Animal Caretaker (Part Time)

Animal Caretaker (Part Time)

Salary

$18.42 - $28.98 Hourly

Location

Animal Control, VA

Job Type

Part Time

Job Number

04632

Department

POLICE-ANIMAL CONTROL

Opening Date

08/13/2026

Closing Date

8/27/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

Under general supervision, responsible for care and feeding of animals in the shelter. Work involves maintaining the animal shelter in a clean and safe condition; feeding, handling, and providing custodial care to animals in the shelter. Employee must exercise independent judgment and initiative in ensuring proper care for animals. Employee must also exercise tact and courtesy in frequent contact with the general public. Employee is subject to the usual hazards of animal caretaking work. Reports to the Animal Shelter Manager.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

Essential Job Functions

• Maintains the animal shelter, office, records, and caring for the animals as according to State Code.
• Maintains records of animals and forms as according to State Code.
• Coordinates intake process of stray, domestic and feral (wild) animals.
• Adopting out, redeeming and rescuing out animals.
• Performs Euthanasia and disposing animal bodies as according to State Code.
• Processes Fielding Citizen Complaints concerning possible cruelty to animals and giving these to the Animal Control Officers or the Police Dispatchers.
• Administers prescribed medications to animals as directed.
• Contacts rescue groups and gathering the needed information for the rescue groups to be approved to pull animals.
• Maintains social media outlets of adoptable, missing and stray animals.
• Keeps abreast of State Laws regarding animals.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications

Graduation from high school or GED with some experience in caring for animals; or any equivalent combination or training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Requires a valid drivers license.

Supplemental Information

• Knowledge of animal breeds, ability to determine sex and age.
• Knowledge of the geography of the City.
• Knowledge of safety practices concerning the handling of animals.
• Ability to prepare and maintain records concerning daily activities.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to exercise tact, courtesy and firmness in frequent contact with animal owners and the general public.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and/or directions from superiors.
• Ability to read a variety of records and forms. Requires the ability to prepare reports, forms and correspondence using prescribed formats. Requires the ability to speak to people with poise, voice control and confidence, including communication over a two-way radio.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages.
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Requires the ability to assess critical situations and establish methods to resolve such situations.
• Ability to utilize mathematical formulas. Must be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Must be able to utilize decimals and percentages.
• Ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.

Seasonal Employees- No Benefits

Part-time Employees - Sick Leave (See below)

Full Time Employees are eligible for the following benefits;

Retirement (Virginia Retirement System employer) for employees hired on or after 1/1/14 - Hybrid Members

Hybrid plan members contribute 4 percent of creditable compensation to the defined benefit plan and 1 percent to the defined contribution plan each month. Members may voluntarily contribute up to an additional 4 percent in 0.5 percent increments to the defined contribution plan each month. Members can increase or decrease their voluntary contributions on a quarterly basis. With the mandatory and voluntary contributions to the defined contribution component of the plan, members can contribute a maximum of 5 percent with a 3.5 percent match from the employer. Members invest in various investment options that best fit their needs.

Vested after 5 years in the defined benefit part of the plan. Vested in phases based on years in the Defined Contribution part of the Plan. The retirement eligibility for a full or reduced retirement pension in the Hybrid Plan is very detailed. Please contact the Virginia Retirement System or the Human Resources Department for details.

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Yearly earnings

120 Hours (1-59 months), 144 Hours (60-119 months), 168 Hours (120- 179 months), 192 Hours (180 and over)

Sick Leave

Part Time employees earn 4 hours per month Sick leave accrues at the end of the month and may be accrued with no ceiling.

Personal Leave

All regular full time employees are granted 24 hours of personal leave each calendar year. Personal leave must be preapproved and is not cumulative.

Health Insurance

Coverage available for you and your eligible dependents using pre-tax payroll deductions if elected.

Supplemental Insurances

Employees may purchase the following supplemental insurance policies: short term and long term disability, cancer, accident, supplemental hospitalization, and group universal life insurance.

Employer Sponsored Short Term and Long Term Disability

Provides disability coverage for employees work and non-work related disabilities. Work related disabilities are covered starting on day one (1). Non work related disabilities are covered starting on day eight (8), after you have been employed for one year.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employees may participate in the Health Reimbursement, Dependent Care Reimbursement and Premium Reimbursement Accounts. All deductions are made on a pre-tax basis and will reduce your taxable income.

Life Insurance

The city pays the entire premium for life insurance coverage in the amount of 2 times annual salary for natural death and 4 times annual salary for accidental death.

Optional Life Insurance

Employees have the option of electing additional life insurance coverage in the amount of 1, 2, 3 or 4 times their annual salary. Employees may only purchase optional life insurance on spouses and children if they are enrolled in optional life insurance for themselves.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

12 weeks of job protected leave for leaves approved in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act. Employees receive continuation of health insurance, job protection and consideration for a comparable job when available, or an equivalent job, upon return to work.

Funeral Leave

24 hours of paid leave of absence in case of death in immediate family.

Holidays

Suffolk follows the Virginia State holiday calendar as set by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Jury Duty

Time off with pay with difference between jury pay and regular pay or use annual leave and keep check.

457 Deferred Compensation, ROTH IRA, Traditional IRA

Offered through ICMA Retirement Corporation as a way to shelter a portion of your salary from income taxes and save for retirement.

Employee Assistance Program

Offers employees and immediate family members (3) free, confidential counseling sessions related to a broad range of issues such as marital or family conflict, job or personal stress, alcohol or drug abuse, financial or legal worries, etc.

Workers Compensation

Should an employee have an on the job injury, he/she could be eligible for Workmens Compensation Benefits, except in cases of willful neglect.

Pay Days

Employees will be paid on the 15th and last working day of each month.

Credit Union

A Suffolk Credit Union is available to employees.

Legal Services

Employees may prepay for access to legal assistance.

Notary Public Services

Services available in the Human Resources Department.

Alternative Work Schedule

For some positions -Offers 4 Alternative Work Schedule options to provide employees with greater control over their personal and professional time, as well as reducing absences.

01

Do you have a high school diploma or GED and some experience caring for animals?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have a valid drivers license?

• Yes
• No

03

Are you available to work weekends?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have any previous experience working in an animal shelter?

• Yes
• No

05

Illegal drug involvement in any of the following: • the sale of or distribution of illegal drugs. • possession of a schedule I or II drug or any derivative thereof within the last five years (excluding marijuana). • use and/or possession of anabolic steroids within the last five years. • use of any drug classified as a hallucinogen within the last five years.

• Yes
• No

06

Have you ever been convicted of any of the following: • felony; • domestic violence; • founded child abuse or neglect; • embezzlement or misappropriation of funds; or • any crimes of moral turpitude (lying, cheating, stealing) ?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Suffolk

Address 442 W. Washington Street, Suite 1044

Suffolk, Virginia, 23434

Phone 7575144110

Website http://www.suffolkva.us