Join our Cat Team, where your passion for feline care and animal handling will make a meaningful difference in the lives of cats in need! In this energetic role, you will provide compassionate pet care, assist with animal enrichment, and support all staff to ensure every cat and small animal receives the highest quality attention. Your enthusiasm and dedication will help create a safe, clean, and engaging environment for our furry friends while delivering exceptional customer service to pet owners and visitors alike. And coming this fall: Kitty City! When you join our Cat Team now, you’ll get to enjoy a brand new building alongside our cats and small animals by September 2026.

Full-time Benefits:

• Health, Dental, Vision, and Life insurance paid for by the Humane Society.
• Employee discount on all things retail, adoption, microchipping, and more!
• Paid on-the-job training
• Paid time off (earn 3 hours every payday)
• Referral program
• Attendance bonuses
• A rewarding, meaningful work environment where you know you change lives.

Your Responsibilities

• Assist with feeding, cleaning, and maintaining hygienic living spaces for shelter cats and small animals (may include rabbits, rodents, reptiles, arachnids, and all else cute and small!)
• Handle cats safely using proper animal restraint techniques to ensure their comfort and safety. Participate in crucial stress and disease reduction efforts though compassionate handling and placement of animals in the shelter environment
• Support medical staff with basic animal handling and care tasks during medical procedures or check-ups. Be the eyes and ears for our shelter’s felines and report any medical concerns you observe
• Engage in enrichment activities such as playtime or socialization to promote feline well-being
• Perform heavy lifting when necessary to move supplies, equipment, or animals safely within the facility
• Provide adequate food and water to the shelter cats/kittens and small animals daily

Facility Care

• Follow established disease control protocols to daily clean, disinfect, and maintain shelter kennels, cages, and general areas both inside and outside.
• Wash and disinfect all dishes.
• Restock cleaning areas with supplies and equipment.
• Maintain equipment in working condition, report equipment or supply needs to team leader or Manager of Shelter Operations.
• Maintain work and general areas in an organized manner.

People Care

• Cultivate positive client, volunteer and coworker relations through professional, courteous, and educational interactions.
• Practice and encourage the humane treatment of animals.
• Provide quality customer service to clients, volunteers, and staff while actively promoting our mission, services, programs, and events.
• Work cooperatively with volunteers, recognizing the talent and commitment they bring to the Humane Society.

Safety

• Ensure a safe and healthy work environment for people and animals alike, following all safety guidelines, including PPE, and modeling safe work practice.
• Take immediate action to address any safety concerns that could put a staff member, volunteer, client, animal, or the organization at risk.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a kennel/shelter setting and outdoors.
• Frequent bending, reaching, kneeling, climbing stairs, walking and standing on feet while performing job functions.
• Exposure to disinfectant solutions when cleaning (PPE provided).
• Exposure to various weather conditions when working outdoors.
• Occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds with reasonable accommodations.
• Consistently exposed to animals, animal allergens, loud noises, and odors under conditions with limited alterations available.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Available to work weekends, holiday shifts, and overtime as needed.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Commitment to the mission, values, goals, and success of the Humane Society of the Black Hills.
• Highly motivated, outgoing, and professional.
• Team player, able to work in a fast-pace environment and multi –task.
• Compassion for animals, comfortable working in the shelter environment and willing to accommodate animals in the work place.

Requirements

• Previous experience in pet care, veterinary assisting, kennel work, or animal handling is highly preferred
• Knowledge of pet training, veterinary procedures, or pet grooming is a plus, but not required
• Strong understanding of animal restraint techniques and safety protocols for handling cats and other small animals
• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to communicate clearly and professionally with clients and team members
• Ability to perform physical tasks including heavy lifting, standing, walking, and bending for extended periods
• Compassionate attitude towards animals with a genuine desire to improve their quality of life

The Humane Society of the Black Hills is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees

Those selected for an initial interview will be contacted by our Human Resources department!

Join our dedicated team as an Animal Control Officer, where you will play a vital role in safeguarding public safety and animal welfare within the community. This energetic and proactive position involves responding to animal-related incidents, enforcing local laws, and ensuring humane treatment of animals. You will serve as a key link between residents, law enforcement, and animal services, promoting a safe and compassionate environment for all. This is more than just a job helping local animals – it’s a chance to serve your community, enforce important local ordinances, and advocate for the humane treatment of all animals. Think you fit the criteria below? We’re willing to train the right candidate! You must be at least 21 years of age to apply.

General Summary
The Humane Society of the Black Hills’ Animal Control Services officers (ACOs) are instrumental in managing community animal-related issues with professionalism and compassion, education over authority. ACOs are sworn-in to uphold animal-related ordinances and statutes. The ideal candidate for this position shall have a strong work ethic, the maturity to calmly handle various situations, be detailed-oriented, and have a passion for animal welfare and community outreach.

Full-time Benefits:

• Health, Dental, Vision, and Life insurance paid for by the Humane Society.
• Employee discount on all things retail, adoption, microchipping, and more!
• Paid on-the-job training
• Paid time off (earn 3 hours every payday)
• Referral program
• Attendance bonuses
• A rewarding, meaningful work environment where you know you change lives.

Key Duties

• Respond to calls involving stray, injured, or aggressive animals
• Enforce city and county animal-related ordinances and laws
• Safely capture and transport animals to the shelter
• Conduct welfare checks and assist in animal-related investigations
• Educate the public on responsible pet ownership and local laws
• Maintain accurate records and prepare detailed reports
• Work collaboratively with local law enforcement, the shelter team, and more
• Safely drive a company vehicle to locate, identify, capture, transport, and impound unlicensed, stray disowned and uncontrolled animals.
• Capture and remove stray, uncontrolled, or abused animals from undesirable conditions, using approved provided equipment.
• Complete accurate timely reports and records regarding animal captures, detainment, and quarantines as assessed for rabies/vector diseases.
• Educate the public about animal welfare, and animal control laws, and regulations.
• Investigate any animal control report, conduct surveillance of “Dog Bite Reports”; record where and when incidents took place, describe the animal or vector, record address and name of victim; search and locate animals; perform follow-up activities on dogs in a 10-day observation period; maintain accurate and complete records of the same.
• Investigate reports of animal attacks or animal cruelty, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and writing reports.
• Respond and inspect calls from the public regarding animals that directly affect their way of life; investigates complaints related to animals in violation of City ordinances.
• Establish and maintain an effective working relationship with the public; projects a positive and professional image of the animal control service.
• Issue warnings or citations in connection with animal-related offenses.
• Inspect and examine dog licenses or any other animal certification for validity and issues citations or summons to the owner whose animals are in violation of the same.
• Remove captured animals from animal-control service vehicles and place animals in shelter cages or other enclosures.
• Help prepare and ship specimens for rabies testing, when applicable
• Assist law enforcement personnel in removing confiscated and uncontrolled dogs from residences that are considered dangerous.
• Prepare and maintain daily records, investigation and surveillance files; assists performing dispatching and related office duties.
• Appear in court hearings, discussions, conference, and jury trials as necessary to assure appropriate compliance of City codes and ordinances.
• Assist in maintaining excellent customer service and communication between staff, visitors, and other business contacts.
• Assist shelter staff in duties when necessary (i.e. training and walking dogs, restocking kennels, feeding, etc.)
• Alternate weeks & weekends on-call to assist RCPD and Pennington County Sheriff’s office with after-hours animal control issues

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; additional training or certification in animal care, law enforcement, or related fields is a plus
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record
• Strong communication and conflict-resolution skills
• Ability to work outdoors in various weather conditions and physically handle animals of all sizes and temperaments
• Experience in animal handling, public service, and/or law enforcement is preferred but not required
• Background check required.
• Minimum age to apply: 21 years old

On-the-Job Training & Continuing Education

• Complete NACA ACO I & II certifications within first year of employment
• Be sworn-in in the Seventh Judicial Circuit after completion of 90-day probationary period and completion of NACA ACO I
• Complete Fear Free: Shelter Core Modules certification
• Routine training with local law enforcement agencies

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Work is performed inside and/or outside a building. Work is done in a variety of weather conditions and outdoor elements, such as: excessive heat, humidity, intermittent noise, and inclement cold weather. Work is done in a variety of environmental conditions, such as: unknown and dangerous conditions, unusual environment stress, contagious infectious disease, irritating chemicals, life-threatening situations, solvents, dirt, dust, constant noise, and slippery/uneven walking surfaces. Must be capable of working closely with others or alone, working irregular hours, weekends, working with protective devices, and traveling by car frequently. Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs, straight pulling, pulling hand over hand, simple grasping, dual simultaneous grasping, repeated bending, sitting, standing, pushing, crouching, crawling, twisting, kneeling, stooping, climbing stairs, walking, and reaching above shoulders.

To Apply
If you’re ready to help create a safer, educated, and more humane community for animals, we want to hear from you. Submit your resume, cover letter, and two references or letters of recommendation to our Human Resources department at hr@hsbh.org.

This ad reflects the general details of the job and is not meant to serve as an exhaustive listing of all the work assignments that may be required. The Humane Society of the Black Hills is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.