Pet Help Assistant

Help connect pet owners with resources, services, and care.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is seeking a compassionate, professional, and service-minded Pet Help Assistant to serve as a trusted resource for pet owners seeking guidance, support, and services for their pets. This role helps connect community members with resources related to lost pets, animal intake, community veterinary care, pet aftercare arrangements, and end-of-life services.This is a great opportunity for someone with customer service, healthcare, veterinary, hospitality, social services, animal welfare, or other client-facing experience who enjoys helping people, building trust, and providing steady support in both routine and emotionally sensitive situations.

Schedule

• 40 hours per week
• At least one weekend day is required

About the Animal Rescue League of Iowa

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is Iowa’s largest nonprofit animal welfare organization, helping animals and the people who love them through sheltering, adoption, veterinary care, animal services, community programs, and pet support resources. Across multiple locations and programs in the Des Moines metro, the ARL works every day to provide compassionate care, practical support, and trusted resources for animals and families in our community.

What You’ll Do

• Welcome visitors and serve as a helpful point of contact for pet owners seeking assistance.
• Answer questions and provide information about ARL services, programs, resources, and next steps.
• Support pet owners navigating lost pets, animal intake services, community veterinary care, pet aftercare, and end-of-life services.
• Coordinate services, schedule appointments, process payments, and maintain accurate records.
• Communicate with veterinary, shelter, animal care, and other ARL teams to support a positive client and animal experience.
• Navigate sensitive or emotional conversations with compassion, professionalism, and sound judgment.
• Manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy and excellent service.
• Follow organizational policies, safety procedures, and confidentiality expectations.

What We’re Looking For

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Previous customer service, healthcare, veterinary, hospitality, social services, funeral services, animal welfare, or related client-facing experience preferred.
• Strong communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, and compassionate in emotionally sensitive situations.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records.
• Comfort using phones, scheduling systems, payment processes, and basic computer programs.
• Ability to work well with clients, team members, volunteers, and community partners.
• Emotional resilience and a genuine interest in supporting both pets and people.

Benefits for Full-Time Employees

The ARL is proud to offer competitive, market-driven compensation and a mission-focused culture. In addition, a variety of benefits are available to full-time employees including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer-paid long-term disability and basic life insurance
• Supplemental insurances, including short-term disability, supplemental life insurance, accident, and critical illness insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with an employer contribution
• Veterinary benefits
• Work-life balance through our expansive holiday and paid time off policies

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

This position works in an active animal welfare environment and may require sitting, standing, walking, moving throughout the facility, and occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds. The role may involve exposure to animals, animal odors, animal waste, moderate noise, zoonotic diseases, cleaning products, and the possibility of bites or scratches while following established safety procedures.

This position may also involve emotionally challenging conversations related to lost pets, animal surrender, end-of-life services, and pet aftercare.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Why Join the ARL?

As a Pet Help Assistant, your work helps pet owners feel supported during important, emotional, and sometimes difficult moments. Whether you are helping reunite a lost pet with its family, connecting someone with resources, or guiding a client through next steps, your work has a meaningful impact.

If you are compassionate, service-minded, and comfortable helping people through a wide range of pet-related needs, we would love to have you join our team.

Employment in this position is at-will, meaning either the employee or the ARL may end the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, as permitted by law.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state law. Applicants and employees are encouraged to discuss potential accommodations as needed.