Integrated Care Assistant (Animal Care)

Summary:

If you are passionate about delivering high-quality care for animals who have been victims of cruelty and neglect, and you thrive in a fast-paced, team environment, the position of Integrated Care Assistant (ICA) at the Animal Recovery Center may be for you.

The Animal Recovery Center recovers and rehabilitates animals admitted through NYPD and ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) and Community Engagement (CE) programs. This facility is dedicated to recovering and rehabilitating dogs and cats who have suffered physical and emotional trauma and delivers medical and behavioral interventions to prepare them for adoption or return to the owner when appropriate. 

AICAs support the behavioral and medical recovery and rehabilitation of animals in the ARC by providing medical treatments and behavioral enrichment and interventions, including during all animal care activities. AICAs interact with animals during their recovery to detect potential problems or changes in their medical or behavioral progress and communicate those effectively to clinical professionals, administer medications, provide daily care, engage in behavioral enrichment activities, and document/maintain records of all activities. One of the most critical functions of this role is serving as a member of a team of medical, behavior and sheltering personnel, all dedicated to working together to provide holistic care for all our animals.

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Behavior 40%:

• Engage in behavioral and enrichment activities, following enrichment program protocols. Recommend animal-specific changes to regimen, including frequency, duration, or type. 
• Assist in behavioral health evaluations, assessments, trainings, and other animal interventions.
• Exercise and socialize animals and manage playgroups, under the direction and guidance of the ARC and CARE Behavior team. Abide by existing dog-walking programs and observe and report reactions with environmental events or human/animal interactions, and/or problems/changes in urination or defecation. Encourage healthy behaviors and interactions throughout, and reward animals appropriately.
• Feed animals, provide clean water, and ensure a clean environment while interacting with animals to encourage and promote healthy behaviors, and detecting, logging, and reporting to the medical and behavior teams any irregularities or changes in animal nutrition, hydration, or behaviors (including responses to your interactions). Observing animals during these interactions is vital to the recognizing medical and behavioral changes/abnormalities early, maximizing the efficacy of potential treatments.
• Monitor the comfort of shelter animals, looking for any signs of distress, anxiety, or physical ailments, and ensure that their physical environment is not resulting in discomfort (e.g., appropriate bedding (clean and fold laundry), space, adverse neighboring animals, including by maintaining the cleanliness of both animal enclosures and other workspaces that facilitate the arrival of new animals. 
• Always provide safe and smooth fear free handling of animals.
• Monitor animal holding areas for appropriate music and/or auditory stimulation and report observations.

Medical 40%:

• Ensure the welfare of animals in our care by attending to their physical and emotional health and comfort, following all ASPCA protocols.
• Read and follow all kennel signage and treatment sheets regarding animal treatment and care.
• Under the guidance of the ARC medical team, administer medication and medical treatments in a low stress manner, following all medication administration protocols.
• Recognize potential medical issues and communicate effectively with medical teams so that they can quickly and effectively attend to animals.

Team Support 20%:

• Send timely medical and behavior observation reports and actively engage with the team to implement interventions.
• Work in partnership with other teams (Medical, Behavior, and across departments) to continually develop knowledge, and support continuity of care for the animals.
• Collaborate with other ICAs, and attend and actively participate in daily ICA rounds, to support the continuity of care for the animals.
• Integrate volunteers into daily care, providing guidance and coaching as needed; demonstrate respect and gratitude for volunteer support.
• Transport animals, using low-stress animal handling techniques and following applicable organizational policies and protocols, between ASPCA facilities and to partner agencies.
• Attend and participate in team meetings and training classes as scheduled.
• Deploy locally or nationally as part of an ASPCA response once per year.

Exemplifies the ASPCA’s Core Values:

• Has Commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals
• Demonstrates Ownership and feels responsible for outcomes
• Believes in Team – that we are stronger together
• Seeks to Elevate others and reimagine what is possible
• Focuses on Impact, specifically making change for animals

Compensation and Benefits:

The starting pay rate for this role is $23.00 and falls under a collective bargaining agreement.

For more information on our Benefit offerings, click here.

Join our Talent Community:

If you are interested in joining our team but do not see a position listed that fits your experience or interests, please click this link and join our Talent Community to stay connected to future opportunities with the ASPCA.

Our EEO Policy:

The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employmentwithout regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws.  A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA.  Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status,  or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).

Qualifications:

Ability to maintain open mind regarding changes and be willing to learn, implement, and teach new protocols, Ability to walk, bend, stand and reach constantly during a minimum 8-hour day, ability to lift 50 lbs, Ability to work closely with behaviorally and medically compromised animals and feel comfortable working in an environment where euthanasia is performed, Able to safely walk and handle dogs 100 lbs or over, up and down stairs, Always treats people and animals with care and respect; must be a compassionate caregiver for animals and have a genuine interest in working with others, Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office., Communicate clearly, written and verbal problem solver who works well under pressure, Dependable and ability to demonstrate regular and reliable attendance., Excellent organizational skills, Team player and willingness to adjust schedule if operations require

Language:

English (Required)

Education and Work Experience:

High School Diploma (Required)

Fear Free Shelter or Fear Free Veterinary certification is required within 60 days of hire, Previous experience in the detection of common medical ailments, and the stress-free administration of topical and orally administered medications, Previous experience with sheltering software systems and record keeping, including medical records, preferred., Previous experience working in behavior training facility or in a shelter and/or veterinary setting with compromised animals