Careers & opprotuinites
how we operate
Motley Zoo Animal Rescue is a volunteer-powered organization where the vast majority of work is done by volunteers.
However, there are also some limited opportunities for paid positions.
In general, rescue work does not pay- but becoming a dog trainer ("agent") - can!
We operate Motley Zoo at Woods Creek Kennels in Monroe (dog training and boarding), which is for dog owners from the community no matter where their dogs originated.
Outside of fostering, working with these dogs is the only animal handling opportunities we have available. However, there should be no mistake made in thinking you aren't helping rescue animals directly.
Every dog you work with at the facility that has a home helps support one in our care that doesn't.
As well, you will work with foster dogs as they are seeking new homes- and you will also see them get adopted! You are also helping the dogs we have adopted stay in their homes through continued support with socialization, boarding, and training.
Perhaps one of the most direct ways your effort helps, is that funding from the services we offer not only helps pay for the facility itself to advance our mission's capacity, but also helps support the rescue mission's vet budget directly with extra funding that donations just don't cover.
Paid opportunities are available for those with at least 1 year of professional dog experience, or equivalent- though generally owning more than one dog at the same time is not considered experience.
In general, "professional experience" is defined by those who have been dog trainers, dog walkers, groomers, pet sitters, veterinary clinic workers- or those with equivalent dog handling experience, even if not on a professional basis.
See below for generalized job descriptions of the roles we have available.
DOG trainer
Whether recent or past experience, we seek those who have worked as dog trainers and who want to support rescue while maintaining regular hours and wage.
Who is qualified to apply?
Only those who have trained dogs professionally or who have similar life experience are eligible. We do not require certifications.
What does the role entail?
The Dog Trainer's role is to train dogs enrolled in our Rock Star Board & Train program, which has an established curriculum.
While training implementation may differ slightly from person to person, we follow a balanced philosophy with boundaries and positive reinforcement.
Also required are some housekeeping tasks that maintain health and safety of the dogs in the facility and training/ mentorship of volunteers and Dog Training Apprentices.
What are the hours?
We offer regular, weekday shifts (Mon-Fri 8am-7pm) of between 6-8 hours, which can be on a part time (~20 hours/week) or on a full time basis.
DOG AGENT
Dog Agents are the people that manage dog play groups at our boarding & training facility.
There are both paid contract Dog Agents, though the vast majority are volunteers. The only difference between the two types are volunteers do this work as a hobby/ for fun/ to give back while contractors have committed to a career in dog care.
Who is qualified to apply?
No experience is required to be a general volunteer Dog Agent, as we have an extensive training process- but only those with past dog handling experience will be qualified to work as a paid contractor.
Some of the current contract Dog Agents began as volunteers and have worked their way into a paid role, as they found the work to be more rewarding and purposeful than their previous jobs!
Qualified experience constitutes previous dog daycare experience, or other equivalent dog handling of more than 5 dogs at a time.
What does the role entail?
Dog play groups are typically 10 - 25 dogs organized in general, with big dogs and little dogs in separate rooms. They run, play and chill under the supervision of Dog Agents with a 1:10 ratio (one person for every 10 dogs).
This role also requires housekeeping tasks to keep the animals dogs and healthy, as well as training/ mentorship of volunteers and Dog Agents.
What are the hours?
We offer regular, weekday shifts (Mon-Fri 8am-7pm) of 4 hours for general volunteer Dog Agents and 6-8 hours for contractors, which can be on a part time (~20 hours/week) or on a full time basis.
Are there additional earning opportunities?
Dog Agents have additional income opportunities, including boarding (in your home) and dog walking.
DOG TRAINING APPRENTICE
This is a new opportunity for current Dog Agents and others with no experience, which is free schooling that can prepare you for a career as a dog trainer or other dog care professional.
What does the role entail?
The role involves learning the general volunteer Dog Agent role (housekeeping and other protocols, managing playgroups) and continues beyond to one-on-one, direct training with dogs. This also involves how to communicate with and teach clients the skills they need to maintain their dog's learning.
Who is the program suited for?
While free of charge, this program is for those who are seriously exploring a career in dog training or who want to take their general volunteering experience a step further- but is not for those casually interested in seeing if working with dogs is fun.
Positions in the program are limited, so for those who want to dip their toes in the water, please apply for our general volunteer Dog Agent position.
How long is the program?
To further clarify, our volunteer Dog Agent program is a 12 week minimum commitment, while this program is 6-24 months, depending on how many hours you put in each week.
What are the hours?
We offer regular, weekday shifts (Mon-Fri 8am-7pm) which can be as little as 8 hours weekly (can be on two different days) to full time hours.
There is an additional weekend requirement to attend our Dog Trainer's group classes, which will prepare you to subsequently assist in teaching their classes. Once graduated, you will have the opportunity to host group classes of your own.
What are the benefits of this program vs another?
Our program is not accredited / certified, but neither do you need that to be a dog trainer.
Completion of the course will qualify you (with great advantage) if taking a certification test, should you desire- though many dog trainers actually work and gather more experience before getting certified.
Actually, we have found that many certified trainers do not have ANY dog play group management experience (as it is not a part of other schools' curriculums) and even veterans we've interviewed, struggle to run play groups our volunteers can manage.
This means certified trainers who do not take the extra step of continued education in dog to dog management, often cannot help with rehabilitation.
However, through our program, you will learn this ever elusive (and we believe, absolutely critical) skill, which could qualify you to eventually become a behaviorist- of which there is a great need.
Behaviorists are needed to save the many dogs that end up being euthanized each year- and we don't just mean in shelters.
We receive approximately 20 requests each week from people that are struggling with dogs that need a behaviorist- and there are too few to go around. Of those that are capable, most are booked out 3-6 months!
This can be an extremely lucrative and rewarding career - but it starts with taking that step to learn dog play group management through volunteering or our apprenticeship.
Are there additional earning opportunities?
Besides eventually teaching group classes, Dog Apprentices have additional income opportunities available including: boarding (in your home) and dog walking.
Also Dog Training Apprentices that have completed the minimum requirements for a paid Dog Agent contract, may apply for a paid position as an apprentice- so you can be learning and earning at the same time!