Part-time Animal Care Specialist (34625)

Level: Experienced Position Type: Per Diem Job Shift: 1st Shift Education Level: High School Travel Percentage: None Category: Facilities

Description: Position Summary The Animal Care Specialist oversees the health and welfare of a variety of farm animals. The ACS will be responsible for the daily care of the animals including but not limited to training, schooling, animal feeding, turn out, preparation and assistance with animals during animal assisted therapy sessions, grooming, cleaning of stalls, aisles, water troughs, administering medications, and some general office duties. Maintains therapeutic relationship with residents using praise and other reinforcers to encourage appropriate behaviors and attitudes while setting limits.

Relationships and Contacts: Within the organization: Initiates and maintains strong professional relationships with facility and national leadership teams, and peers throughout the organization. Outside the organization: Initiates and maintains strong professional relationships with clients and families, clinical providers, referral partners and vendors, as needed. Position Responsibilities

Essential Responsibilities: Assists clinical staff at stables as needed, with animal assisted therapy sessions, including grooming, family therapy, or extra sessions, with an emphasis on safety for residents and animals. Ensures all utensils/tools/cleaning solutions/potential hazardous materials are securely stored when not in use. Assists in pasture rotation and planning with animals. Participates in planning stable and farm improvements for animal safety, welfare, and program advancement. Reports any maintenance needs concerning, the barn, turnout pastures/shelters, arena, general grounds, and equipment. Assists with ensuring adequate amounts of feed, hay, medications, supplements, and supplies are maintained. Conduct daily observation of individual animal's condition. Assists in routine socializing and handling/schooling of all animals. Administers animal first aid and responds to animal emergencies, as necessary. Supports farrier, veterinarian, and other professional service providers' visits. Assists with orientation of new employees. Ensures all animals are humanly treated and the standard put forth by I.A.H.A.1.O. are followed.

Additional Responsibilities: Reliable and is rarely absent from work, notifying the supervisor if absent. Ability to adapt to changes in the facility function, management styles, and facility routines. Reads, understands, and adheres to all company policy statements on ethics, conduct, and conflict of interests. Adheres to facility policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. Maintains positive behaviors and acts as a team player with others. Attends all training within assigned time frames, as required by the facility. Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience: Position requires High School or equivalent, bachelor's degree strongly preferred. Position requires a minimum of 2 years' experience with farm equipment, animal care, barn and pasture management/maintenance.

Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to communicate with peers, clients and/or vendors. Job performance will require the ability to move throughout the stables property as well as participate in activities outdoors and off facility grounds. Performs duties that require the employee to stand and walk for extended periods of time. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be required to talk or hear, sit, stand, walk, reach, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, taste, or smell. Ability to move up to fifty pounds.