Job Description

Animal Lover Job Opportunity

Are you a total animal lover, someone who has always loved dogs and cats? Well, then look no further. Come on over to the Bark Side! We are looking to hire some serious animal lovers to walk and care for our beloved pups and kitties in NYC! Professional pet care experience is a definite bonus (dog walking, pet sitting, shelter volunteer, vet tech, vet assistant, groomer, shelter or daycare handler, etc.) - but we will train the right people who are reliable, trustworthy and ready to work! Must be able to commute to and care for our dogs and cats, M-F (plus some nights and weekends on request)! Benefits Our professional pet caretakers receive: full health insurance, industry-leading compensation, paid training and paid industry certifications, extremely affordable vision and dental plans, 401(k), commuter benefits, paid sick days and paid vacations, field support, backup staff, opportunity for growth and management track, liability insurance and bonding... and a whole host of other amazing benefits!

What is dog walking, anyway? If you live in NYC, then you know that these small boxes we call "apartments" can have a dog feeling cooped up, bored, and desperate for fresh air! For our clients who work long hours - that's almost everyone in this town - we provide a mid-day outing for their pup, either alone or with 1-2 buddies, so they can get outside, get some exercise, and do their business. We also provide support for puppies, cat sitting services, and year-round care for all NYC pet parents!

I've seen those guys getting dragged along by 10 dogs down the sidewalk. Is that what dog walkers do? Right, some dog walkers work for companies that do what's called "pack" or "group" walks. These are often the same jobs that pay a flat hourly wage, regardless of how many dogs are being walked at a time or in a day, and regardless of how far away the dogs are from each other. By contrast, we walk a dog with one or two of his buddies who live nearby. This provides socialization for our pups, but in a safe, controlled environment where all our dogs can be watched carefully, attended to as individuals, and our staff are not being dragged along by packs of dogs all day. Ours is a very different approach, much closer to childcare.

Requirements First and foremost you must love dogs and cats. (We assume that you do, or you wouldn't be reading this!) Beyond that, we look for someone who can master the three aspects of this job: 1. Be great with the pets! Lots of people say they love animals, but it takes a special kind of dedication to care for animals as your job. Neither the snow, nor rain, nor hissing scaredy-cat nor gloom of night... nothing will keep you from getting to the pets in your care! Are you the kind of person who stops to pet all the dogs, sometimes forgetting to say hello to the human walking them? We want to meet you! 2. Be comfortable communicating with people! We do lots of emailing and texting among our staff and clients, so we are looking for a new hire who can get back to us swiftly and professionally. Goes without saying, but this business is built on trust, and communication is the key to that! 3. Be adept at using technology! You'll use our scheduling app which keeps track of your jobs and earnings. Applicants need to have a signal-enabled smartphone (a phone that can function even with no available wifi) with enough data to handle the amount of pictures, emailing and texting we do each day. Your basic iPhone 8 plus with 128g would be about the minimum reqs there. Any smartphone with a robust data plan will work!

Here are some other basic job requirements: authorized to work in the US for at least the next 12 months, 21 years of age, full-time resident of NYC, able to commit to this position for 12 months minimum from date of hire, able to pass a background screening and/or drug test, available to work M-F, 10AM-6PM, plus some nights and weekends as requested in advance, plus one major holiday season (Christmas or Thanksgiving). We are physically hardy, able to walk for multiple hours per day in all weather, can get to client pets in a 6th floor walkup building without issue, can lift an animal 30 lbs or more if needed. A working smartphone with unlimited data and a reliable mode of transportation are required. (Our top earners get around by bike, scooter, e-bike, moped, car or some other form of wheeled transport. However, some routes might be doable by MTA. Candidates who are able to bike or drive can handle a larger, fuller route due to being able to get around quickly, and are therefore able to earn more than those who are restricted to subway and bus).

Think you might just love working with animals for a living? Want to trade in (human) co-workers for cats and dogs? You've come to the right place! Apply today!

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