animal caretaker

veterinary technologist

animal control officer

animal protection officer

receptionist

BC SPCA

 A typical day is go-go-go from beginning to end. You will hustle in this job because there are time restrictions and there is a lot to do and not enough staff.  In the shelter environment I was exposed to infectious diseases, loud barking, whining, strong odours, animal suffering and stress. I suggest volunteering first to see if this environment is right for you. My experience was bitter sweet because although the job was challenging, it was incredibly rewarding as well. The adoption process was really special; witnessing an animal heading to their forever home after going through so much was heart warming. I believe the BCSPCA is doing good work because I have witnessed how the donations are helping the animals. I also think there is room for improvement, especially at the shelter level. Animal welfare work can be very isolating for the staff; it is physically, psychologically and emotionally demanding. I think there is a balance that can be reached but it will take a new approach from upper management to achieve it. I would return to this work but only if they increased staffing and pay and allowed more time for the staff to interact with the animals. I also think the organization could benefit from offering team building programs and a peer-coaching program for new hires.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The animals and people. Knowing you are positively impacting both their lives. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Everything. It’s a job that preys on vulnerable people with big hearts. Provincial level staff seem to be happy but sadly most shelter staff are treated poorly and not supported. The wages are 100% unliveable!!! Most staff go off on stress leave and there is many who quit bc of burn out. Management at a shelter level also gets zero support so I don’t even blame them. This is a problem that starts at the top! 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Toxic. But it depends on the team. But the whole bcspca is toxic when it comes to their politics and decision making. Shelter staff deserve so much more for the work they do. They are the ones caring for the most vulnerable animals but get a 10$ Starbucks card once a year to say good job. It’s heart breaking. Bc can you imagine the work staff could do if they got their breaks and paid decently?! 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I thrive in chaos so I loved it. But it was also hard to be abused by the public so much. You arrive care for the animals, answers phones, check welfare, provide enrichment, train staff and volunteers, clean non stop, you are pretty much a VOA. There is so much responsibility.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working with the animals, and ensuring that they are healthy and have properly taken care of while in the shelter.  Also assisting the staff with animal examinations.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Dealing with animals that were abused and hurt, and then dealing with people who caused or might cause harm to animals.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It is a good work environment, as everyone there has the same passion for animals, and people as myself.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I come in, I first check on the laundry situation, and deal with it.  Then I go and ask the staff if there anything that I need to know regarding animals, and other issues that there might be.  I go then and check on the Cats and ensure they are socialized and feed from the information provided.  I clean out kennels and set it up for the next animal we might get.  The rest of my time is between ensuring care of the smaller animals and providing help with whatever needs the staff have.

This is not just personal experience, these are observations made of behavior towards multiple employees over many years. The SPCA has A LOT of skeletons in their closet... although at least their donations are allocated appropriately.
No diversity
No support
Don't care about employee retention
Profit off their workers compassion and push you to do more for the animals, without doing anything for their employees.
 Have been told by Head office that 'If nurses can handle this type workload, why can't the employees?'. Even though they provide limited education opportunities, with high responsibility and risk for wage you'd get from Mcdonalds. They expect you to work like someone in the hospital, but your training is online webinars that they designed, and your wage won't cover the therapy you'll need after this job.

I really saw and believe that managers and higher ups did little to nothing, got paid the most, and left those who actually taking care of animals or do animal control have to do back breaking work, are expected to do "unofficial" or unpaid overtime constantly, have to skip breaks, and get left with extra work that isn't part of their job. Not mention these worker who work the hardest get paid little over minimum wage. 

They branch I worked at had 2-3 receptionists getting paid higher than their animal care attendants, and they would often be doing online shopping instead of booking appointments or doing animal initial intakes which is part of the receptionists job, leaving even more work for the attendants. 

People in the organization often have to go on extended stress leave and seek counselling based on work place incidents involving little to no training to handle aggressive animals, and literally no support from management with work stress and overloading. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The opportunity to care for animals and learn about different conditions that require medications 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
this location had a huge lack of support from management for staff . The organization has a general lack of understanding surrounding canine behaviour , lack of resources to support adoptive families along with support for animals while in shelter . 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
dysfunctional and stressful at this particular location 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
get an insane amount of work done within 4 hours so you can be answering phone calls and other customer inquiries / tending to emergencies when we open at lunch . A majority of the time management was not physically present at the shelter.

A typical day @ work is cleaning up after the animals, feeding/watering them, administering medications, & performing adoption interviews.
I learned the proper ways of caring for animals, how to educate the general public regarding this care, & the ways in which we as companion animal guardians have the greatest impact in changing laws.
My co-workers were the best! Hard-working, gentle souls.
The hardest part of the job was euthanasia, but I maintain my conviction that quality of life must always come before quantity. It is the most dignified death we can offer & is unavoidable.
The most enjoyable part of the job was seeing animals adopted into thier forever homes.

Wonderful staff, and management. Work environment is positive and supportive. It's great to feel like you are making a difference in the community as well. Sad thing is the BC SPCA being a non-profit obviously doesn't have a large budget to pay their employees, but given that this shelter is in one of the most expensive cites in the province and one of the largest shelters they should most definitely be paying their staff more. Receptionists make a decent wage but Kennel assistants make an unlivable wage. The emotional toll this job has on you is not compensated enough. There is also no opportunity for advancement. There are two positions available, kennel assistant or receptionist. The turn over of staff clearly shows how unsustainable the job is unfortunately.

The Victoria branch thrives off young passionate people who they burn out through poor management, lack of support, poor work/life boundaries (constantly contacted in off hours, uses personal social media for work, etc.) and low pay with no room for advancement after the entry level position. The toxic work environment also exposes you to repeat trauma in the form of injured/dying animals, angry people, animal abuse/neglect, people losing pets due to traumatic circumstance, etc. without proper support. For example, they offer counselling to all staff but it is not confidential. While it is enjoyable to help animals, it isn't worth the trauma to your mental health or the poor wage.  

What is the best part of working at the company?
Being able to support our animals in such a family Team like environment!!!

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Witnessing such cruel  disregard for the animals from careless owners to people alike

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Safe, strong & supportive.  Everyone works together as a team.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Checking on the animals, Team meeting to go over every animal in care & in foster.  Feeding, cleaning kennels, rotating outside & inside, enrichment, tending to the public, answering phones, feeding & closing in the animals for the night.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Animal caretaker 131 salaries reported	$21.50 per hour
Veterinary technologist 30 salaries reported	$29.06 per hour
Animal control officer 6 salaries reported	$26.40 per hour
Animal protection officer 19 salaries reported	$65,816 per year
Receptionist 12 salaries reported	$22.99 per hour

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