Animal Services Foster Coordinator

This position provides leadership in and participates in the activities and operations of the Animal Control Department, including maintaining daily shelter operations, caring for impounded animals and providing assistance to field officers; and performs related technical and clerical work as required. The incumbent works according to some procedures but decides how or when to do things; work is reviewed regularly by supervisor.

The work is considered medium-to-heavy in nature and involves walking, standing, stooping, lifting, climbing, pushing or raising objects and also involves exerting between 20 and 50 pounds of force on a recurring basis and 50 to 100 pounds of force on an occasional basis. The work requires the following physical abilities to perform the essential job functions: crouching, feeling, fingering, handling, kneeling, lifting, reaching, repetitive motion, and talking.

Work environment may involve exposure to bright/dim light, animals/wildlife, fumes and/or noxious odors, disease/pathogens, toxic/caustic chemicals; and is dynamic that requires sensitivity to change and responsiveness to changing goals, priorities, and needs. 

• Receives complaints of dogs, cats or other animals creating nuisances and notifies appropriate City personnel for investigation and response;
• Communicates with animal control officers via two-way radio, providing information and assistance as requested;
• Receives and processes animals brought to the shelter for impoundment; conducts daily inventory of animals;
• Provides basic animal care, including bathing, feeding, and observing animal behavior;
• Provides public education regarding animal control; explains ordinances related to the care and keeping of animals;
• Issues animal traps to the public as requested; ensures timely return of traps;
• Redeems animals to proper owners;
• Processes animals for adoption;
• Collects, receipts and records various fees and fines; prepares daily deposits;
• Assists in coordinating department activities with the Department of Health and Environmental Control and other agencies as appropriate;
• Maintains assigned equipment; participates in the daily maintenance of facility;
• Maintains records of daily work activities;
• Assists in euthanasia of animals as necessary; prepares related paperwork;
• Greets and assists customers and other department visitors;
• Monitors the status of surgical incisions and removes staples and/or stitches as directed by veterinary personnel; administers vaccinations as directed.
• Provides instruction and leadership of lower-level technicians as assigned.
• Answers the telephone; provides accurate information and/or forwards calls to appropriate staff person; takes messages as necessary;
• Performs other routine clerical duties as required, including but not limited to preparing forms, reports and correspondence, entering and retrieving computer data, copying and filing documents, etc.;
• Attends training, meetings, workshops, etc., as necessary to maintain job knowledge, skills and required certifications; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO PERFORM WORK: 

• High school diploma or GED;
• Two (2) years of relevant prior experience;
• Valid South Carolina Class “D” Driver’s License;
• S.C. Humane Euthanasia certification.

• Knowledge of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and/or calculating ratios, rates and percentages;
• Ability to compute or perform arithmetic operations using data or information;
• Ability to speak or signal to people to convey or exchange information of a general nature;
• Ability to handle or use machines, tools or equipment requiring brief instruction or experience, such as computers for data entry, fax machines, copiers, telephones or similar equipment; may service office machines, including adding paper and changing toner;
• Ability to perform semi-routine work following procedures with occasional problems;
• Ability to read routine sentences, instructions, regulations, procedures or work orders; writing routine sentences and completing routine job forms and incident reports; speaking routine sentences using proper grammar;
• Ability to perform clerical, manual or technical tasks prescribed by standard practices but which may require computation, the use of several procedures, and the use of independent judgments with obvious choices; requires normal attention for accurate results; and
• Ability to guide others, requiring a few decisions affecting a few co-workers; works in a stable environment with clear and uncomplicated written/oral instructions but with some variations from the routine.