Cat Care Volunteer

Position Description

Cat Care volunteers assist staff in providing care and enrichment to shelter cats and kittens. Regular day-to-day duties include ensuring living environments remain safe, clean, and as comfortable as possible. Comfortable environments include not only blankets, toys, and other objects but providing enrichment and tools that allow a cat to settle and relax.

Volunteers will be given training and resources to stay up to date with considerate approaches protocol when working with animals. It is important to maintain consistency and routine as much as possible during an animal’s stay with us, therefore the volunteer will be expected to meet minimum attendance requirements while following protocol and the guidance of staff closely.

Responsibilities:

• Clean and disinfect enclosures, which are often soiled with urine and feces, with appropriate equipment and while following our sanitization protocol.
• Provide in-kennel enrichment according to enrichment or training plans.
• Document any observations during an interaction with a cat on the Observations spreadsheet.
• Restock utility closets of supplies dedicated to the kennel areas.
• Complete a variety of tasks to support shelter staff. Tasks may include but are not limited to cleaning dog room floors, washing and folding laundry, and washing dishes.

Physical Requirements:

• Staying active the full duration of a shift, with variable amounts of standing, walking, bending, reaching and stooping.
• Must be able to safely use a stepladder to access food and linen storage
• Ability to lift, push, pull or carry objects and/or animals weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to perform these duties in variant temperatures and elements including extreme heat, extreme cold and inclement weather.

Emotional Requirements:

• Able to maintain composure during challenging and/or emotionally charged situations.
• Able to remain open-minded and understanding of decisions for euthanasia that consider the animal’s physical and emotional well-being and the safety of the community.
• Able to keep information confidential.
• Able to receive constructive criticism from staff related to interactions with our cats.
• Able to work with staff, fellow volunteers, and clients in an empathetic and supportive manner

Required Skills and Attributes:

• Ability to work well and communicate effectively with the public, staff, and fellow volunteers.
• Able to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to be judgment-free in challenging situations.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and use good judgment in a fast paced, high stress environment.
• The ability to use basic math, including fractions.
• The ability to remain aware of your surroundings, and use good judgment with animals of all sizes.
• Able to be self-aware of body language when working with or around animals.
• Applicants must be able to adhere to rules regarding infectious disease quarantine and other important safety matters.
• Previous experience with cat husbandry.
• Familiarity with rewards-based training helpful but not required.
• Proficiency in using a computer without assistance, and learning new programs. All volunteers digitally log hours and use an online scheduling function. Cat volunteers additionally use software to record information from cat interactions.

Time Commitment:

• Shifts are 2-4 hours in length, and fall between the hours of 7am-7pm. Please note, weekday shifts are not compatible with a traditional high school schedule.
• We are unable to accommodate requests for alterations to the schedule. Please ensure you will be available for the full duration of a shift before applying. Thank you!
• Minimum of 8 hours a month for a 4 month commitment. We ask that you ensure you have 4 consecutive months available for at least one shift a week before applying.
• Some weekday evaluation and training will be required as part of the application and onboarding process.
• If selected for an interview and accepted, shifts open at the time of your interview will be discussed and your shift will be set after onboarding.

We receive a high number of applications for this role. Please ensure all criteria is met before applying.

Available shifts:

Shifts are 2-4 hours in length, and fall between the hours of 7am-7pm. Our needs vary depending on time of year and the current volunteer population.

Apply Now!

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