Animal Care Assistant

Care for shelter animals while they wait for loving homes.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is seeking compassionate and dependable Animal Care Assistants to join our team in a temporary, part-time role through November 2026. This position provides daily care for shelter animals while helping maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for animals, staff, volunteers, and visitors. This is a great opportunity for someone with animal care, shelter, kennel, veterinary, pet care, boarding, farm, or hands-on animal handling experience who enjoys meaningful work, staying active, and making a direct difference for animals every day.

Schedule

• Temporary, part-time position expected to continue through November 2026
• Monday through Saturday availability needed
• 7am to 7pm - shift times vary depending on location
• Opportunities for continued employment may be available based on organizational needs and individual performance after November

About the Animal Rescue League of Iowa

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is Iowa’s largest nonprofit animal welfare organization, helping animals and the people who love them through sheltering, adoption, veterinary care, animal services, community programs, and pet support resources. Across multiple locations and programs in the Des Moines metro, the ARL works every day to provide compassionate care, practical support, and trusted resources for animals and families in our community.

What You’ll Do

• Provide daily care for dogs, cats, and other shelter animals, including feeding, watering, walking, exercise, and enrichment.
• Clean, disinfect, and maintain animal living spaces, dishes, laundry, and shared areas.
• Observe animals for signs of illness, injury, stress, or behavior changes and report concerns promptly.
• Document animal care information accurately in Shelter Buddy and other systems.
• Support positive interactions with adopters, volunteers, visitors, and team members.
• Assist with general facility cleaning and daily operational needs.
• Follow animal handling, safety, sanitation, and organizational procedures.

What We’re Looking For

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Previous experience working with animals strongly preferred.
• Animal shelter, veterinary clinic, kennel, pet care, boarding, farm, or similar experience highly desirable.
• Previous customer service experience preferred.
• Dependable, observant, compassionate, and able to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Comfort working with animals of varying sizes, breeds, temperaments, and medical needs.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a team environment.
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office.

Benefits for Part-Time Employees

Part-time employees at the ARL are part of a mission-focused culture where their work directly supports animals, pet owners, and the community. Benefits and employee offerings may include:

• Veterinary benefits
• Opportunities for learning, connection, and meaningful community impact
• 401(k) retirement plan with an employer contribution

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

This position works in an active animal shelter environment and may require frequent standing, walking, bending, lifting, cleaning, and safely handling animals throughout the shift. Candidates must be able to safely lift and move up to 50 pounds.

The role may involve exposure to pet dander, animal waste, cleaning chemicals, loud noises, strong odors, zoonotic diseases, and the possibility of bites or scratches while following established safety procedures.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Why Join the ARL?

As an Animal Care Assistant, your work helps animals stay healthy, comfortable, and ready for adoption. From cleaning kennels and providing enrichment to noticing changes in an animal’s wellbeing, your attention and care directly support better outcomes for animals in need.

If you are dependable, compassionate, and looking for meaningful hands-on work with animals, we would love to have you join our team.

Employment in this position is at-will, meaning either the employee or the ARL may end the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, as permitted by law.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state law. Applicants and employees are encouraged to discuss potential accommodations as needed.