Certified Animal Rescue Responder

American Humane • Full-time • Valencia, CA, US • $65,000 - $75,000 / year • 1m ago

American Humane Society (AHS) is seeking experienced Certified Animal Rescue Responders (CARR) to join the organization’s Rescue program. This position must be based at or near one of AHS Rescue program’s operating base in Valencia, California and reports directly to the Director, Rescue Operations. American Humane is committed to fostering a welcoming workplace. As we seek to fill this position, we highly encourage high-performing applicants from all backgrounds to apply

For nearly 150 years, American Humane Society has led the way in protecting animals and strengthening the bonds between animals and people. We respond first when animals need rescue, shelter, or protection. Through our groundbreaking programs – from our “No Animals Were Harmed®” certification in Hollywood to our farm and conservation welfare standards – we set the highest level of care and compassion in animal protection.

Working at American Humane Society means being part of something bigger. With offices in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Palm Beach, we provide a supportive, professional environment where your work makes a real difference in animals’ lives.

Position Summary:
The Certified Animal Rescue Responder is a core member of the American Humane Society (AHS) Rescue team, responsible for planning and executing disaster response efforts for animals and providing mutual aid resources to law enforcement, national, tribal, state and local entities, with large-scale animal cruelty investigations.

This critical role involves managing and deploying the fleet, equipment, and supplies to ensure readiness for rapid response, including overseeing logistical operations, leading special projects, acquiring necessary resources, and fostering partnerships through networking, training, presentations, and mutual aid responses.

Responsibilities:
Emergency Response & Field Operations

Deploy during disasters and assist law enforcement in large-scale animal cruelty cases.
Provide care to rescued animals and manage field logistics (travel, shelter, supplies).
Lead and support Reserves (volunteers/contractors) before, during, and after responses.
Coordinate with Incident Command and make timely decisions on personnel and resources.
Track deployment resources and contribute to after-action reports.
Support communications by capturing stories and visuals for fundraising and public awareness.

Logistics & Operational Management

Oversee logistics planning and execution, including fleet, equipment, and supply readiness.
Ensure compliance with registration and licensing requirements (DOT/local/state).
Maintain and inventory assets at national operating bases.
Coordinate contract drivers and manage service contracts (roadside, fuel, inspections).
Operate vehicles, trailers, clinics, and boats safely.
Support procurement and resource planning for future deployments.

Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Management

Build and maintain partnerships with regional and national agencies.
Develop and maintain MOUs in key disaster-prone areas.
Track cruelty cases and seek partnership opportunities for response efforts.

Monitoring, Intelligence & Situational Awareness

Monitor weather, public health, and cruelty reports.
Share relevant alerts with the Rescue team to aid preparation and decision-making.

Public Education, Outreach & Representation

Deliver trainings and presentations to the public and partner agencies.
Coordinate and promote training for Reserves, first responders, and volunteers.
Keep training materials current and aligned with AHS branding and mission.
Represent AHS at public events and actively recruit new volunteers.

Additional Duties

Provide regular updates and reports to leadership.
Support internal communication and content development related to training and response.
Reinforce the mission and values of American Humane Society in all public-facing efforts.

Essential experience, knowledge, skills and abilities:

Demonstrated expertise in managing logistics and providing resource support.
3 to 5 years of animal handling experience is strongly preferred; if not, a willingness and ability to complete an animal handling course within 90 days of hire is required.
A high school diploma or equivalent is required; a bachelor’s degree, technical training, or equivalent experience – such as RVT, FEMA employee/reservist, or animal control/humane officer – is strongly preferred.
Direct experience with vehicles, trailers, and heavy equipment, including inspecting equipment, hooking up or pulling a trailer, or a willingness and ability to learn.
A Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is advantageous but not mandatory.
At least 1 year of experience with emergency response situations is preferred.
Has completed or is willing to complete Incident Command System 100, 200, 700, 800, ICS 300, and 400 within 90 days of hire.
Field qualified for Animal Search and Rescue, or the willingness and ability to achieve qualification within one year.
Familiarity with various emergency service organizations and their functions, such as the State Office of Emergency Management, State Veterinary Offices, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is a plus.
Skilled in fostering collaborative relationships and showing diplomacy with various groups, including volunteers, first responders, emergency management officials, government agencies, animal rescue organizations, and the general public.
Demonstrates a professional demeanor and appearance, even in high-stress situations.
Proven ability to deliver concise, articulate, and meticulously detailed briefings to senior leadership and partner agencies.
Demonstrates high integrity, sound judgment, and discretion while maintaining confidentiality.
Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to listen actively, remain flexible, and shift priorities as needed.
Strong interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills.
Self-motivated and capable of working independently while embracing a collaborative approach and effectively contributing to a team.
Proven ability to make effective and timely leadership decisions in crises.
Demonstrated skills and experience in successfully delivering group and individual training and instruction are preferred.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; should be at ease with learning and utilizing new technology.

Direct reports:

None, though, may supervise the work of Reserves during deployments.

Physical demands and work environment:

The position will be hybrid, but will be based at or near one of American Humane Society’s current (Palm City, FL; Los Angeles, CA) operating base locations.
The position will follow a regular work schedule when not deployed, but it may require irregular hours during deployments, including nights, weekends, and holidays; schedule based on organizational policy, need and manager discretion.
Travel is periodically required for training and outreach events, estimated at up to 25%.
Extensive travel may be required during deployments, potentially lasting up to one month, often on short notice.
Must be comfortable working with animals, including dogs, cats and horses.
Must be able to fulfill physical requirements for rescuing animals in cases of cruelty and disaster, which include bending, lifting, pushing, pulling, standing for extended periods, swimming, performing fine manipulation with hands, walking, and navigating various terrains, among other tasks.
Must be capable of completing the Wildland Fire Moderate Pack Task (a 2-mile walk with a 25-pound pack in under 30 minutes) as a minimum standard of fitness.
Lift 70 pounds or more occasionally.
Possible exposure to hazardous conditions, including but not limited to fire, flood, hazardous materials, and compromised structures.
Exposure to possible animal hazards like bites and zoonosis.
It may require immunizations such as Hepatitis A, B, Rabies, and Tetanus.
Must be comfortable handling distressed animals.
Will regularly be required to:
- Look at and work on a computer screen for extended periods of time, and
- Talk, hear and exchange information over the telephone, virtually and in person.

American Humane Society’s core values define our workplace, and these values serve as the cornerstone for interactions in advancing our mission and institutional goals. Employees are expected to adhere to all organizational policies and to act as role models, demonstrating American Humane Society’s core values:

Compassion – Being kind and caring in our interactions with others.

Accountability - Holding ourselves to the highest standards. Following through on commitments and owning our actions, behavior, and decisions.

Respect for All – Being professional, listening to others and honoring diversity in all its forms.

Loyalty to Mission – Staying focused on our purpose and our mission – our nation’s most vulnerable depend on us.

Sustainability - Contributing to being a great place to work and achieving our shared mission and goals to make a difference, now and in the future.

Honesty, Integrity, Trust – Demonstrating transparency, as trusted stewards of donor resources, supporting our leadership and one another.

American Humane Society (AHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to fostering a welcoming, supportive workplace where our work makes a real difference in animals' lives.

Job Details:

Title: Certified Animal Rescue Responder
Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Location: Los Angeles, CA area
Compensation: Estimated range $60-80K depending upon geographic location, experience and credentials

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