Becoming a Pet Adoption Counselor
Pet Adoption Counselors provide assistance to potential adopters for finding appropriate shelter pets such as dogs, cats and other animals. They ensure quality customer service to patrons who visit or call the shelter. Their responsibilities include evaluating potential adopters, managing the adoption process, sharing information about animal behavior, monitoring the animals in day-to-day basis, resolving difficult adoptions situations involving injured or sick animals, setting up appointments for veterinary procedures, communicating with other departments to provide information on intake animals, educating the adopters about post adoption medical assistance, return policy, pet health insurance etc. Their other duties include attending phone calls, updating official records, managing supplies, keeping the environment clean and safe for the animals so on and so forth.
Work Environment:
Pet Adoption Counselor may find employment in varieties of settings such as animal shelters, pet-food stores, humane societies, and nonprofit animal welfare organizations. They may coordinate adoptions with animal rescue organizations and present training sessions on animal care for schools, rescue groups, or shelter volunteers. Their working may involve some physical activities like standing or lifting pets and carriers. They usually work full time. They may be required to work in nights, weekends, and holidays depending on their responsibilities and setting.
Educational Requirements:
To become a Pet Adoption Counselor, the aspiring candidates need to complete at least a High School Diploma or GED equivalent. They should also have experience using computer programs for record keeping and word processing. The candidates can obtain some practical experience working with animals in a shelter, veterinary office, or in a grooming salon for better job prospects.
Job Outlook and Salary:
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities for Pet Adoption Counselor may rise 15 percent from 2012 to 2022. The average annual salary of a Pet Adoption Counselor was $22,970 in May of 2014.