Intern, Horse Haven
Kanab, Utah / Hourly / Full time
The Best Friend's Mission is to do nothing short of making history by bringing about a time when there are No More Homeless Pets. Our goal is that every animal shelter in every community in the country be no kill in 2025.
The fact is, we have a great culture, populated by fun, dedicated, and brilliant people. But we're always looking for talented people who can help us make history, and that's where you come in. If you want to be a part of history and end the killing of pets in shelters, apply today for one of our open job opportunities!

Location: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah – Horse Haven

Compensation: $15.00 per hour 

Time Commitment: 40 hours per week for 13 weeks(5/19/25-8/15/25)

Recruiting Timeline: Applications will close at 12 pm EST on December 10th. Prescreens will take place in early to mid-January. Hiring manager interviews will follow. We expect to have hiring decisions made by mid-March at the latest.

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION: Best Friends Animal Society is a national non-profit focused on ending the killing of cats and dogs in America's shelters by 2025. Best Friends is leading the no-kill movement by running lifesaving community programs for dogs and cats, providing support and training for animal shelters and rescue groups, and mobilizing community members on behalf of pets in need across the country

The communities we partner with are diverse and multicultural – and we want that to be reflected within our organization. We welcome our employees’ unique wisdom, special skills, passion, and whole self to the workplace. We believe that our differences are pivotal to uniting the movement and achieving our mission. Our hiring practices are based on kindness and treating all living things, people, animals and the planet, as we would like to be treated. We encourage candidates who can add to our culture by bringing their fresh perspectives and unique lived experiences to apply.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Horse Haven internwill learn about all aspects of Horse Haven daily operations, obtain hands-on experience working with various types of equines, pigs, and goats, andgain knowledge about Best Friends and the No-Kill 2025 movement.Interns will shadow the medical team to gain further knowledge of conditions our species may be afflicted with and shadow the farrier to learn about our species hoof care. Interns will work independently and alongside trainers and caregivers on a project animal (species to be determined). Interns are valued team members and play a direct role in achieving Best Friends Animal Society’s no-kill mission and organizational success.

The Horse Haven Intern reports to Kristie Gerard, Horse Haven Supervisor, and will receive regular supervision and feedback. The minimum time commitment for the Horse Haven Internship is 40 hours per week at $15.00 per hour for 13 weeks. This is an on-site internship at the Best Friends Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah. Interns must arrange for their own housing and transportationStudents seeking college credit are welcome to apply.

Intern orientation includes a tour of the Sanctuary, Horse Haven, Piggy Paradise, and Goat Barn, overview of rules, safety protocols, and daily schedule. Interns will have the opportunity to meet with Best Friends founders and Senior Leadership, learn about and shadow staff in other departments, work on projects specific to their learning and career goals, and attend presentations on various animal welfare topics

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Work within a team setting to assist with the daily care of horses, pigs, and goats.

  • Assist in providing basic and routine care for animals which includes feeding, watering, and light grooming.

  • Assist in providing enrichment and socialization to the animals as outlined by the Intern Supervisor or Trainer. 

  • Assist in supporting the animals’ medical needs when appropriate and in alignment with intern’s interests and goals.  

  • Clean work areas and preserve the physical appearance of horse, pig, and goat buildings and grounds: scooping, mucking sweeping, mopping, trash removal, etc.

  • Follow all safety and quarantine protocols outlined by department leadership.

- Be a Sanctuary ambassador, representing Best Friends’ work to visitors and volunteers, and speaking to the Sanctuary’s special role in Best Friends’ no-kill mission. 

  • Work alongside and support volunteers, workshop attendees, and other types of visitors. 

  • Greet and conduct tours, speak about specific animals, horse/pig/goat welfare issues, the work of Horse Haven and the Sanctuary, and answer questions.

  • Interns may be asked to represent Horse Haven at various community events. 

- Attend and participate in various learning, networking, and socialization opportunities with other interns, Best Friends staff members and founders.

- Treat people around you with Kindness and Compassion, build trust by demonstrating authenticity and following through on your commitments, prioritize your well-being, and work to build strong inclusive relationships with your colleagues by participating in communication loops to share and receive honest feedback.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Gain a comprehensive understanding of the day-to-day husbandry of the horses, pigs, and goats of Horse Haven including their diet, training, and enrichment needs.

  • Learn about and be able to speak tocommon welfare challenges facing each species.

  • Learn basics of training and socialization for each species.

  • Develop an understanding of behaviors, body language, and signs of stress in horses, pigs, and goats.

  • Select a project animal and work with trainers to identify the needs of the animal and the correct training methods to address those needs.  

  • Gain skills in communicating with visitors and giving engaging and interactive tours, creating positive volunteer experiences.

  • Develop an understanding of animal welfare and Best Friends 2025 mission.

  • Individual goals and projects can be adjusted to the intern’s interest (i.e., medical, behavioral/enrichment, or education).

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Genuine interest in working with horses, pigs, and goats.

  • Must have held a valid driver's license for at least three years, possess a clean driving record, and pass a motor vehicle record check and on-site driving test in order to operate the vehicles in and around Horse Haven. 

  • Must have reliable transportation to get to, from, and around the Sanctuary. There is no public transportation in Kanab.

  • Ability to receive and provide constructive feedback, and a commitment to learning and improvement. 

  • Commitment to communication, cooperation, and collaboration.

  • Active listening skills and confidence to ask questions if needed.

- Must be able to:

  • Routinely lift and carry up to 75 pounds and perform daily strenuous and/or repetitive activities including sweeping, mopping, bending, stooping, lifting, reaching, walking, and working at computers (typing, hand motions)

  • Work indoors and outdoors in a variety of weather conditions including extreme heat and cold.

- Must be comfortable with:

  • Potential contact with hay, dust and other allergens.

  • Potential exposure to zoonotic disease. 

  • Interaction with animals that have significant behavioral and/or medical issues.

  • Potential exposure to animal injury, illness, and/or death.

Best Friends employees may only hold one compensated position at any timeCurrent employees are not allowed to hold another position and this internship position at the same timeIf a current employee would like to apply for this internship, the employee would be required to resign from their primary position, with no guarantee of re-employment, if the employee wanted to accept this position.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status.

Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.

Culture Statement and Responsibility
We value attitude over aptitude, and we treat kindness as a discipline because it is paramount in our culture along with our other guiding principles. Culture is how we talk to and treat ourselves and one another. It's how we generate and respond to change. It's how we plan and make decisions. It's how we do what we do.
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About Best Friends

Best Friends received a 2022 Top Workplaces USA award from Energage.

Visit the Best Friends Animal Society page on the Energage Top Workplaces award winners' site here to learn more. Not only do we take pride in cultivating a welcoming and supportive community and culture for our employees, but we also offer competitive benefits that make it easy to see why we were granted such an awesome award. We offer competitive pay including the opportunity to receive a discretionary bonus based on performance. We offer medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short- and long-term disability, dependent care reimbursement, pet sitting reimbursement when traveling for work, flexible spending account, and health savings account. We offer generous paid time off, nine paid holidays annually, an auto insurance discount, and legal and identity theft coverage.  For added well-being support, we offer pawternity leave for employees to have time to care for their personal pets, mental health support, and an employee assistance program. We also offer a generous 401(k) savings plan. Do you want to love where you work and help make history by ending the killing of pets in shelters? Look no further and apply today!

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends Animal Society is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or domestic partner status. Applicants for employment in the U.S. must have valid work authorization that does not now and/or will not in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. by Best Friends Animal Society.

 

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