Animal Services Counselor (Finance)

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services has multiple opportunities for Animal Services Counselors in Riverside, Jurupa Valley. Join the Department of Animal Services and help us fulfill our mission of working together to improve Riverside County for people and animals. As part of our team, you will embody our core values by demonstrating respect and empathy toward all people and animals, supporting progressive sheltering and adoption programs, and contributing to a safe, collaborative workplace. If you are passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of animals and the community, we encourage you to apply and be a steward for those who cannot speak for themselves.

The five divisions for Animal Services Counselor are Adoption, Foster, Enrichment, Rescue, and Pet Support. We encourage you to read more about these divisions below.

Adoption Counselor - This position is a customer-facing position that focuses on matching people and pets to each other. This role involves face-to-face interactions with the public and direct animal handling to match adoptable animals with potential homes, providing guidance, education, and support throughout the adoption process. You'll also play a key role in assessing adopters' needs, promoting responsible pet ownership, and ensuring animals are placed in safe, loving environments. Ideal candidates are compassionate, patient, great communicators, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, emotionally rewarding environment. Bilingual skills and previous customer service or animal care experience are a plus.

Foster Counselor - This position will support and grow our foster program by working directly with individuals and families who open their homes to animals in need. This role includes matching animals with appropriate foster homes, providing training and resources to foster caregivers, and serving as a point of contact for ongoing support. You'll help coordinate animal movement in and out of foster care, troubleshoot challenges, and ensure both animals and fosters have a positive experience. The ideal candidate is organized, empathetic, and confident, communicating with a diverse public, especially in a fast-paced, high-volume environment. Experience in animal care, veterinary care, customer service, or case management is helpful.

Enrichment Counselor - This position plays a vital role in supporting the behavioral and emotional health and well-being of dogs in our care. This position focuses on providing daily enrichment in-kennel and through playgroups, socialization, and positive reinforcement-based handling to reduce stress and improve adoptability. You'll work closely with adoption staff, volunteers, and care teams to develop and implement enrichment plans tailored to individual dogs' needs. Ideal candidates are patient, observant, comfortable handling a wide range of dog behaviors and types of dogs, and passionate about helping people and helping pets. Prior experience in dog handling, sheltering, customer service, or animal behavior is a strong plus.

Rescue Counselor - This position will be responsible for building and maintaining partnerships with animal rescue organizations to help place animals who may need extra support beyond what the shelter can provide. This role involves daily communication and coordination with rescue groups, identifying animals who would benefit from transfer, and managing and delivering the logistics of moving animals safely and efficiently. You'll advocate for animals with medical or behavioral challenges and collaborate with veterinary and behavior teams to support rescue placements. Ideal candidates are highly organized, skilled communicators, and passionate about lifesaving partnerships. Experience in animal welfare, customer service, case management, or rescue coordination is a plus.

Pet Support Counselor - This position works directly with community members to help them keep, care for, or rehome their pets or found pets. This role focuses on providing resources, counseling, and alternatives to surrender whenever possible, including support with pet food, housing challenges, veterinary care, and behavior concerns. You'll also assist pet owners through the intake or rehoming process when needed. The ideal candidate is compassionate, solutions-oriented, and skilled in active listening and problem-solving. Experience in social services, customer service, or animal welfare is highly valued in this community-centered position.

We are seeking compassionate candidates with excellent customer service skills and are comfortable interacting with diverse populations, sometimes in tense or emotional situations, possess strong communication skills, especially when dealing with emotionally charged situations. Candidates should possess good judgment when assessing situations, along with a strong desire to help both animals and the community.

Competitive candidates, although not a requirement, will possess experience in an animal services and care setting, familiarity with software systems, databases, or shelter management tools (e.g., Chameleon, PetPoint). Additionally, the department desires candidates with knowledge of animal behavior, care, and health needs to assess and interact appropriately and have the ability to safely handle animals, including frightened, injured, or aggressive ones.

The Animal Services Counselor position requires flexible availability, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Meet the Team!

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services believes the character of their organization is best reflected in the strong dedication of each one of their employees who strive to meet the highest standards of performance and compassion on behalf of the animals and people that they serve. The Department of Animal Services operates four shelters located in Blythe, Jurupa Valley, San Jacinto and Thousand Palms.• Interact with the public and direct animal handling to match adoptable animals with potential homes, providing guidance, education, and support throughout the adoption process.

• Match animals with appropriate foster homes, provide training and resources to foster caregivers, and serve as a point of contact for ongoing support.

• Coordinate animal movement in and out of foster care.

• Provide daily enrichment in-kennel and through playgroups, socialization, and positive reinforcement-based handling to reduce stress and improve adoptability.

• Build and maintain partnerships with animal rescue organizations to help place animals.

• A dvocate for animals with medical or behavioral challenges and collaborate with veterinary and behavior teams to support rescue placements.

• May be assigned to any shift and required to be available as needed.

• May be specifically assigned as an Adoption Partner Coordinator and act as point of contact for rescue groups (adoption partners), coordinating the adoption of shelter animals to adoption partners and developing/maintaining relationships with adoption partners, and other related activities as assigned.

• Participate regularly in community events or animal adoption events that frequently occur on weekends; coordinate spay/neutering of animals in anticipation of outreach activities. OPTION I

Experience: Six months performing animal care duties in a public or non-profit animal control program.

OPTION II

Experience: One year of paid or voluntary experience in a veterinary office, animal grooming, animal board and kennel facility, or similar setting which included the care of animals.

OPTION III

Experience: Two years of experience within a customer service environment.

ALL OPTIONS

Knowledge of: Techniques and procedures for the safe, humane, and efficient handling of animals; laws and ordinances governing the licensing and treatment of animals; the symptoms of common animal diseases; common breeds of domestic animals and appropriate practices for their care and feeding.

Ability to: Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relations with the public, adoption partners and other employees; handle animals humanely and safely; manage difficult to place animals; read and comprehend laws and regulations pertaining to animal control; clearly explain animal services to the public; exercise tact and good judgment in dealings with the public; recognize symptoms of rabies and other animal diseases; keep statistical records; lift and handle cats, dogs (including large breeds) and other animals.

Other Requirements
License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License may be required.
Physical Requirements: This position may require working in an environment with exposure to animal smells, dander, excrement, fluids and wounds. Physically capable of performing duties that may involve lifting, cleaning, or standing for long periods. Ability to safely handle animals, including frightened, injured, or aggressive ones.

Please be advised that the Animal Services Counselor position is based in a facility where animal euthanasia may be performed. Euthanasia is conducted when necessary and in accordance with established protocols, policies, and ethical standards. By applying, you acknowledge your understanding of this aspect of the work environment and your willingness to work professionally and respectfully within it.This recruitment is open to all candidates. A list of eligible candidates will be established to fill current and future vacancies throughout Riverside County.

Applicants who are current employees of the Department of Animal Services may be considered before other applicants depending on the volume of application received.
BASED ON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, THIS POSTING MAY CLOSE WITHOUT NOTICE. For more information, please email Amanda Campos at acampos@rivco.org .