Job Description
The primary responsibilities of an Animal Care Attendant 2 (“ACA2”) are the cleaning and medical care for the animals at the RAPS Cat Sanctuary, including office tasks. This position reports to the RAPS CEO, Senior Manager, Cat Sanctuary & Adoption Centre Manager, Sanctuary Assistant Manager.
RAPS is a registered charity that also operates the RAPS Cat Sanctuary, the RAPS Adoption & Education Centre, three Thrift Stores and the RAPS Animal Hospital. We are a no-kill, animal serving agency.
Duties and responsibilities (Cleaning shift):
- Feed and provide fresh water to all animals in designated areas;
- Check all bedding for urine, vomit, etc. and change as necessary;
- Collect and wash dishes;
- Do laundry throughout the shift;
- Empty garbage cans, and remove recyclables;
- Sweep and mop all floor surfaces, cages or kennels, cage tops, and walkways;
- Regularly move furniture, shelves and cages to clean underneath;
- Disinfect cages or kennels, adhering to cleaning protocols;
- Wash and sanitize litter boxes and scoops (cats);
- Clean up feces or vomit as required;
- Record interactions with the observation sheets hanging on the cages or kennels;
- Take note of any health or behaviour concerns and share with managers and ACA Level 3 staff;
- Enter medical or behavioral concerns into ASM;
- Assist with large cleaning tasks as assigned by the manager;
- Cover areas where we are short volunteers;
- Greet and assist the public with questions regarding animal adoption;
- Assist during visiting hours; tasks vary depending on need;
- Keep up to date on the care of the animals by regularly checking ASM;
- Follow all isolation protocols and handling techniques with sick animals;
- Assist with mentoring new volunteers and/or staff members;
- Assist management in determining adoptability and/or rehabilitation needs;
- Work collectively and collaboratively with other staff and management;
- Assist ACA 3 or ACA 2 person working a medical shift with tasks that require two people when necessary;
- Check and set traps for cats that have escaped the property as necessary;
- Assist float volunteers, interns and internex students with allocation of tasks where needed.
- Refill supplies throughout the Sanctuary as needed (paper towel, toilet paper, soap, laundry detergent etc);
- Ensure food and plates within the Sanctuary is adequately stocked;
- Refill dry food buckets and distribute throughout the Sanctuary as needed;
- Assist ACA 2 and ACA 3 with close up duties as required;
- Other duties within reason as required by management
Duties and responsibilities (Medical Shift):
- The Sanctuary can be caring for anywhere from 350 to 450 cats at a time. Therefore it is important to familiarize yourself with each cat at the Sanctuary & know how to differentiate between cats – as some cats look similar. For example black cats.
- Help prepare and administer medications, subcutaneous fluids, insulin, antibiotics, steroids and other treatments as directed by the RAPS Animal Hospital to 50-70 social, semi feral and feral cats daily;
- Be diligent regarding time management & ensure medications are administered on time as per instruction (e.g. Insulin injections are on a strict schedule);
- It is important to know which cats belong in which areas of the Sanctuary.
- Record interactions with the cats that are caged as well as the eating/drinking and urine/bowel movement put on the observation sheets hanging on the cages or kennels;
- Take note of any health or behaviour concerns and share with managers and ACA Level 3 staff;
- Enter medical or behavioral concerns into the ASM database;
- Keep up to date on the care of the animals by regularly checking ASM;
- Follow all isolation protocols and handling techniques with sick animals;
- Follow and adhere to all cleaning and safety protocols at all times, to prevent the spread of disease;
- Assist management in determining adoptability and/or rehabilitation needs;
- Work collectively and collaboratively with other staff and management;
- Record all procedures, vaccines, medications, etc. into ASM;
- Enter diary/medical notes into ASM for each animal;
- Enter appropriate medical care instructions provided by the RAPS Animal Hospital into the ASM database;
- Help ensures that files and records are properly maintained including but not limited to: animal intake, animal medical notes, adoption, and euthanasia;
- Identify animals requiring medical attention;
- Communicate health status and concerns of animals to Manager and Assistant Manager as required;
- Take full care of animals that are being quarantined, or are housed in ‘DO NOT ENTER’ cages (clean cages, change out bedding, scoop boxes, feed dry food, wet food and provide fresh water. Also medicate as required);
- Assist with completing full intake on new cats which includes but is not limited to: full body exam; behavior assessment; nail trims; administering dewormer, flea prevention, FVRCP vaccine and FeLV vaccine; weighing;
- Be able to trap/net feral cats and cage them in a safe manner for both you and the cat. This is done in preparation for a feral cat going to the RAPS Animal Hospital or if we need to monitor the health of the feral cat;
- Monitor caged animal observation sheets and medical observation sheets addressing concerns as they come up;
- Provide new observation sheets as needed;
- Provide preventative treatments such as; vaccines, de-wormers and flea prevention on schedule;
- Monitor feeding schedule for animals requiring wet food for dietary or medical reasons;
- Trim nails, clean ears, bathe and groom animals as required;
- Record follow up vaccinations, deworming and flea prevention reminders in ASM database
- Help track vaccine and medication usage in ASM;
- Help ensure booster vaccines are given when required;
- Assist with receiving orders, sort and store supplies and medication;
- Ensure medications are stored correctly;
- Assist in handling and restraining animals as needed;
- Oversee the cleanliness and organization of the medical treatment areas;
- Restock dry and canned food in medical treatment areas as needed;
- Sanitize animal carriers when finished with them;
- Accompany animals during euthanasia either on the Sanctuary property or at the RAPS Animal Hospital;
- Transports RAPS Sanctuary animals to and from the RAPS Animal Hospital when they have appointments, as well as to specialist vet appointments as needed;
- Collect medication, TRFs and other items needed for the Sanctuary animals from the RAPS Animal Hospital;
- Assist with booking veterinary appointments and follow-up appointments as required at the RAPS Animal Hospital when needed;
- Helps liaise with the RAPS Animal Hospital to ensure appropriate and timely veterinary services for all animals;
- Liaise with management and RAPS Animal Hospital telephonically or via text if there is an immediate medical emergency with an animal, then follow instructions given;
- In after hour emergency situations, transport animals to and from Intercity Animal Emergency;
- Report any operational concerns directly to management on duty or as soon as possible;
- Prepare cats that are going to the RAPS Animal Hospital. This includes but is not limited to: caging cats overnight, fasting cats overnight, preparing drop off forms (DOFs) for the RAPS Animal Hospital, preparing cat carriers/transfer cages for the cat, ensuring vaccines/microchips are ready for the morning vet appointment;
- Leave notes/instructions for the morning person if an emergency occurred overnight & there is immediate action to be taken in the morning;
- Oversee the cleanliness and organization of the medical treatment areas;
- Assist with regular communication with foster and foster-to-adopt parents about the their RAPS foster animal, addressing any concerns, organizing appointments at the RAPS Animal Hospital and ordering food and medications as needed;
- Assists with the mentoring and training of new staff and volunteers;
- Treats animals humanely, with compassion and concern both on and off the job and transmit these values to others;
- Oversee close up in the evenings;
- Microchip animals as necessary;
- Provides regular and timely attendance;
- Work efficiently to complete tasks on time and within the allocated shift;
- Other duties within reason as required by management.
Knowledge, Education & Experience:
- Be passionate about animals;
- Valid driver's license
- Be familiar with, and sympathetic to the goals and mission of the Regional Animal Protection Society;
- Able to work from 5:30AM and/or until 11 PM, depending on shift
- Able to multi-task;
- Follow and uphold Sanctuary policies and protocols and complete all tasks to a high standard;
- Be patient and calm;
- Be attentive to detail;
- Be physically fit to restrain pets;
- Present good time management skills;
- Have good interpersonal and verbal communication skills;
- Have a positive, constructive attitude;
- Be able to catch, wrangle and restrain feral cats in order to treat and/or monitor;
- Ability to discern health conditions;
- Ability to administer medications & treatments;
- Ability to administer injections;
- Ensuring knowledge of which drugs are administered for which ailment;
- Ability to work with hundreds of cats of all ages & behaviours.
Judgement, Authority & Decision-making:
- Work as part of a team, as well as independently early morning or late evenings;
- Work is performed in accordance with established procedures and approved practices;
- Be confident and able to make important decisions quickly and correctly.
- Organization of work to accomplish goals is expected.
Interpersonal Skills:
- Active listening, and probe for information to clarify requests;
- Uses tact and discretion when discussing problems and eliciting sensitive or confidential information.
Reporting Structure:
CEO, Senior Manager, Cat Sanctuary & Adoption Centre Manager, Cat Sanctuary Assistant Manager.
Pay: $18.04 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Store discount
- Vision care
Work Location: In person
