Kauai Humane Society
Cat and Dog Care Specialist

The Kauai Humane Society (KHS) seeks a full-time position for Cat & Dog Care Specialist. The Cat & Dog Care Specialist feeds, cleans, and provides enrichment to the cats and dogs at KHS. This person also showcases animals to potential adopters, and helps write animal biographies or give information to other staff members to help market and promote animals for adoption.

This position requires working positively in a team environment with other Cat & Dog Care Specialists to ensure cleaning procedures are performed following all sanitation protocols.

The Cat & Dog Care Specialist role requires a person dedicated to hard physical work to ensure the animals at Kauai Humane Society receive the highest level of care, starting with clean kennels, appropriate feeding and enrichment, and exercise & socialization. The role of Cat & Dog Care Specialist is key to helping our animals stay physically and mentally healthy until they find adoptive homes or rescue placement.

Dog & Cat Care Specialist Qualifications:

• High School graduate or GED equivalent preferred, suitable work experience in lieu of education considered for adults over 18 years of age.

• Experience handling cats and dogs is strongly preferred.

• Competency in using Google Suite products (Gmail, Google Docs and Sheets) or Microsoft Word and Excel is strongly preferred. Basic computer skills and the ability to check and respond to email daily is required.

• Customer service experience is required.

Dog & Cat Care Specialist Essential Job Functions:

• Ensure cats and dogs receive basic care and perform this care at established times every day, including:

  • Properly measured feedings and frequent waterings

  • Opportunities to eliminate/have elimination removed or cleaned

  • Established timeframes for exercise and enrichment activities

  • Bathing and grooming dogs and grooming cats as needed

• Disinfect or spot clean animal cages daily at established times.

• Clean and ensure disinfection of animal equipment such as dishes, bedding, toys, litter pans, and other items used in animal areas.

• Organize and declutter animals areas to ensure animals maintain housing areas free from contagion spread.

• Assist with showcasing cats and dogs to potential adopters, and help with dog-to-dog introductions.

• Must be able to professionally and calmly deal with an emotionally charged public as well as carry a fast-paced and changing workload, which at times can be stressful.

• Must agree to work in an environment that, by nature of the industry, understands there may be occasional exposure to injured, sick, deceased and/or difficult animals with varying health concerns.

• Input information on animal location, improvements to socialization and training, and other wellness data into online shelter software.

• Support the Lead Animal Care Specialist and Volunteer Department in monitoring or running dogs to dog playgroups, preparing or distributing enrichment items, working on specific behavior improvement of certain cats or dogs, and other duties as assigned and as capacity allows following core Cat & Dog Care Specialist duties’ completion.

• Provide basic care and cleaning as described above for Boarding customer’s personal cats and dogs staying at the facility.

• Other duties as assigned.

Dog & Cat Care Specialist Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to work with both dogs and cats of varying sizes, breeds, and temperaments.

  • The majority of dogs you will handle at KHS are 50 lbs with strong pulling on the leash behavior, or are fearful and undersocialized with human interaction, and require confident handling.

• Full vaccination against COVID-19 is strongly preferred.

• Must be able to stand, walk, bend and stoop frequently and daily to perform duties.

• Must be able to perform prolonged strenuous physical activity, including lifting and carrying objects weighing up to 50 pounds alone or up to 100 pounds with the help of fellow employees for short distances.

• Must be able to chase or run after animals that might escape confinement.

Job Type: Full-time, 40 hours/week, with at least 1, if not both weekend days, (Saturdays and Sundays) being a required part of the weekly schedule. Shifts rotate between 6am-2:30pm, 7am-3:30pm, and 9:30am-6pm. Some holidays will be required.

Wage starts at: $16.50/hour