Job Type: Part-Time, approx. 10-20 hours per week

Location: Blue Ridge, Texas

 

If you want to spend your days surrounded by dogs and like being covered in dog hair, this might be the job for you! We are looking for responsible, fun-loving, open-hearted dog lovers to help care for the dogs at our Rescue Ranch on a part-time basis. Also, a desire to live in the country and spend much of your time outdoors is a must. Working with dogs is physically demanding, sometimes unpredictable, challenging, and most of all – rewarding!

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About Hearts & Bones Rescue

Hearts & Bones Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization composed of a network of animal lovers who collaborate to rescue shelter dogs and find them loving, forever homes. We are dedicated to building a coalition of individuals and organizations across the country to save lives in the areas where shelters are under the greatest stress, and transport our dogs to communities where they have a greater chance of being adopted. Currently, we rescue our dogs from overcrowded shelters throughout the Dallas-Forth Worth area and transport them to our foster and adoptions hub in New York City.

 

We recently opened a new lifesaving facility in Blue Ridge, Texas called the Hearts & Bones Rescue Ranch! This former dog boarding facility is a temporary home for the dogs we rescue from shelters where they can relax and play while we get them ready to travel. The Ranch sits on 5 acres of land and has 3 kennel buildings, along with spacious outdoor play yards for our dogs. Dogs will stay at the Ranch for approximately 2 weeks and then travel to NYC for adoption.​

 

Job Summary

Kennel Attendants provide care for the basic needs of dogs that are being boarded at the Hearts & Bones Rescue Ranch, including cleaning of cages, runs and ward areas; laundry; walking and feeding dogs; and medicating dogs as needed. Kennel Attendants operate under the supervision of the Facility Manager who will indicate general assignments, limitations and priorities. The Facility Manager will provide specific instructions in giving medications, feeding specific diets or following special sanitary procedures. Recurring assignments are performed independently. The Facility Manager will also advise the Kennel Attendants on how to handle any situations outside of normal procedures that can arise when working with animals.

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The Kennel Attendants also provide a secure and nurturing environment for the dogs that we welcome into our rescue. This includes walking, feeding, talking to, and playing with rescue animals everyday, getting to know them and providing information about their personalities that can help us match them with forever families. The Attendants keep a close watch on all dogs and notify the Facility Manager of any problems. 

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Responsibilities:

• Observe animal appearance and activity for general physical condition, obvious signs of illness, disease and discontent.

• Socialize dogs and provide enrichment to help them adjust and decompress after leaving the shelter environment.

• Handle and properly restrain animals as required.

• Turn out dogs into assigned play yards and walk dogs several times a day to provide exercise and time for elimination of bowels and bladder.

• As needed, bathe, groom and provide care to dogs.

• Report signs of illness, disease, injury, behavior issues or unusual activity to Facility Manager.

• Provide all dogs with water and scheduled meals. As required, provide special food and liquids.

• Ensure that cages and animals are properly identified and that supplies (toys, treats, blankets, leashes) are stored in the proper area identified.

• Clean, disinfect and maintain kennels, cages, runs and stalls as often as is necessary to ensure no cages or kennels are soiled and odors are not apparent. 

• Perform general cleaning in other areas of the ranch to control the spread of disease. Wash and sterilize water and food bowls.

• Launder and dry towels and blankets.

• Walk grounds daily, picking up and trash and stool material. Empty trash as needed.

• Record information such as feeding schedules, appearance, and behavior of dogs. 

• Work well with all employees and ensure that your actions support the Facility Manager and HBR’s goals  - with compassion and care.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

 

Requirements:

• Must love dogs! Knowledge of dog behavior and training is helpful, and a passion for animals and animal advocacy is a requirement.

• This job requires hard, physical labor and will involve cleaning. 

• We also place the utmost importance on creating a supportive working environment for all associates. Applicants must be committed to bringing “good energy” to work. 

• Must be at least 16 years old

• No smoking or drugs. References and background checks will be conducted.

• Work is performed both indoors and outdoors, and may require coming in during weekends and holidays. The work place is also often noisy because of the number of animals present, and the odor of animal feces may be present. Travel may also be necessary and may require Kennel Attendants to have their own vehicles.

 

Physical Qualifications:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job:

• Frequently required to bend, stand, stoop, walk, sit communicate, and listen, frequently working in a bent position.

• Frequently use hands to manipulate, handle, or feel; will reach with hands and arms.

• Use strength or agility in capturing and restraining stronger, more active animals.

• Frequently lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.

• Kennel attendants work indoors and outdoors each shift and must be able to withstand weather conditions including rain, extreme heat, cold, etc. Work often exposes attendants to unpleasant odors and noises. They may also be exposed to bites, scratches, and animal waste. This is not the job for you if you are squeamish about bugs, insects, or spiders as country life can come with country pests. 

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* This job description does not necessarily cover every task or duty that might be assigned. There may be additional responsibilities assigned as necessary.

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To Apply

Please email your resume and a brief introduction to careers@heartsandbonesrescue.com.