Animal Care Attendant

POSITION:                 Animal Care Attendant

STATUS:                    On-Call; Casual    

SHIFT:                        Various Shifts

LOCATION:                Chilliwack Animal Centre - Chilliwack, BC

CLASSIFICATION:    CUPE 1622
WAGE:                       Hourly                                                 

CLOSING DATE:       Open Until Filled

About the Position:

The BC SPCA Chilliwack Branch is seeking on-call auxiliary Animal Care Attendants. There is no set shift and the successful candidate must have the flexibility to cover shifts on short notice – including weekdays, weekends and statutory holidays. You are an energetic team player who will participate in all animal care duties and ensure that optimal levels of care are administered to the animals based on the Five Freedoms. You have experience in customer relations and previous experience in animal husbandry.  You care deeply about animals and uphold the highest animal care standards.

Some specific duties:

Under the direction of the Animal Centre Manager your passion and experience with animals will assist you:

• To maintain the entire physical plant in a clean, sanitary, and efficient manner on an ongoing basis and in a collaborative manner
• To ensure kennels, runs, and cat cages are kept in a manner that is best suited for the animal’s health and welfare as per the ShelterSense protocols
• To monitor the health and welfare of the animals through the maintenance of up-to-date kennel cards, recording information on whiteboard and daily logs, and completing daily welfare sheets
• To maintain animals on a proper diet ensuring daily feeding, watering, exercise, and enrichment
• To perform general bathing and grooming of animals
• To treat animals humanely, with compassion and concern, and in a manner consistent with the BC SPCA’s five freedoms
• To perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications you need to have:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Valid Class N or 5 BC Drivers’ License and driver’s abstract
• Strong desire to provide excellent customer service skills: patience, professionalism, positive attitude, attention to detail, adaptability
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Resourceful team player who excels at building trusting relationships with colleagues, customers and volunteers
• Highly motivated self-starter who takes initiative with minimal supervision
• A sound knowledge of animals, their breeds, characteristics and common diseases
• Previous kennel or animal care experience considered an asset
• Demonstrable interest in all aspects of animal welfare
• Previous animal control, welfare or enforcement experience an asset
• Position is physically demanding and includes heavy lifting, pushing and pulling which requires an individual with the ability to maintain a level of fitness and endurance to fulfill the required duties
• Familiar with working in a union environment
• Computer experience: Windows, Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel)
• The animals in our care require attention seven days a week, must be flexible and able to work weekdays, weekends and statutory holidays
• Philosophical harmony with the vision, mission, and strategic directions of the BC SPCA.