Join the Homeward Animal Shelter Team!

Do you enjoy working with animals AND people? Then we'd love to have you join the Homeward Animal Shelter team! Current open positions are listed below:

Intake & Adoptions Coordinator

Posted 9/21/26

Homeward Animal Shelter is seeking a full-time Intake & Adoptions Coordinator to join our team!

This position plays an important role in helping animals move successfully through the shelter—from the moment they arrive to the day they head home with their new family. The Intake & Adoptions Coordinator works directly with pet owners, adopters, shelter staff, and community partners to coordinate animal intakes, facilitate adoptions, and help find the best possible placement for each animal in our care.

This is a great position for someone who loves animals but also genuinely enjoys working with people. Our ideal candidate is compassionate, organized, comfortable navigating sometimes difficult or emotional situations, and able to balance the needs of animals with the needs of the people who care about them.

What You'll Do

In this role, you will:

• Coordinate the intake of animals coming to Homeward, including owner surrenders, transfers, adoption returns, and strays.
• Work compassionately with people surrendering pets to gather information, understand their circumstances, and make the transition as smooth as possible.
• Look for creative alternatives to shelter intake when appropriate, including connecting animals directly with potential adopters.
• Work with our animal care and veterinary teams to identify medical, behavioral, or other special needs of incoming animals.
• Help prospective adopters find pets that are a good fit for their homes and lifestyles.
• Process adoption applications, provide adoption counseling, complete paperwork, and offer post-adoption support.
• Provide adopters with information about animal behavior, training, care, and successful transitions into their new homes.
• Keep animal records and profiles accurate and up to date.
• Help showcase adoptable animals through photos, profiles, adoption events, and other promotional opportunities.
• Oversee our Barn Buddies program and help place working cats into appropriate homes.
• Coordinate adoptable cats and adoptions with our community retail partners, including PetSmart, Petco, and Pet Supplies Plus.
• Help organize and attend off-site adoption events throughout the community.

Who We're Looking For

The right person for this position will be someone who:

• Has experience working with animals and is comfortable handling both dogs and cats with a variety of personalities, sizes, and backgrounds.
• Is empathetic and nonjudgmental when working with people in all types of situations, including those making difficult decisions about their pets.
• Communicates clearly and professionally while still being warm and approachable.
• Can handle emotional or challenging conversations while maintaining appropriate policies and boundaries.
• Is organized, dependable, and able to manage multiple priorities in a busy environment.
• Has good judgment and is comfortable making decisions and solving problems.
• Can work independently while also being part of a collaborative team.
• Is comfortable using computers and learning shelter management software.
• Has an interest in animal behavior, adoption counseling, and helping people build successful relationships with their pets.

Previous animal shelter, rescue, veterinary, animal care, or other hands-on animal experience is preferred.

Schedule & Compensation

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
Pay: $17.00/hour

Benefits

Full-time employees are eligible for:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid sick leave
• Three weeks of paid time off

Physical & Work Environment

This position involves regular interaction with dogs and cats and working in an active animal shelter environment that can sometimes be noisy, physically demanding, and unpredictable.

Candidates must be able to stand and walk for extended periods, safely handle animals, and occasionally lift or move up to 75 pounds.

Why This Job Matters

Animal sheltering is about more than caring for animals—it's about helping people, too. The person in this role will often meet people during difficult moments, welcome animals whose lives are changing, and help families make decisions that can last for years.

Every intake is an opportunity to learn an animal's story. Every adoption is an opportunity to create a lasting match. And every interaction is an opportunity to treat both animals and people with compassion.

If you're resourceful, organized, empathetic, and excited about helping animals find their way from intake to home, we'd love to hear from you.

Interested in applying? Please send your resume to Heather at hclyde@homewardonline.org. 

Homeward Animal Shelter is an Equal Opportunity Employer.