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About the Role
The Feline Behavior Specialist works hands-on with cats, providing daily socialization, behavior modification, and enrichment to ensure their highest quality of life. This role is crucial in helping cats adjust and thrive within the shelter environment, ultimately supporting ACC's mission to End Animal Homelessness in NYC.
Responsibilities
- Conduct behavior assessments, socialization, behavior modification, and enrichment for cats.
- Provide daily one-on-one socialization for timid or fearful cats using positive reinforcement and Fear Free techniques.
- Collaborate with staff to offer creature comforts, in-kennel enrichment, and environmental enrichment.
- Identify cats needing behavior evaluations, rechecks, or attention.
- Maintain and support programs for behavioral and environmental enrichment.
- Offer hands-on handling training to staff.
- Work with newly-arrived cats to provide early positive associations.
- Identify cats needing follow-up checks or attention before placement.
- Create behavior modification plans for cats not thriving.
- Collaborate with staff and volunteers to identify animals needing special attention.
- Provide enrichment supplies for animals.
- Maintain accurate spreadsheets to track daily animal interactions and monitor plans.
- Update records in the Shelter Buddy system and on Feline Wellness Boards.
- Update Pet Preference Cards to inform staff and volunteers about cat preferences.
- Assist with writing bios to increase adoption chances for cats.
- Identify medical, care, and placement needs for animals.
- Recommend cats for the emergency placement list.
- Clean up after animals, including spot cleaning cages.
- Aid various departments with additional tasks as directed.
- Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Requirements
- High School Diploma or GED required.
- Experience observing and documenting feline behavior objectively required.
- Strong understanding of feline body language required.
- Must be able to handle all types of cats with varying behaviors and energy levels, including fearful and aggressive behaviors, in a low-stress manner.
- Ability to remain pleasant, calm, and objective in all situations.
- Must be able to lift and move up to 50 lbs.
- Fear Free certification required within 30 days of hire.
Skills
- Feline behavior assessment
- Socialization techniques
- Behavior modification
- Enrichment strategies
- Positive reinforcement
- Fear Free techniques
- Feline body language interpretation
- Low-stress handling
- Microsoft Outlook proficiency
- Microsoft Excel proficiency
- Microsoft Word proficiency
- Shelter software learning capability
- Independent judgment
- Multitasking
- Cooperative work environment fostering
- Written communication
- Verbal communication
Location
- New York City
Work Type
- Full-time
- Onsite
Experience Level
- 6 months experience interacting with and caring for cats in a shelter or rescue setting preferred.
Education Level
- High School Diploma or GED
Benefits
- 120 hours of vacation time
- Birthdays off
- 40 hours of paid CE time with a small stipend
- Personal days
- Sick pay
- Open access Cigna medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401K
- Pension
- Life Insurance
- On-the-job training (2-4 weeks)
- Periodic all staff training (safety, DEI, cross training)
- Growth opportunities
- Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
About the Company
- ACC is one of the nation’s largest open-admission animal shelters with a mission to End Animal Homelessness in NYC.
- ACC touches the lives of nearly 20,000 animals each year.
- ACC is a resource to the community, focused on keeping the human-animal bond intact.
- ACC has a 90% placement rate and implements progressive, life-saving initiatives.
- ACC strives to find loving homes for homeless and abandoned animals through direct adoption and partnerships with over 200 placement organizations.
- ACC helps keep NYC communities safe, rescues animals in need, responds to emergencies, and remains open 24/7 for people and animals.
- ACC offers compassionate end-of-life services for pets.