Kennel Attendant/ Adoption Counselors (Full-Time & Part-Time)

SAVE, A Friend to Homeless Animals
1010 Route 601, Skillman, NJ 08558

Kennel Attendant/Adoption Counselor
(Job description, revised April 18, 2023)

Status: Full time or Part time, hourly

Schedule: As needed, Weekends required

Formally Reports To: Director of Shelter Operations

Interested candidates: email completed job application from website or a copy of your resume to the

director of shelter operations at SAVE@savehomelessanimals.org

Summary

Perform routine animal care and related duties to resident cats and dogs at SAVE animal shelter.

This work involves cleaning, maintaining kennel areas, and performing related shelter duties.

Employees carry out daily assignments; such as speaking with visitors and potential adopters

regarding resident animals and using independent judgment and training to take appropriate

actions to deal with standard recurring situations.

This individual must demonstrate a passion for companion animal welfare, team spirit, customer

service skills, professionalism, time management skills, and personal development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Kennel Attendant

a. Clean dog kennels, cat cages and performs related housekeeping duties.

b. Maintains proper inventory levels of cleaning and other supplies. Informs manager when

reordering is necessary.

c. Speak to potential adopters about available and suitable pets.

d. Perform daily dog walking, training and enrichment to resident dogs as instructed by

kennel manager.

e. Bathe dogs and cats.

f. Assist other staff with laundry duties.

g. Perform other related work as required.

2. Pet adoption counseling activities

a. Screens potential adopters, reviews applications, files paperwork, observes interactions

between pets and potential adopters, educates owners about proper pet care, sets up

appointments for veterinary procedures, and processes adoption fees.

b. Assist with a variety of other duties at the shelter such as processing donations, answering

phones, updating records, filling out cage cards, ordering supplies, assist with walking dogs

or cleaning cat cages, when required.

c. Other duties, as assigned

3. Personal Development Expectations

a. Be receptive to feedback and coaching

b. Learn new techniques, skills, & strategies

c. Attend related training conferences/seminars (in person and online)

SAVE, A Friend to Homeless Animals
1010 Route 601, Skillman, NJ 08558

d. Share and implement new ideas, strategies, etc.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills

• Knowledge of basic animal husbandry
• Knowledge of basic methods and procedures of kennel cleaning
• Ability to deal courteously and effectively with the public
• Ability to handle animals (cats and dogs) safely and effectively
• Ability to clean kennels efficiently
• Ability to work independently
• Possess strong interpersonal and communication skills

Training and/or Education

High School Diploma or GED

Experience

Experience preferred, but willing to train qualified candidate

Ability to operate a vehicle observing legal and defensive driving practices and operations of

vehicle under all types of weather and road conditions. Must maintain insurability to operate

agency vehicles as a condition of employment.

Licenses or Certificates

Valid driver’s license

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an

employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable

accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential

functions.

a. Dealing with possible unruly, aggressive, sick, injured, and dangerous animals and

impounding the same safely and humanely.

b. This position is regularly required to use hands and fingers, handle or feel objects, tools or

controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk and talk and hear.

c. Requires the ability to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel or

crouch. The position holder must be able to regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds

and occasionally lift, push, and/or move up to 100 lb or more.

d. While performing the duties of this job this position may be exposed to animal odors,

airborne particles, parasites, and infectious diseases.

e. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

f. Exposure to all types of weather conditions.

Unusual Demands

Work is subject to working on weekends and holidays. Employee will be required to work

outside in a variety of weather conditions.