Life Saving Assistant (Full-time)

MUST INCLUDE A COVER LETTER TO BE CONSIDERED

Kitsap Humane Society (KHS) is a progressive animal welfare organization whose mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome homeless animals. We are committed to an open admissions policy, animal rehabilitation and a low euthanasia rate. KHS’s open adoption philosophy is an essential part of our progressive mission, enabling us to save and rehome thousands of animals each year.

Kitsap Humane Society’s Lifesaving Assistant is a compassionate animal lover and team-player with strong people skills, attention to detail, sense of urgency and organizational skills. This position plays a key role in supporting the lifesaving departments, including Transfer/Rescue Me, Adoptions, Foster Care, Canine Behavior and Training, Customer Service, and Animal Care departments. The Lifesaving Assistant is a “wrap around” position that is able to jump into the various lifesaving departments to offer relief to the current Coordinator team during times of short staffing and times of high volume. This position supports these departments in implementing progressive care, promotion and placement for each animal as an individual to help KHS save as many lives as possible.

Adoptions/Customer Service

• Perform adoption counsels for all animal types including dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, barn cats, small animals, reptiles, birds, fowl, and livestock. Review appropriate medical and behavioral information with adopters and ensure appropriate matchmaking for both the pet and the adopter.
• Process adoptions including reviewing contracts and animal records with the adopter, promoting sale of retail items, and taking payment.
• Respond to email and phone inquiries from the public.
• Perform daily walkthrough and update inventory of pets in shelter database.
• List stray pets on website and phone line.
• Process reclaims of lost pets to their owners, process trap rentals, issue licenses to pet owners in the community.
• Perform data entry for medical records, spay/neuter, and vaccinations for shelter pets and animals brought in for low-cost spay/neuter clinic.
• Assist Adoption Coordinator and adoption staff with transporting animals to off-site adoption locations
• Assist adoption staff with inventorying animals in need of adoption bios, restrictions
• Assist Adoption Coordinator by performing regular walkthroughs and submitting reports of new animals to identify those who may need adoption restrictions, special handling guidelines or special adoption packet handouts
• Assist adoption staff with promoting adoptable pets, including writing bios, taking photos and videos, making promotional posters and other displays
• Complete “Adoption Report Card” (ARC) medical assessments for adoptable pets
• Assist Adoption Coordinator and Behavior and Training Coordinator with follow up communication and support for adopted pets

Foster Care

• Assist Foster Care Coordinator with inventorying animals in need of foster care placement, including writing short bios and taking photos
• Assist Foster Care Coordinator with handling pets returning from foster care for adoption, including updating bios and photos and administering booster vaccines
• Assist Foster Care Coordinator in transporting supplies and animals to/from the Mission Creek Correctional Facility for Women and administering booster vaccinations for prison foster pets
• Provide support for general foster department duties such as vaccine appointments, responding to new foster applications and promoting foster care online, as needed
• Support foster department with animals in need of immediate care, such as bottle babies

Rescue Me Transfer

• Assist Transfer Coordinator with transports (may include animal selection)
• Assist Transfer Coordinator with organizing crate cleaning, storage, and cargo shipping
• Perform data entry for transfer animals
• Assist with medical intake, Adoption Report Cards (ARCs), and administering vaccines for new transfer arrivals

Canine Behavior and Training

• Assist Canine Training and Behavior Coordinator with playgroups for shelter dogs
• Assist Canine Training and Behavior Coordinator in communicating, organizing and implementing behavior plans and other action steps generated from weekly Animal Welfare Committee meetings
• Assist Canine Training and Behavior Coordinator with completing dog behavior assessments as needed
• Provide dog walking support on scheduled walking shifts as needed

Animal Care

• Provide kennel cleaning support for all animal types including cats/kittens, dogs/puppies, small animals, birds, livestock, and reptiles.
• Assist Animal Care staff with selecting and preparing kennels for incoming transfer animals
• Assist Animal Care staff with processing newly admitted animals, including taking and uploading intake photos and assisting with administering vaccines
• Process Pet Food Pantry donations to members of the public in need of pet food
• Empty donation bin and organize donations throughout the shelter

Vet Services

• Support vet services team by checking in and checking out patients arriving for low-cost spay/neuter appointments
• Transport animals to and from surgery
• Assist vet with restraint of animals for surgery sedation and intubation
• Perform ARC exams on pets while sedated for surgery
• Perform vaccinations for pets while sedated for surgery
• Assist with post-op recovery of patients
• Administer medication to pets under vet treatment, documenting treatments on vet treatment sheets

Miscellaneous

• Assist Director of Animal Welfare, Events Manager and marketing department with generating content (photos, videos and written pieces) for social media and blog
• Assist Shelter Manager and Director of Animal Welfare with periodic review of animal inventory, ensuring database records (location, status, animal details) match animals in care
• Other duties as assigned

The ideal candidate will:

• Be hard working, proactive, and efficient, and have extremely strong time-management skills
• Be well-organized, extremely attentive to detail, and able to multi-task in a busy, high-stress environment
• Have experience and confidence in handling cats and dogs of all ages, sizes, breeds, and temperaments
• Have experience (or be willing to learn) administering vaccinations and microchips as well as performing other basic medical assessments, procedures and treatments
• Be computer literate (including Microsoft Office suite), social media savvy, and adept with mobile technology
• Have excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Be a strong team player and able to work collaboratively and productively with volunteers, peers and other KHS staff
• Display positivity, friendliness, tact and sound judgment in all interactions with staff, volunteers and the public
• Be able to communicate respectfully and effectively with people of all backgrounds and personalities
• Be able to stay calm, collected, and professional in highly stressful and emotionally-charged situations
• Be approachable and open to constructive feedback and coaching
• Be flexible around our scheduling needs and be available at irregular hours, including occasional early mornings and late nights
• Be positive and open minded towards progressive animal welfare strategies and policies
• Have an understanding of the need for, and comfort with euthanasia
• Enjoy driving long distances, in all kinds of weather
• Have a valid WA driver’s license and clean driving record
• Be able to lift 50 lbs and to be physically able to bend, stoop, kneel, squat, twist, reach, and climb steps

Hours/Compensation:

• This position requires some flexible scheduling
• 40 hours/week (3-5 days a week, both weekend days preferred)
• Starting Wage: $14.60/hour
• Health and dental insurance and other benefits available the 1st of the month after 60 days of employment
• Vacation available after completion of 120-day introductory period
• Sick leave, floating holiday, and holidays
• One free animal adoption per year, after completion of 120-day introductory period

MUST INCLUDE A COVER LETTER TO BE CONSIDERED