogs,birdsand other species yet to be determined.Property care includes performing basic maintenance and communicating with vendors doing work at the property.

Responsibilities:

• Provideappropriate quantityand quality of food and water to animals daily.
• Ensure animals are properly groomed, bathed, exercised, and provided with enrichment asappropriate.
• Monitor animals, noting any eating, drinking, health, behavior or temperament changes and report concerns to the Sanctuary Director to discuss any issues.
• Follow all veterinary care instructions and recommendations.
• Ensure stress and disease risk are minimized by following best husbandry practices on housing and caring for animals.
• Follow established disease control protocols to extensively clean, disinfect andmaintainkennels, cages, stalls, and other areas of the Sanctuary.
• Administer basic first aid to any animal’s minor wounds as needed following the guidance of onsite Horse Care SOP’s, Birds Care SOP’s and Kennel Protocols.
• Maintain detailed records on the daily husbandry and medical care of each animal.

Facility & Property Maintenance:

• Regularly walk the property and keep an eye on things to ensure any issues are addressed or taken care of ina timelymanner.
• Perform basic, routine maintenance work, which could include things like clearing brush, mending fences, shoveling manure, etc.
• Keep leadershipapprisedof work being done on site, flagging anyissuesor communicating decisions that need to be made, particularly about things that may have short- or long-term impact on animal health and welfare.
• Ensure the facilityremainsstocked with all necessary inventory, informing management of any low supplies
• Ensure a safe work environment, follow safetyguidelinesand model safe work practices; take immediate action to remedy or address any safety issues.
• Ensure the Sanctuary facility meets American Humane Certified Animal Welfare Standards, as they pertain to speciesresidingpermanently or temporarily at the property.

Essential experience, knowledge,skillsand abilities:

• High school diplomaor equivalent experiencerequired.Associate’s orBachelor’slevel degree in animal science, biological sciences or other relevant degree, preferred
• Licensed Animal Care Technician or equivalent experience strongly desired but notrequired
• General knowledge of animal behavior, husbandry, and careisimportant, equine experiencerequired,bird care anddog kennel experience desired
• Proven knowledge and experience to safely implement and carry out care-related animal husbandry best practices for all species of animalsresidingat the Sanctuary
• Skills assessing animals such as whether they are alert and responsive or not acting normally as well as taking their temperature, pulse, and respiration rate
• Ability to administer medications via mouth and/or injection, eye and nasal medications, clean wounds, and change bandages
• Ability to check vital signs againstpreviousassessments and report significant differences. Administer a cursory physical examination to assess general health including the condition of the animal’s teeth
• Basic maintenance skills and ability to troubleshoot property issues before they become major problems
• Ability to remain calm and composed in stressful or emergency situations
• Effectively prioritize workload and need
• Ability to effectively work with a variety of people in different situations
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Handle confidential information with a high levelof discretion
• Use sound judgement; able to problem-solve quickly and independently
• Ability to collaborate effectively and work as part of a team
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, in particular Outlook for email and scheduling, and Excel for record keeping.
• Ability to learnnew technologyand enter and track information in a database

Direct reports:

None

Physical demands and work environment:

Position will be based out of American Humane Society’s Sanctuary facility in Palm City,FL.Work is expected to be on Friday,Saturdayand Sunday for up to 30 hours. Schedule and hours per day are flexible.

Must be able toliftupto 50lbs and carry 30lbs as needed for animal care and property management

Must be able to bend, lift, push, pull, stoop, kneel, reach, manual dexterity, etc.in order toperform daily animal care needs

Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to communicate with staff, volunteers, vendors, and animals

Possible exposureto animal hazards such as dog bites and zoonotic diseases

May require immunization against Hepatitis A&B, Rabies and Tetanus

Must have valid driver’s license and clean driving record

May berequiredtosubmitto pre-employment and random drug testing as a condition of employment

American Humane Society’s core values define our workplace, and these values serve as the cornerstone for interactions in advancing our mission and institutional goals.Contractorsare expected to adhere to all organizational policies and to act as role models,demonstratingAmerican Humane Society’s core values:

• Compassion– Being kind and caring in our interactions with others.
• Accountability- Holding ourselves to the highest standards. Following through on commitments and owning our actions, behavior, and decisions.
• Respect for All– Being professional, listening to others and honoring diversity in all its forms.
• Loyalty to Mission– Staying focused on our purpose and our mission – our nation’s most vulnerable depend on us.
• Sustainability- Contributing to beinga great placeto work and achieving our shared mission and goals to make a difference, now and in the future.
• Honesty, Integrity, Trust– Demonstrating transparency,trusted stewards of donor resources, supporting our leadership and one another.

American Humane Society (AHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to fostering a welcoming, supportive workplace where our work makes a real difference in animals' lives.

Title:Part-Time SanctuaryAnimalCaretaker