Animal Care Technician

Do you love dogs and cats? Does watching a shelter pet blossom and grow in confidence rock your world? Then we are looking for you! The Adoption Center at the Alaska SPCA is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Animal Care Technician.  The successful applicant will have at least six months prior, hands-on experience working with dogs and cats in a kennel, clinical, or boarding/daycare setting.  This is an active position that requires a great degree of physical activity including lifting, bending, and walking.  Most importantly, successful applicants must love dogs and cats and be willing to engage with shelter pets for training and enrichment, as well as basic care, cleaning, and feeding. 

The Alaska SPCA Adoption Center staff are essential for protecting the health and safety of shelter pets in our care. All AC staff are responsible for key tasks that prevent the spread of disease; facilitate adoptions and fostering of pets; and activities that promote animal well-being.  All AC staff are responsible for general facility maintenance and upkeep, up to tasks in which outside professionals or handypersons are needed. 

Essential Duties: While general expectations are outlined below, additional duties may be required from time to time. Duties for full-time AC Animal Care Technicians include: 

Health and Safety 

• Daily care, cleaning and feeding for dogs and cats. 
• Remove waste, replace bedding, disinfect kennels. 
• Remove food bowls, refill and provide fresh food and water in clean bowls. 
• Wash food and water bowls. 
• Wash lightly soiled bedding daily. Throw away heavily soiled bedding. For long-term residents, keep bedding in kennel unless dirty and wash weekly.  
• Remove food from all animal kennels at end of day (except nursing moms/puppies/kittens). 
• Complete initial training and periodic updates for: 
• Fear Free Shelters 
• Handling & Restraint 
• How to Administer Vaccinations 
• How to Administer Microchips 
• Follow approved protocols for intakes of new pets including: 
• Quarantine 
• Vaccination and preventative treatments (i.e., deworming, ear mite treatment) 

• Use of PPE and cleaning/disinfecting strategies for pets with communicable diseases including distemper, parvo, FIV, and panleukopenia. 

Facilitate Fostering and Adoption 

• Answer incoming emails, phone calls, check voice mails, and return calls related to fostering or adoption of AC pets. 
• Participate in off-site adoption events 
• Update the shelter management software with relevant information and photos for AC pets. 
• Process foster and adoption applications, including: 
• following up on incoming applications 
• completing relevant records for adopted or fostered pets 
• accepting payment of adoption fees 
• updating owner information in clinic software for pets that are adopted 
• adding “Other Interested Contacts” for pets in foster 
• scheduling/confirming any remaining clinic appts (i.e. final vaccinations) 

Animal Well-being 

• Work with volunteers for assistance with cleaning and sanitation of facility, outdoor resources, bedding, litterboxes, kennels/condos, and food/water bowls. 
• Facilitate animal enrichment activities including volunteer opportunities, animal exercise and training, and use of resources (cat toys, puzzle boxes, snuffle mats, stuffed Kongs, etc) to prevent kennel stress. 
• Assist with animal transport for clinic appointments when volunteer options are not available. 

General Facility Upkeep 

• Sweep and mop floors daily. 
• Empty trash. 
• Maintain the outside of the property and keep it free of trash and animal waste. 

• Dust and sweep common areas to include the front office. 

Dependability and a strong work ethic are vital to this role. Adoption Center staff work a variety of shifts starting as early as 8AM and going as late as 8PM, with occasional duties required outside these hours.  Weekend shifts should be expected.  As a small staff, each person is heavily relied upon.  Employees must have their own form of transportation, an Alaska driver's license, and be eligible to be added to the company's auto insurance policy.