Animal Care Associate (Full-Time)

You can make our community a kinder place for animals and their people by joining Humane Educational Society’s (HES) team of lifesavers. HES takes in approximately 3,300 animals a year from the Hamilton County area and boasts an over 90% live release rate as an open-admissions shelter.

The Animal Care Associate supports the health, safety, comfort, and positive outcomes of animals throughout their shelter stay. This role provides daily care, monitors health and behavior, supports enrichment and animal movement, and responds to changing needs with compassion and sound judgment.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Animal Welfare and Care: Provide food, water, clean housing, enrichment, grooming, and medication as assigned. Safely handle animals of varied species, temperaments, and medical conditions using humane practices.
• Observation and Response: Monitor animals for changes in health, behavior, or comfort; maintain accurate records; and promptly report concerns. Assist with intake triage within assigned training.
• Cross-Functional Support: Collaborate with Medical, Behavior, Placement, Intake, Animal Protection, and volunteers to support consistent care, animal movement, and positive outcomes.
• Safety and Sanitation: Clean and disinfect animal housing, equipment, work areas, and public spaces. Safely use cleaning products and complete support duties.
• Service and Teamwork: Assist with adoptions and lost-pet searches, provide accurate information, support volunteers, incorporate feedback, and contribute to problem-solving.
• Adaptability and Mission: Prioritize work according to animal welfare, urgency, safety, and supervisory direction. Adjust as conditions change while maintaining follow-through.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Relevant animal care, cleaning, or customer-service experience preferred
• Availability for mornings, weekends, and some holidays
• Commitment to animal welfare and teamwork

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Open-minded, collaborative attitude

• General knowledge of domestic animals

• Handles domestic animals with appropriate care and caution

• Performs duties with high degree of efficiency and care to detail

• Incorporates supervisory feedback into work

• Engages in learning about best practices, animal welfare, and care

• Communicates effectively and professionally with public, coworkers, volunteers

• Moderate to high ability to perform physical tasks, including but not limited to standing, bending, lifting, walking, reaching, stooping, and lifting up to 50 lbs.

Work is carried out in an animal shelter, where you'll be exposed to animals that have various health and behavior conditions. The environment can be moderately to highly noisy, and there may be some exposure to animal-related allergens and health considerations.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the Animal Care Associate position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, duties, or responsibilities associated with the role and may be subject to change based on the needs of HES.