JOB DETAILS

Animal Welfare Associate

CompanySanta Fe Animal Shelter Inc
LocationSanta Fe
Work ModeOn Site
PostedAugust 13, 2026
About The Company
Since 1939, the Santa Fe Animal Shelter has been dedicated to its mission: support animals, save lives, spread compassion. We are northern New Mexico’s only open-admission, no-kill shelter. As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, we receive nearly all of our funding from private donors in our community and beyond. Santa Fe Animal Shelter focuses on spay/neuter programs to control overpopulation, creative adoption efforts to bring pets to loving families and dozens of programs providing support for marginalized animals. Thanks to a partnership with the City of Santa Fe and the Bureau of Land Management, the main Shelter is housed on a 100-acre campus with hiking trails and plenty of room to walk dogs. Come visit our facilities to see how Santa Fe cares for its animals.  The Shelter is not just a place to adopt an animal or find a missing one but a place to visit over and over again. This is your Shelter, built by our community – a place to find joy with animals. Thanks to our supporters, in 2017 we: * took in 5,063 animals in need. * found new homes for 2,904 animals. * returned 1,195 lost animals to their homes. * gave 179 animals a second chance with our Shelter partners. * sent 626 animals to temporary foster homes. * spayed or neutered 5,661 animals. Our Live Release Rate is currently at 94.2 percent. SFHumaneSociety.org
About the Role

Description

Are you a do-gooder?  Come do good with the Santa Fe animal shelter; use your skills and passion to make a difference.  You need a job worth getting out of bed for, we need problems solved and people’s lives changed.  How about we start with yours? 


The Animal Welfare Associate serves as the front line for Santa Fe Animal Shelter’s lifesaving mission to create a compassionate, safe community for pets and people.  This role works independently with the public to options to keep pets in the home when we can or bring the animal into the shelter when there are no better options for the pet. Animal Welfare Associates must be compassionate and nonjudgmental, demonstrating empathy while working with owners and focus on finding solutions not excuses or placing blame..


PRIMARY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY / ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Animal Welfare Associate

? Customer Service

? Case Management

? Data Entry

? Cash Handling

? Animal Handling


Animal Welfare Associates work closely with Animal Services personnel and other shelter departments, volunteers, customers, board members, vendors and law enforcement personnel in a fast paced collaborative environment.

Requirements

 QUALIFICATIONS

Education, Skills and Work Experience

? High School Diploma/GED or 5 years Customer Service experience.

? Tech-Savvy with understanding of social media platforms.

? Effective written and spoken communication skills.

? Critical thinking and problem-solving expertise

? Nonprofit, mission-driven, or animal welfare experience preferred but not required.

? Bilingual (Spanish) a plus

? An understanding that SFAS is a managed admissions facility and the euthanasia and cremation of animals are regular functions of the Shelter.


Physical Demands

The physical demands noted are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with physical limitations to perform the essential functions:

? Consistently required to transition from seated to standing, moving, and kneeling or crouching.

? Constantly required to speak and hear.

? Manual dexterity: Constant use of hands for grasping, reaching, typing and other operative tasks.

? Required to lift and/or carry an animate or stationary object of up to 50 pounds.

? The work environment exposes the employee to a noise level that is moderate to loud. The employee must be able to handle exposure to working conditions such as poor ventilation, heat, cold, sudden temperature changes, wet quarters, noise,

medical and surgical odors as well as animal odors and dander.

? Potential for exposure to zoonotic diseases, dangerous and fractious animals, hazardous chemicals, anesthetics, and sharp objects.

? The employee should be comfortable interacting with animals of various size, breed, and temperament.

? A valid New Mexico Driver’s license is required.

Key Skills
Customer ServiceCase ManagementData EntryCash HandlingAnimal HandlingCritical ThinkingProblem SolvingCommunicationSocial MediaEmpathyCompassion
Categories
Social ServicesCustomer Service & SupportAdministrative
Job Information
📋Core Responsibilities
The Animal Welfare Associate serves as the front line for the shelter, managing customer service, case management, and data entry. They are responsible for animal handling and working collaboratively with various departments to ensure a compassionate environment for pets and people.
📋Job Type
full time
💰Salary Range
$17 - $19
📊Experience Level
0-2
💼Company Size
73
📊Visa Sponsorship
No
💼Language
English
🏢Working Hours
40 hours
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