Animal Adoption Specialist

Minimum Qualifications

Graduation from high school or equivalent and one year of work experience in an animal shelter, veterinary setting, rescue organization, or customer service, or any equivalent combination of related training and experience.  Applicants within six months of meeting the education and experience requirements may be considered for trainee status.
Successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen and successful completion of all applicable background checks, pre-hire and ongoing, are required.
Pending BoCC Board Approval 8/11/2026

Position Summary

This is professional shelter work responsible for delivering a positive, safe, and welcoming adoption experience for prospective adopters while ensuring the well-being of shelter animals for the Alachua County Animal Resources & Care Department.
An employee assigned to this classification is responsible for providing accurate behavior and medical information, recordkeeping, assisting with behavior observations, animal promotion, matching animals with appropriate forever homes based on adopter experience, expectations, and home environment, and collaborating with all shelter staff to promote successful placements and responsible pet ownership. 
Work is performed under the direction of a higher-level supervisor and is reviewed through conferences, reports, and observation of results obtained.

Examples of Duties

This is an emergency essential classification. Upon declaration of a disaster and/or emergency, all employees in this classification are required to work.
Exudes a positive customer service focus.
Advocates building organizational culture through aligning decisions with the County's core values.
Greets and assists prospective adopters, offering guidance in selecting animals that align with their lifestyle, expectations, and experience.
Facilitates meet and greet sessions between animals and individuals, families, or other household pets, ensuring safe handling and positive interactions. 
Safely handles dogs, cats, and small mammals during viewings, meet and greets, and enrichment activities.
Monitors animal responses during adopter interactions and documents observations related to stress, sociability, play style, or behavior challenges.
Explains adoption procedures, shelter policies, adoption counseling points, and post-adoption support resources.
Provides accurate, compassionate, and unbiased information about each animal’s behavior, health status, and known history.
Supports adopters through decision-making by answering questions, addressing concerns, and helping them understand animal needs and behavior patterns.
Assists Outreach/Behavior teams with conducting behavior assessments, documenting findings, and ensuring notes are entered promptly and accurately. Participates in daily enrichment, socialization sessions, and positive reinforcement-based handling to support behavioral health.
Promptly reports medical or behavioral concerns to veterinary or behavior staff.
Maintains thorough, timely, and objective behavior and interaction notes in shelter software (e.g., adopter meet and greet summaries, concerns, positive behaviors observed). Updates animal profiles to reflect personality traits, behavior updates, photos, and adopter friendly descriptions. Monitors adoption trends, returns, and common adopter questions to support continuous service improvement.
Assists with processing adoption applications, completing documentation, reviewing required forms, and collecting fees.
Develops outreach strategies to expand the animal adoption network, including events, social media, and community partnerships.
Supports Outreach staff with adoption events, mobile adoption units, and community education programs. Assists with preparing animal behavior summaries, bios, and talking points for public-facing events. Helps prepare animals for Outreach activities, including fit for public assessments, behavior observations, and safe transport handling.
Represents the shelter in a professional, compassionate manner at all public functions.
Maintains clean, safe, and organized adoption and interaction areas.
Follows all safety protocols for zoonotic disease prevention, animal handling, PPE use, and incident reporting.
Collaborates with all Shelter staff to support overall operations.
Participates in staff meetings, animal rounds, and cross-departmental planning as requested.
Performs the duties listed, as well as those assigned, with professionalism and a sense of urgency.
NOTE: These examples are intended only as illustrations of the various kinds of work performed in positions allocated to this class. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of dog and cat body language, behavior indicators, and positive reinforcement handling.
Strong customer service skills with the ability to communicate respectfully, clearly, and compassionately.
Skill and comfort handling animals of varying sizes, temperaments, and behavioral needs.
Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accurate records.
Ability to remain calm, professional, and solution-focused during emotionally sensitive situations.
Ability to treat animals and people with respect.
Ability to restrain and handle hostile or large animals.
Ability to deal effectively with the public and co-workers in a professional manner, especially during emotional or stressful situations.
Ability to effectively utilize social media and community outreach as strategic tools to expand the animal adoption network.

Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing. 
Ability to comprehend and follow oral and written instructions. 
Ability to follow through on assigned tasks while maintaining attention to detail, patience, and professionalism.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms and use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to talk or hear, and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. 
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and toxic or caustic chemicals. The employee frequently works in outside weather conditions and is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles and regularly exposed to animals, including those that are sick, injured, or stressed. Potential hazards include animal bites, scratches, and exposure to zoonotic diseases (e.g., ringworm).
The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.

Supplemental Information

06/29/2026-new classification/job description currently under review-Revised pay plan with new classification will go to the Board on 8/11/26.  kab/hr

Preferred:
CPR/First Aid certification
Experience with shelter management software or adoption databases.
Experience with social media platforms

An organization is only as good as the people it employs. To attract and retain the best team possible, the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners offers a competitive benefit program. We believe that if we expect our employees to support the County, we must first support the health and financial well-being of our employees and their families, now and as they plan for their future. BoCC-Contributed Benefits

• Medical/Health Insurance  
• Employee Life Insurance  
• Florida Retirement System  
• Employee Assistance Program

Optional Benefits

• Dental Insurance  
• Vision Insurance
• Supplemental & Dependent Life Insurance
• Deferred Retirement Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Roth IRA
• Tuition Assistance Program  

NOTE: For detailed information regarding available benefits click here.

You may also view Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding benefits. 

• FLORIDA RETIREMENT SYSTEM (FRS) The Florida Retirement System is a retirement plan designed to provide an income to a vested employee and his/her family when the employee retires, becomes partially or totally disabled, or dies prior to retirement.  A defined benefit or defined contribution option may be chosen by the employee.
• TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Permanent, full-time employees are eligible for educational assistance funds. Contact the Human Resources Office for program details.
• HOLIDAYS Holidays are as follows: 

1. New Years Day  
2. Martin Luther King Day  
3. Memorial Day  
4. Juneteenth
5. Independence Day  
6. Labor Day  
7. Veterans' Day  
8. Thanksgiving Day  
9. Friday following Thanksgiving  
10. Christmas Eve (IAFF*)  
11. Christmas Day  
12. Additional Christmas Holiday (All non-IAFF employees)  
13. 2 Floating Holidays  (All non- IAFF employees)

*IAFF – International Association of Firefighters Pay periods are every two weeks, Monday through Sunday. Payday is Friday. International Association of Firefighters follow the General Contract 7k regarding holidays.

Vacation Leave – Generous vacation accrual rates with payout of unused accrued leave, with some restrictions. For more detailed information regarding vacation leave refer to Employee Policy Manual, Section 7-2.

Sick leave is earned at a rate of 4 hours per pay period by all permanent, full-time employees*. At the end of each fiscal year, eligible employees can convert up to 10 days of accrued sick leave to vacation leave on a 2:1 basis. For more detailed information regarding sick leave refer to Employee Policy Manual, Section 7-3 *Accruals slightly different for IAFF employee.

$41,267.20 Annually