Shelter Animal Care Technician (ACT) Part-Time

York County SPCA; York (York County); On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

York County SPCA in York, United States, is seeking Part-Time Animal Caretakers to provide compassionate daily care for shelter animals, including dogs, cats, and small mammals.

The role offers 30 hours per week across three days, with a Saturday or Sunday shift required, from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM. It is a hands-on position focused on feeding, cleaning, enrichment, and aiding adoptions.

You will join a dedicated team committed to animal wellbeing and compassionate care standards.

Qualifications

• Personal animal handling experience with cats and dogs.
• 1-2 years of professional or volunteer experience handling animals (cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs).

Responsibilities

• Care for cats, dogs, small animals, and exotic animals via feeding, cleaning kennels, walking, and general care.
• Assist with adoption meet-and-greet appointments to support placements.
• Bathe animals and administer medications as directed.
• Maintain a clean and sanitary facility and restock supplies.
• Provide daily care to animals in medical quarantine and report health concerns.
• Support enrichment, playgroups, and adoption events as needed.

Skills

Animal handling

Care for dogs and cats

Job description

Join Our Animal Care Team!

We’re hiring Part-Time Animal Caretakers to help provide compassionate care for the animals in our shelter every day. If you’re hardworking, dependable, and passionate about animal care, we’d love to meet you!

Position Details:

3 days per week (One day must be a Saturday or Sunday) - Consistent schedule each week

10-hour shifts (30 hours weekly)

Hours: 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM

This is a hands‑on role where you’ll make a real difference in the lives of animals while working alongside a dedicated team that cares deeply about their wellbeing.

Come be part of something meaningful — the animals are counting on you!

Position Overview:

The Animal Care Technician (ACT) plays a critical role in caring for many of the animals at the York County SPCA. In addition to providing animal enrichment, the ACT is responsible for the general care and maintenance of shelter animals including walking, feeding, cleaning, disinfecting, grooming, vaccinating, and medicating shelter animals. ACTs become well acquainted with shelter animals and provide detailed animal descriptions to help facilitate adoptions. ACTs participate in animal enrichment, playgroups, and adoption meets. ACTs work with various species of animals, but most often care for dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, and rodents.

Duties and Responsibilities:

All Animal Care Technicians are responsible for:

• Performs basic animal husbandry tasks including cleaning kennels and cages, feeding, walking, and general care for cats, dogs, small animals (e.g., rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice, hamsters, ferrets), and exotic animals.
• Assists with adoption meet‑and‑greet appointments to support successful placements.
• Bathes animals and administers oral and topical medications as directed.
• Maintains a clean, organized, and sanitary facility by completing laundry, restocking supplies, and following cleaning protocols.
• Provides daily care to animals in medical quarantine, ensuring their physical and emotional needs are met.
• Observes animals and promptly reports any signs of illness, injury, or behavioral issues to the supervisor.
• Transitions animals from intake areas to the adoption floor as appropriate.
• Restrains animals for medical treatments such as blood draws or vaccinations in a safe manner.
• Provides socialization, exercise, and enrichment activities to enhance animal well‑being.
• Participates in dog playgroups to support behavioral health and adoptability.
• Adds sick animals to the medical board as needed.
• Assists with the intake and organization of donations as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the mission of the York County SPCA.

Education and Experience:

Required:

• Personal animal handling experience with cats and dogs.

Preferred:

• 1-2 Years of professional or volunteer experience handling animals – cats, dogs, rabbits, and guinea pigs.

Physical Requirements:

• The ability to lift up to 40 pounds without assistance.
• The ability to independently retain leash control of dogs up to 125 pounds.
• The ability to work both inside and outside of the shelter.
• The ability to bend, squat, and stand for extended periods of time.
• The ability to independently handle and restrain small animals, cats, and dogs.
• The ability to stand for a 10‑hour shift.

Working Conditions and Expectations:

• A minimum of four holiday shifts are required in a calendar year.
• Some fundraising and event attendance may be required.
• Comfortable with regular exposure to animal odors, diseases, possible contagious conditions, bites, scratches, animal waste, and moderate noise levels.
• Potential for exposure to zoonotic diseases and cleaning chemicals.
• Potential for exposure to dangerous and fractious animals.

The York County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (YCSPCA) is a charitable organization that provides long‑term human and animal services to residents of York County through programs that find permanent, loving homes for stray and displaced animals. We work hard towards helping control the animal population growth rates, investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty offenders, and educating the public about animal wellness and safety.

York County SPCA employees believe and support our organizational values of Compassion, Integrity, Resilience, Collaboration, Lifesaving, and Excellence (CIRCLE).

Compassion

We believe in the inherent goodness of people and pets.

Integrity

trust is the cornerstone of our success and is earned through consistent displays of integrity.

Resilience

Resilience is the spring within us, always ready to bounce back, no matter how far we are pushed down.

Collaboration

Building bridges and creating partnerships allows us to save more lives.

Lifesaving

Saving lives is not just a duty but a noble and sacred endeavor.

Excellence

Excellence is not just a goal – it’s our DNA.