Job Description

The Animal Handler is a position within the Resort . We believe in the mission of “Pet Lovers Delighting Pet Lovers” and we demonstrate this through being Playful, Passionate, Personal and Professional. A successful candidate for this position will be someone who not only embraces this culture, but is a team player, self-motivated, takes direction well, has excellent communication skills, and great attention to detail. This is a service-related industry, and you should not only be skilled at customer service, but passionate about helping people. You’ll work in our Daycare and Boarding areas to care and ensure the safety of the guests in our facility. Not only will you focus on handling dogs + cats all day, but on the cleanliness of the facility.

A Day In The Life:

As an Animal Handler, you are part of a larger team who is focused on the daily pet care of our guests. You’ll report to work over a variety of shifts to handle everything from walking dogs, giving them a potty break, feeding and administering medicines, cleaning their rooms, playing with dogs + cats and even loving them as if they were your own. One day you could help our overnight guests feel like this is their palace away from home and the next day you might run the daycare play group and make sure everyone is getting along. You might snuggle a shy pup who needs some extra special attention while also helping a regular get right back into the swing of things. You’ll not only communicate with the dog(s), but also have a lot of interaction with mom and dad. You’ll document what you are seeing and be ready to share with your manager and the pet parent. And let’s not forget -- you’re probably going to scoop some poop, clean up some pee, go home with some fur on you and get lots of sloppy kisses!

Responsibilities:

• Ensure that each guest is treated with respect and dignity
• Ensure that all guests are receiving appropriate amounts of food and water, clean and sanitize food/water bowls on a daily basis.
• Clean up dog poop, urination and any vomit several times throughout your shift
• Walk dogs on leash to and from outside exercise areas. 
• Engage in play activities with pets including: fetch, exercise walks, chase, agility, follow the leader, recall and basic obedience games, etc.
• Supervise activities of multiple dogs throughout the day
• Monitor closely for any potential conflicts or escalations and redirect or remove one or more dogs from the situation as needed
• Maintain a sanitary and healthy environment by following our standards of cleaning and disinfecting rooms
• Monitor guest’s health by daily charting of eating and elimination habits. Dispose of and clean up any stool and urine.
• Monitor guest’s reaction to playtimes and general demeanor by charting playtime interactions
• Follow all standards of safety with regards to handling guests, particularly aggressive guests and escape artists
• Pay specific attention to special handling notes, (Meds Person to Feed, Aggressive, Separate for Feeding, etc.)
• Immediately alert front staff and resort manager when a guest is ill or exhibiting odd behavior - follow-up by filling out illness form and turning it into a shift lead/manager.
• Operate washer and dryer to clean pet belongings, towels, etc. Ensure belongings are returned to the appropriate pet.
• Ensure the facility meets or exceeds our expectations with regards to cleanliness and safety. Clean and sanitize all pet enclosures, exercise yards, and common areas.Mix and use disinfectants and other chemicals safely as instructed by the supervisor.
• Ensure that the property is maintained (lawn care, snow removal, tree maintenance)
• Alert manager when levels of inventory are low in the following areas:
• Pet foods
• Cleaning products for kenneling and lobby areas
• Help maintain the cleanliness of the property by picking up and disposing of trash or debris. Keep aisles, drains, carts, shelves, sinks, floors, furniture, counters and glass clean, sanitary and free of clutter/debris. Empty and sanitize trash cans and receptacles. 
• Alert manager of any safety or operational issues ie: broken guillotine doors, burnt-out lights, not enough salt for snowy areas, etc.
• Keep informed of important notices, meetings, etc. by consulting the \Guest Services Command Center\ 
• Consult with other departments

Work with a team who all exemplify these qualities:

• A passion for animals and animal care, especially dogs + cats. Willing to learn animal behavior to ensure their safety.
• Focuses on safe and gentle handling. Forceful, aversive, aggressive handling, vocalizing or treatment will not be tolerated.
• Customer Service Oriented - Ability to take care of the customers’ needs while following company procedures. Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Responds to request for service and assistance. Build trust with customers.
• Willing and able to communicate directly with clients, both written and orally, about their dog. Works to make these “lifetime clients”.
• Must be able to work under conditions that require sitting, standing, walking, bending, reaching, pulling, pushing and grasping.
• Conflict Resolution - Ability to handle conflict with tact and diplomacy
• Good team work and willingness to assist other departments as necessary
• Cheerful, friendly, positive team-oriented attitude
• Strong attention to detail, especially where documentation is concerned. Ability to work in computer systems such as Microsoft Office.
• Reliable, punctual, and dependable
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including holidays and weekends
• Ability to take direction well and apply it independently 
• Ability to work in temperature extremes, work outside, or in distracting work environments such as loud noise/sound
• Ability to tolerate being in close contact with various bodily fluids and to get dirty frequently 
• Must be comfortable being around dogs of all sizes and physically able to handle dogs of all sizes and to lift up to 60 lbs. 

Equal Employment Opportunity:

NVA Pet Resorts is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

PetSuites is the leader of the pack in pet resorts offering exceptional services for both dogs and cats, ranging from boarding and daycare to grooming and training. Our trusted team of professionals delivers memorable experiences with personalized service in fun, convenient, and modern spaces.

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