Animal Shelter Behavior Specialist

Shelter Canine Behavior Specialist

Verde Valley Humane Society

The Animal Behaviorist is responsible for ensuring humane, safe, and progressive behavioral care for all VVHS animals. This role evaluates behavior, creates enrichment and training plans, oversees social media bios, works with other staff and volunteers, and does adoption placements. The position requires professionalism, compassion, and the ability to work with animals with complex behavioral needs.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Behavior Evaluation & Assessment

• Conduct formal behavior assessments on all dogs entering the shelter using our Assessment Form
• Perform ongoing behavior evaluations as dogs adapt to shelter life.
• Identify behavior that should be monitored, modified, or flagged for safety.
• Document all findings in the shelter software system.
• Determine if dogs should be on behavioral observation, behavior hold, or training plans
• Evaluate dogs for walking, counter-conditioning, kennel approach, and decompression needs.

Behavior Modification & Training

• Create individualized training plans for fearful, reactive, anxious, or under-socialized dogs.
• Provide one-on-one behavior sessions and adjust plans based on progress.
• Work with dogs in play yards, kennels, and controlled public areas while walking.
• Perform meet-and-greets for adopters, including dog-to-dog testing for compatibility
• Help adopters understand training needs and safe handling techniques.

Enrichment Program Development

• Develop and maintain a structured enrichment schedule for all animals
• Rotate sensory days, puzzle feeders, music therapy, water play, cat enrichment, etc.
• Track enrichment daily and modify it based on animal stress levels.

Animal Care & Welfare Support

• Work directly with dogs showing behavioral stress, regression, or heightened anxiety.
• Evaluate animals after incidents or concerns from staff/volunteers
• Recommend medical checks if behavior indicates pain or illness.

Medical/Veterinary

• During evaluation, vaccinate and deworm all animals and set up a vaccination schedule in shelter software as prescribed by our veterinarian.
• Give all vaccinations and weight checks as set up in shelter software
• Schedule Surgeries
• Prepare surgical sheets, and place appropriate signage on kennels for next day surgeries.
• Add medication schedules in shelter software
• Medicate animals as scheduled
• Check surgery sites daily for any signs of infection
• Keep track of medication and vaccination inventory. Inform management when running low and in need of ordering.

Adoption

• Prepare bios and pictures for adoptable animals
• Write accurate, humane, and adopter-friendly behavior summaries.
• Call all possible adopters and schedule appointments for adoptions.
• Perform all adoption meet-n-greets
• Conduct introductions, follow-up counseling, and post-adoption support.

Social Media & Public Communication

• Provide appropriate posts for Facebook & Instagram, Verde Independent and Jerome Humane Society
• Highlight long-stay dogs or high-needs dogs with accurate profiles.

Volunteer & Staff Training

• Release dogs to appropriate volunteers for walking and courtyard play time.
• Observe and sign off on new volunteers after training.
• Provide one-on-one coaching to improve safety, confidence, and consistency.

Recordkeeping & Documentation

• Complete all behavior entries, assessments, progress logs, and enrichment records.
• Monitor any animals needing behavior follow-up or re-evaluation.
• Other tasks as assigned by management.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in animal behavior.
• Shelter behavior experience required.
• Demonstrated skill in evaluating a wide range of behavior types (fear, reactivity, aggression, anxiety).
• Ability to safely handle high-energy, fearful, or behavior-challenged dogs.
• Strong knowledge of canine and feline behavior and body language.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to train, coach, and mentor staff and volunteers.
• Capable of working in a physically demanding, emotionally charged shelter environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications: IAABC, CCPDT, KPA, or equivalent internship.
• Experience writing behavior plans and recording data in shelter software.
• Experience with playgroups and multi-dog interaction assessments.
• Background in behavior modification for long-stay or medically/behaviorally complex dogs.

Core Competencies

• Compassion and patience
• Excellent judgment and problem-solving
• Calm under pressure
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Safety-focused mindset
• Commitment to humane, ethical care

Work Environment

• Fast-paced shelter environment with high emotional variability
• Exposure to fearful, reactive, and aggressive animals
• Indoor/outdoor work required in all types of weather
• Noise, strong odors, and cleaning chemicals present
• Possible exposure to zoonotic diseases

Pay: $19.95 - $21.51 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Work Location: In person

Salary : $20 - $22