Equine Care Specialist

Summary of Purpose:

Duties (Essential Functions):

Provide daily care, cleanliness, and enrichment to animals in care and maintain common areas.

• Responsible for daily cleaning and sanitation of equine areas and common areas with emphasis on disease control protocols.
• Feed and provide daily care for equine of all training/behavior levels in such a manner as to ensure a low stress environment while adhering to safety protocol.
• Administer medications or treatments to ill/injured animals under direction from a veterinarian.
• Assist in movement of equine as needed.
• Responsible for loading and unloading of animals for transport to foster, veterinarian, or rescue partners.
• Provide physical exercise and/or social interaction for equine in care as assigned.
• Follow and maintain excellent knowledge of organization, cleaning, sanitation, and safety practices to provide a healthy and safe environment for animals and people.
• Unpack, sort, and organize donations as needed.
• Help maintain inventory of shelter supplies and communicate with appropriate manager to order supplies when needed.
• Assist in maintaining a clean and uncluttered environment; clean stalls, sweep, take out trash, clean offices, etc.
• Drive KHS vehicles including tractor and trucks in a safe and courteous manner as needed.
• Perform routine facility and grounds maintenance as appropriate.

Monitor the behavior and health of animals in care.

• Monitor health of animals to rapidly identify any health issues/injuries and report to manager while recording observations in departmental software systems (Petpoint).
• Gain and maintain knowledge of animal behavior including animal body language and signals of stress/illness to safely handle equine of all sizes and temperaments.
• Monitor behavior health of animals to rapidly identify any behavior issues and report to a manager while recording observations in departmental software systems (Petpoint).

Provide professional, compassionate, stellar customer services to all who visit, call, volunteer, donate or work for KHS.

• Communicate any animal health or temperament concerns to management in a timely manner.
• Work with and supervise volunteers to provide animals and humans with a safe, clean, organized, and pleasant experience.
• Communicate with manager on duty regarding unusual activities, significant problems or concerns.

Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• 2 years of experience working with equine preferred. 
• Experience working with equine of unknown health & behavior including feral horses preferred.
• Equine training experience preferred.
• Ability to load, haul and handle horses of all temperaments for transport. 
• Intermediate knowledge of equine health, medical needs and treatment. 
• Ability to work independently with little direct supervision.
• Great interpersonal skills in person and by phone with clients, staff, and volunteers.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, and ability to process paperwork accurately and efficiently.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Humane attitude towards animals.
• Ability to manage the emotional aspect of end-of-life services and humane euthanasia, and support staff in high-emotion circumstances.
• Accept, support, and represent KHS core values, programs, policies, and procedures.
• Basic computer knowledge.
• Support the usage of approved AI tools when they can improve efficiency and reduce time spent on routine or administrative tasks while meeting quality, accuracy, confidentiality and professional standards.
• Ability to lift or otherwise move large items and animals – up to 50 pounds; full range of motion, including stooping, bending, reaching, etc.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and clean driving record and be willing to drive KHS vehicles.
• Background Check required.

Physical, Psychosocial, and Cognitive Demands/ Working Environment

• Requires travel, including overnight stays.
• Frequent bending, reaching, kneeling, walking, and standing regularly while performing job functions.
• Frequently lifts, carries, or otherwise moves and positions objects weighing up to and exceeding 100 lbs.
• Includes working with equine in a barn setting (indoor/outdoor) in varying weather conditions.
• Potential for exposure to allergens (including but not limited to pet dander, dust, peanut butter), and zoonotic diseases (diseases transferred from animals to humans).
• Exposure to chemicals.
• Exposure to loud noise.
• Exposure to emotional circumstances.
• Fast-paced environment.