Pet Resource Counselor

Overview

Pet Resource Counselor Jobs in Hendersonville, NC at Blue Ridge Humane Society

Title: Pet Resource Counselor

Company: Blue Ridge Humane Society

Location: Hendersonville, NC

Description

Every pet deserves a good life. We save the most vulnerable animals and enrich the lives of pets and people. Our mission is made possible with the hard work of our valued employees. We offer a friendly, professional work environment with a culture that promotes innovation, compassion, and excellence.

Job Title: Pet Resource Counselor

Department: Community Support

Position Status: Full-time, Non-Exempt

Reports To: Community Support Manager

Schedule: Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (40 Hours per week)

Starting Pay Range: $16.40 – $19.40 per hour (Based on experience)

Position Summary

The Pet Resource Counselor creates a welcoming, supportive experience for adopters, pet owners, and community members seeking assistance. Rotating between the Adoption Center, Animal Services (SNIP), Warehouse (Giveaways), and fieldwork, this role ensures seamless support across adoption and outreach services. Key responsibilities include counseling adopters, processing adoptions, and assisting with rehoming, veterinary aid, and spay/neuter access. The counselor also responds to helpline inquiries and emergency assistance requests and participates in community events. A non-judgmental, strength-based approach is essential, along with strong customer service skills, multitasking ability, and knowledge of animal care and humane handling.

Duties & Responsibilities

Including but not limited to:

Adoptions & Animal Placement

• Counsel adopters to ensure a successful match, providing thorough pet behavior and care education using a nonjudgmental, strength-based approach.
• Process adoptions, returns to owners, and transfers, ensuring all records are complete and accurate.
• Assist guests in the kennels and cattery, ensuring safe interactions.
• Answer community inquiries about adoption, rehoming, and pet behavior resources. Returning voicemails and replying to general inbox inquiries promptly.
• Assist in maintaining an organized front desk and lobby.
• Monitor and document animal health concerns, stress, or behavioral issues.
• Train and collaborate with volunteers to support adoption and animal care efforts.
• Accept and sort donation drop-offs, ensuring they are appropriately stored or distributed.
• Represent BRHS at adoption and community outreach events.
• Work cooperatively with volunteers to provide quality care, enrichment, and socialization for the animals in our care. Guide volunteers in their tasks to ensure the animals receive consistent and enriching care.
• Participate in adoption and community outreach events when needed.
• Always represent Blue Ridge Humane Society in a professional and friendly manner: in appearance, demeanor and following the behavior expectations for an Adoption Counselor.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Community Support

• Greet clients, check in SNIP appointments, handle pet transport, and provide post-op education.
• Operate a 15-passenger van for animal transport, ensuring safe handling and secure crating of animals.
• Assist in scheduling clients, handle payments, providing appointment reminder phone calls, verify vaccine history etc.
• Assist with giveaway events, including pet food and supply distribution.
• Use a strength-based approach when working with pet owners, ensuring they feel empowered and supported in keeping their pets.
• Process vet assistance requests, ensuring appropriate allocation of funds.
• Support the rehoming program by assisting pet owners in marketing their pets and connecting them with resources.
• Assist with the Meals on Wheels Pet Pals program by delivering pet food and supplies and coordinating wellness visits.
• Return messages on the Community Support Helpline and update phone logs.
• Assist with lost pet reunification efforts through guidance and resource connection.
• Oversee scheduling of SNIP appointments, ensuring at least two weeks' advance scheduling and working proactively to minimize no-shows.
• Collaborate with Henderson County Sheriff’s Department and other local partners as needed for community support initiatives.
• Participate in public education and outreach events, including school and community presentations.

General Responsibilities

• Represent BRHS professionally at all times.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work is evaluated by periodic checks for overall effectiveness and results achieved. Written evaluations are done at the end of the initial probationary period and annually thereafter on the anniversary date. The executive director sets operational guidelines, which are presented in the Employee Handbook and department Standard Operating Procedures.?

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS, WORK ENVIRONMENT, & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty in a satisfactory manner. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. 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 essential functions.

• High School diploma preferred
• Must be knowledgeable about proper handling and restraint of animals.
• Experience in customer service, social services, or animal welfare.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Must demonstrate a high level of attendance and punctuality as a condition of continued employment.
• Must share Blue Ridge Humane Society’s commitment to animals.
• Strong organizational and customer service skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to function as part of a team and work with volunteers.
• Highly motivated and self-directed.
• Must have a good sense of humor and enjoy working in a relaxed office environment.
• Must be comfortable working with animals of varying temperaments in noisy conditions.
• Must be willing to work outdoors in varying temperatures and weather conditions.
• Ability to work with a diverse population and establish and maintain compelling and harmonious working relationships with the public, donors, volunteers, staff and management respectfully and courteously.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and problem-solving skills.
• Conversational Spanish is a plus.
• Good judgment when dealing with the public, decision-making, and dealing with confidential information.
• Ability to effectively handle difficult interpersonal situations, including tactfully handling of angry and upset individuals when necessary.
• This position requires that the individual be able to stand, stoop, walk, crawl, kneel, crouch, and sit for periods of time. The ability to lift a minimum of 50lbs. and maneuver large, cumbersome objects. This individual may be working with potential biohazards related to animal exposure (airborne allergens, contact reactions) and may be exposed to animal diseases and/or diseased animals. Must be able to work safely with a variety of cleaning materials.
• This is an essential position supporting animal care, requiring possible scheduled attendance on holidays and during emergency conditions, such as inclement weather.
• Must love animals AND people!
• Must be willing to give permission for a background check and a DMV report. Must possess a valid, unrestricted driver’s license with a driving record acceptable by Blue Ridge Humane Society’s insurance carrier. May be asked to submit to drug testing during employment.

Blue Ridge Humane Society provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Blue Ridge Humane Society complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.?