Animal Control Kennel Assistant

Are you Richmond R.E.A.D.Y? Respect. Equity. Accountability. Diversity…YOU!!!
 
This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

The City of Richmond Animal Care and Control seeks a dynamic, enthusiastic, and hardworking person to join its team as an Animal Control Kennel Assistant.  The incumbent is responsible for the cleaning, care and feeding of all animals housed in the city animal care facilities, as well as ensuring facilities are sanitized and properly prepared for animal care.  The selected candidate will join a dynamic team of individuals focused on providing excellent, prompt, and accurate services to both external and internal customers while achieving the following mission:

• Assisting with placement and adoption of animals
• Cleaning the animals, the bay area, and cages
• Distributing food and water to the animals
• Assisting with the maintenance of the facility grounds
• Assisting in administering medication or vaccination to the animals
• Ensuring the safety and security of the animals housed
• Completing required paperwork on incoming and outgoing animals
• Maintaining inventory of the required supplies
• Performing other related duties as assigned

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
 

• High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent
• No work experience required
• Experience working with animals preferred

• None required

• Distinguishing common intestinal parasites
• Symptoms of common viruses
• Behaviors and body language of animals
• Good knowledge of caring for dogs and cats and basic knowledge of caring for farm animals, birds, etc.
• Electronic databases and related software applications such as the shelter intake system, Shelterbuddy
• First aid
• Animal CPR
• Proper animal handling
• Various animal shelter equipment and machines such as catch-poles, hide gloves, muzzles, flat leashes, power washers, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, etc.

• Assisting in the adoption process
• Feeding, watering, and walking animals
• Caring and handling both healthy and unhealthy animals with a variety of temperaments
• Cleaning
• Communicating with kennel staff and citizens
• Ensuring potential adopters find the best match based on information about home life and lifestyle
• Helping and assisting colleagues such as veterinarians when necessary
• Assisting with the euthanasia of animals
• Judging if an animal is aggressive, timid, scared, etc.
• Making habitats for wildlife
• Performing basic animal medical duties such as giving vaccinations, fluids and medications; drawing blood; replacing bandages, etc.
• Performing various maintenance tasks such as fixing a broken dog cage
• Using animal care and control equipment such as a catch-pole on a dog
• Customer service

• Communicate
• Lift heavy objects
• Maintain professional composure during emotional situations

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, animal dander, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. The essential duties of this classification may require the ability to regularly balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, finger, grasp, feel, talk, hear, and perform repetitive motions; frequently see and crawl; and occasionally climb. The working conditions may include environmental hazards. The working conditions may include environmental hazards. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be very heavy work, exerting in excess of 100 pounds of force occasionally, in excess of 50 pounds of force frequently, and in excess of 20 pounds force constantly to move objects.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Jessica McKenzie, Human Resources Manager by email at Jessica.McKenzie@RVA.GOV.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

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