Intern in the Best Friends Kitten Nursery

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Position Summary:

Best Friends Animal Society partners with seven municipal shelter partners along the Wasatch Front to save underage kittens. Our goal is to save 1,500 kittens annually. The Kitten Nursery Caregiver Intern is responsible for assisting with animal care and volunteer coordination at the Best Friends Kitten Nursery. This intern should be prepared to be in a fast-paced emotional environment and will gain broad experience in coordinating volunteers, neonatal animal care and the nonprofit animal welfare field.


Time Commitment/Internship Length:

Minimum of 30 hours per week. Interns must be able to possess flexibility of scheduling involving overnight shifts, early morning shifts and midday shifts. The kitten nursery is open every day, 24 hours a day.

We offer a three-month internship with start dates available from mid-March through mid-August 2019. Housing and other travel expenses are not provided.

Responsibilities:

• Facilitates (under staff supervision) the daily feeding, cleaning, medical care and enrichment of cats and kittens at the kitten nursery in accordance to standard operating procedures and reports any medical or behavioral concerns to kitten nursery staff
• Assists with administering medications and providing treatment, including care for critical patients (This may include assisting with physical examinations, administering injections, oral medications, fluid therapy, syringe feeding and tube feeding.)
• Provides assistance to staff in working with the foster coordinator to ready kittens from the kitten nursery for placement in foster homes.
• Keeps animal records current, including intake paperwork, feeding charts and medical logs
• Assists in managing inventory of all kitten nursery supplies, ensuring all necessary supplies are stocked and available at all times
• Expedites proper contamination and sanitation protocols in all areas of the kitten nursery as directed
• Maintains (under staff supervision) daily communication with and oversight of volunteers dedicated to the kitten nursery, and assists staff with training new volunteers
• Performs other duties as assigned

What you’ll gain from a Best Friends internship:

• Opportunities to work with one of the largest nonprofit animal welfare organizations that is a leader in the no-kill movement.
• Experience in hands-on animal care of neonates, including experience with medicine administration (oral and topical), vaccines, vet exams and subcutaneous fluids
• Opportunities to learn about and work with other Best Friends programming including the Lifesaving Center, community cats, and spay/neuter clinics.
• Experience in volunteer leadership training and mentorship

Qualifications:

• Demonstrates (after a short training period) the ability to care for kittens and cats and follow contamination and animal care protocols
• Shows the ability to create and encourage a positive work environment, and demonstrates approachability when dealing with volunteers and staff
• Has strong interpersonal skills (ability to develop positive relationships with others and demonstrate sensitivity to the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of others)
• Demonstrates personal accountability to ensure that all responsibilities are completed effectively and in a timely manner
• Demonstrates accurate, professional, clear, and concise written and verbal communication skills.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to routinely lift up to 40 pounds
• Must be able to stand for long periods of time while performing work requiring concentration and manual dexterity
• Must be able to perform strenuous physical activity on a daily basis, including but not limited to walking, bending, lifting, carrying, twisting, reaching, stooping and squatting
• Demonstrates the ability to effectively and safely handle cats and kittens of all temperaments and spend extensive periods of time with those animals in close quarters

Application instructions:

Please submit cover letter and resume to slcinternships@bestfriends.org or to Best Friends Animal Society, Attn: Internship Program, 2005 S. 1100 E., Salt Lake City, UT, 84106