Is Committed to Serving the Best Interest of the Animals We Strive to Protect

…is committed to serving the best interest of the animals we strive to protect.

Kennel Assistant Internship Description

Job Title:

Kennel Assistant

Job Type: Internship, part-timeHours: 10-20 hours per week

Pay Rate: not paidReports to: Executive Director
Job Summary:

The Kennel Assistant Intern assists with a variety of job functions related to animal care and customer service. The intern is effectively a volunteer employee while on shelter premises and is expected to display a cheerful, welcoming persona to the public, staff and other volunteers. The intern will be in a position to work directly with the public, and will be expected to display empathy and sympathy and always striving to leave a positive impression with the public.

Specific Job Duties:

Assist the Kennel Coordinator with daily tasks including but not limited to: intake exams, vaccinations, preventative care treatments, blood draws, and animal grooming.
Help as needed with daily shelter tasks including but not limited: sanitizing kennels and other animal areas, cleaning outdoor dog pens, washing and folding laundry, keeping the lobby and other front areas clean and organized, stocking supplies, etc.
Assist potential adopters with the viewing and handling of shelter animals. Answer clients’ questions as needed and direct them through the adoption process. Be courteous, helpful and receptive to the public and their needs.
Assist shelter volunteers as needed with handling animals and other shelter tasks.
Work as a team member with other shelter staff on solving shelter issues and ensuring smooth operation of the organization.
Learn from other shelter staff about proper animal care, animal training, and other animal welfare issues.
Attend community events as a representative of the shelter and become an advocate of our mission.
Accept other tasks as assigned by the Executive Director or other shelter staff

Skills/Qualifications:

Must work well with and be respected by all shelter staff and foster an atmosphere of cooperation with kennel staff.
Strives to make fellow employees better by sharing knowledge and experiences. Treats all team members, and volunteers with respect and courtesy.
Works and communicates effectively with others. Avoids gossip that can be destructive to team moral.
Communicates effectively both verbally and in writing with personnel and the public.
Prioritizes issues that require immediate and/or ongoing attention and attends to them accordingly. Is solution orientated and responds to issues directly and immediately, avoiding future problems.
Effectively promotes an environment that is calm, efficient, and productive where public courtesy is an expected standard.
Must be able to work independently and be self-motivated
Experience working with animals in a shelter or veterinary setting a plus
Should have knowledge and experience working with office equipment and be familiar with Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, and Publisher

Dress Code

The dress code may change depending on which part of the shelter the intern is working in. For most activities, casual business attire is appropriate, including:

Close-toed footwear that completely encloses the foot, worn with socks.
Long trousers.
Sport-type shirt with sweater, vest, etc.
Volunteer name badge.

Not appropriate:

Tank tops, bare midriffs, torn or overly tight jeans, sandals, dangling jewelry, t-shirts with logos.

Reporting Relationship

The intern reports to the Executive Director.

The intern will receive 2-4 performance reviews dependent upon the length of the program.

Upon completion of the program, the intern will receive a letter of recommendation which may be used in the pursuit of future academic and professional opportunities.

By signing below I certify that I have read and understand my job description. I will do my best to fulfill all of the duties outlined therein.

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Intern’s Name

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Intern’s SignatureDate

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Supervisor SignatureDate

1612 Carr Lake Rd SE

Bemidji, MN