Animal Center creating new positions with grant funds

The Austin Animal Center is creating three new positions with some of the money from the $1.17 million Maddie’s Fund grant awarded in 2014. Two of the positions are dog enrichment and exercise specialists who will each handle 40 dogs a day. These skilled handlers will work with the dogs that are too difficult for most volunteers, said Kristen Auerbach, deputy chief animal services officer. The other position is for a group volunteer coordinator who will recruit and lead community, school and corporate group volunteers. These one-time groups can take out 120 dogs or more on walks and let 150 cats out of their kennels to play, said Auerbach; however, there is a two- to three-month waiting list for the groups because the center doesn’t have the staff to facilitate them. The goal is to get one group a day to volunteer at the center. All the positions will be funded for two years. The animal center is expected to announce additional positions that will be funded through the grant next month.