Animal Care Intern

Animal Care Intern

Gain hands-on animal handling experience while supporting animals in need.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is seeking an enthusiastic and organized Anima Care Intern to support our animal care team. This unpaid internship provides hands-on experience with fear free animal handling at our different locations. Candidates will also have the opportunity to learn more about animal welfare, shelter operations, and non-profit work. 

This is a great opportunity for someone interested in animal care, nonprofit work, fear free animal handling, shelter operations, or animal welfare, who wants to build professional skills in a mission-driven environment.

Schedule

• Unpaid internship
• Flexible schedule based on availability and shelter needs
• Some weekends may be required
• Work may take place at different ARL locations 

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 

• Assist the Animal Care team with providing daily care and enrichment for animals at ARL Main, ARL Animal Services, and the Second Chance Ranch.
• Assist with regular cleaning of animal housing.
• Monitor animals and immediately report health, behavior, or temperament issues to staff, as necessary.
• Assist in timely data entry including integrity of data in shelter databases, such as Shelter Buddy.
• Participate in stress and disease reduction efforts through purposeful and compassionate handling of animals in the shelter environment.
• Operate laundry, cleaning, dishwashing, and other equipment and report the need for repair or replacement, as appropriate.
• Complete rotations with the Shelter Manager at ARL Main, Shelter Manager at ARL Animal Services, and Second Chance Ranch Manager to get a full educational understanding of the shelter operations.  
• Complete an educational, research-based project to further the ARL’s mission with a presentation at the conclusion of the internship.
• Ensure a safe environment by following all safety guidelines and modeling safe work practices.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and adherence to ARL policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What We're Looking For

• Interest in animal care.
• Previous experience with animal handling and/or customer service, preferred.
• Ability to commit to 90 days interning with a minimum of 4 hours on-site at least 5 days a week.
• Must be able to function in a fast-paced and stressful environment.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical skills.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Work may expose employee to odors, diseases of animals that are possibly contagious, bites, scratches, animal waste, and moderate noise level.
• Must be able to stand and sit for long periods of time.

Internship Experience

This internship is designed as an opportunity for professional development, learning, and skill building. Animal Care interns gain exposure to various species of animals, fear free animal handling, appropriate documentation and animal welfare. 

This is an unpaid internship and should not be viewed as paid employment.

Why Join the ARL?

As an Animal Care Intern, you will help support the Animal Care team in providing safe and compassionate animal handling. You'll be supporting shelter operations, building anima trust, and provide care for their basic needs.  

If you are enthusiastic, organized, and excited to gain hands-on Animal Care experience in a mission-driven nonprofit environment, we would love to have you join our team.

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 are encouraged to discuss potential accommodations as needed.