Canine Rescue & Transport Coordinator

Position: Canine Rescue & Transport Program Coordinator

Department: Canine Outcomes

Reports to: Director of Canine Operations

Category: Full-time Salary-Exempt

Salary range: $44,000-$50,000/year

Schedule: Tuesday-Saturday. Some holidays are required.

Supervises: Volunteers supporting the department

The Canine Rescue and Transport Program Coordinator is responsible for making life‑saving space in the shelter by moving animals offsite to satellite adoption centers or to appropriate licensed rescue programs or animal shelters. The Rescue and Transport Program Coordinator will confer daily with our Behavior and Enrichment staff, Canine Care and Adoptions staff, and our Veterinary Clinic staff to discern adoptability, medical concerns, behavioral concerns, and health status.

In addition, this individual will work closely with the Manager of Satellite Adoption Centers, Canine Intake, and Pet Support Center team, to identify and select dogs that are good candidates for adoption through our offsite adoption centers. This individual will also provide support to our Canine Foster department as needed and oversee the small animal program at KC Pet Project.

This is a high stress, fast‑paced position that requires a high degree of organization, attention to detail, relationship building skills, and a sense of urgency.

• Establish solid working relationships with licensed rescue organizations and other animal shelters both locally and nationally to move as many dogs out as possible. The rescue program’s emphasis is on finding placement options for harder‑to‑place and/or longer‑term dogs so that they can get medical, behavioral support they need from other organizations equipped to meet their needs.
• Seek & organize opportunities for larger scale animal transport to other animal shelters or rescue groups to maximize life‑saving efforts.
• Maintain complete and accurate records for all animals transferred and ensure all records are in accordance with requirements as set forth by the Missouri and Kansas Department of Agriculture.
• Coordinate with medical and behavior staff to ensure animals have been properly vaccinated, and medically & behaviorally assessed. Communicate any medical or behavioral concerns to the appropriate teams.
• Communicate transport details to the respective departments and ensure accuracy in PetPoint of locations for animals moved to offsite adoption centers.
• Monitor open kennels at both offsite adoption centers and proactively work to thoughtfully fill empty kennels at those locations in a timely manner with dogs that are appropriate for those locations.
• Ensure all PetPoint notes are current about animals going to offsite centers, that all vaccinations, microchipping, health certificates, and behavior information is current, and paperwork gathered and organized before animals are transported.
• Load animals in sanitized transport kennels utilizing KCPP vehicles and move them safely and humanely from the main shelter to offsite adoption center locations.
• Understand and adhere to all state Department of Agriculture requirements for documentation and the transporting of animals.
• Work collaboratively with Pet Support Center team on owner relinquishment requests of animals that originated from other rescue organizations and animals shelters to divert intakes.
• Aid support to the Canine Foster Department as needed.
• Responsible for the development and management of the KC Pet Project small animal foster program and the animals placed in those homes from intake to outcome. Developing and implementing new initiatives to recruit new fosters.
• Participate in decision making process for end‑of‑life consideration for dogs and assist with euthanasia to alleviate stress in behaviorally challenged dogs.
• Engage politely and meaningfully with volunteers to ensure a positive and welcoming environment. Teach and mentor volunteers to ensure their success in meeting the department’s needs.
• Participation in weekly capacity for care rounds in addition to daily tracking of dog population.
• Other duties as assigned.

Potential exposure to zoonotic diseases, high noise levels,…