Position Status:

Full Time Permanent

Benefits

2 weeks vacation and sick time

Position Overview:

The Pet Behaviour Advisor is responsible for assessing, developing, and implementing behaviour programs for shelter animals to support their well-being and increase adoptability. This role involves creating and implementing training and behaviour modification plans, and providing education and hands-on support to adopters, fosters, volunteers, staff, and the public. The Pet Behaviour Advisor plays a key role in advancing the organization's mission of humane animal care and successful adoption through evidence-based, compassionate practices.

Position Responsibilities:

1. Animal Behaviour and Enrichment: Conduct behaviour assessments for animals at intake and throughout their stay, develop and adjust individualized enrichment and behaviour plans to support well-being and adoptability, and maintain detailed records in shelter management systems.
2. Staff, Volunteer, and Foster Support: Train and mentor staff, volunteers, and fosters in animal handling and behaviour, deliver educational workshops, and provide ongoing support for foster caregivers, managing behaviour needs.
3. Adoption Support: Provide behaviour consultations to help set animals and adopters up for success, conduct post-adoption support to enhance retention, and contribute to the development and delivery of adopter education materials.
4. Additional Duties and Responsibilities: Lead public seminars and training classes on common behaviour issues and support community initiatives like pet retention programs and behaviour hotlines. Collaborate with veterinary and shelter teams on cases involving medical and behavioural needs. Stay current with industry best practices through continued professional education. Treat all animals humanely, with compassion and concern, both on and off the job and transmit these values to others. Promote spay/neuter whenever possible. Provide accurate information and friendly professional service to the public and to co-workers in a responsive, positive, courteous, truthful and tactful manner.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

1. Must be able to relate and confer with the Director of Shelter Medicine, Shelter Operations, Executive Director, medical and behaviour staff, and associate with all WECHS staff in a positive and constructive manner.
2. Exercise good judgment, confidentiality and decision making when dealing with volunteers, the public, and potential adopters. Shows initiative and is a conscientious employee.
3. Ability to maintain professional composure in a potentially stressful and emotional work environment.
4. Ability to productively manage multiple competing tasks and demands.
5. Proven organizational skills and strong attention to detail (effective record keeping ability).
6. Support the mission of the Windsor Essex County Humane Society and be able to professionally advocate the organization's position statements.
7. Knowledge of animal health, care, and welfare and the ability to recognize potential signs/symptoms of common diseases.
8. Ability to recognize and identify various animals' breeds and species.
9. The ability to work with animals of all species including both domestic and wildlife.
10. Take immediate action to address any safety concern or noncompliance of safety rules that could put an employee, volunteer, client, animal, or the organization at risk.
11. Knowledge and experience with computers and electronic applications, including the shelter's online software program (PetPoint).

Education and Experience:

1. Proficient understanding of positive reinforcement and force-free training methods.
2. Certification(s) such as CPDT-KA, Fear Free Certification, or equivalent are strongly preferred.
3. Minimum 2 years experience in an animal-related field, such as behaviour, training, daycare, boarding or shelter environment, strongly preferred.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

1. Any allergic condition that would be aggravated from exposure or through contact with animals or chemicals used to sanitize facilities, vehicles or equipment, may be a disqualification.
2. Must stand, sit, walk, bend and stoop frequently to perform duties. Must have the ability to perform prolonged strenuous physical activity, including lifting and carrying objects weighing up to 50 pounds alone or up to 100 pounds with the help of fellow employees for short distances.
3. Ability to safely handle and restrain animals, including large and strong dogs, using appropriate techniques and equipment.
4. Standard office, animal care, public, and shelter environment with exposure to hazardous chemicals, odors, biological waste and sharp objects.
5. Risk of injury from scratches, bites, and other physical interactions with animals, particularly aggressive or fearful dogs.
6. Must be able to deal with an often emotion-charged public and carry a fast-paced and changing workload which at times can be stressful.