House Rabbit Society is hiring! Our team is looking to bring on a Volunteer and Guest Services Manager to help facilitate a world class guest and volunteer experience at our facility. This position is full time, Wednesday through Sundays, on site, at 148 Broadway in wonderful Richmond, California. If you are interested, submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected].

Check out the job details below!

Title:  Volunteer and Guest Services Manager

Major Objectives 

The Volunteer Manager will be responsible for coordinating the volunteer program at House Rabbit Society (25%), managing the Hop Shop (25%), managing the boarding service (25%), and assisting with general customer service (25%). This position works closely with the Shelter Manager, Programs Manager, and Communications Manager to execute and maintain a high standard of customer service.

Responsibilities

• Develop and carry out strategies to recruit new volunteers through multiple channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn Volunteer Marketplace, Nextdoor, Volunteer Match, our e-newsletter, pre-vet college student groups, fliers, etc.
• Communicate with and coordinate current and potential volunteers by email, by phone, and in person, and manage accompanying data entry needs in Volgistics.
• Build and develop a team of committed volunteers to help with House Rabbit Society’s program needs such as customer service, rabbit adoptions, rabbit daily care, outreach, special events, medical assistance, marketing, and more. 
• Conduct new volunteer orientation and training. 
• Review and update volunteer job descriptions and volunteer application materials and guidelines.
• Solicit input and volunteer needs from staff, develop requests for help from volunteers, and develop new volunteer roles. 
• Create, maintain, and expand systems for volunteer recognition and advancement to help ensure retention of volunteers.
• Manage Hop Shop inventory via Square POS for onsite and online store; place and receive vendor orders for the Hop Shop; restock, organize, and update retail displays.
• Create promotions and coordinate with the Communications Manager to highlight on social media and in the monthly e-newsletter. 
• Maintain the boarding scheduling database; follow up with boarding guests about proof of vaccination, boarding needs, and reservation reminders; send boarding guests updates on their rabbit during their stay at House Rabbit Society.
• Work with the Animal Caregiver to provide a high level of cleanliness and care for boarding rabbits. 
• Provide customer service with staff and volunteers including greeting visitors, giving tours of the facility, answering phone calls, educating people about rabbit care and upkeep, processing paperwork, ringing up customers, and grooming rabbits.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Experience working with database tracking software such as Volgisitcs, Little Green Light, Shelterluv
• Experience with inventory tracking systems such as Square
• Passionate about working for and with rabbits and committed to House Rabbit Society’s mission and philosophy, houserabbit.org/about/
• Education: AA or Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Language: English and Spanish bilingual preferred
• Experience: Previous experience in managing volunteers and retail experience
• Ability to teach classes, one-on-one or group; experience in public speaking
• Experience or familiarity with animal welfare preferred
• Proficient in Google Suite, and Microsoft Suite such as Excel
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with excellent attention to detail
• Highly organized and responsive
• Reliable and dependable 
• Able to communicate well, with good interpersonal skills
• Ability to supervise volunteers and train both paid staff and volunteers 
• Willing to be helpful to HRS members, the public, volunteers, and co-workers at all times, and provide excellent customer service
• Able to understand and execute detailed instructions, learn and process new information quickly, meet time-sensitive demands, and juggle multiple assignments smoothly and professionally
• Able to supervise as a team leader, work well with people in a diverse workplace environment, and also work independently

Physical Demands

• Able to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, telephone, iPad, and other devices
• Ability to hear, answer, and respond to telephone calls as well as stand to open the door for visitors
• Able to stand or sit for extended periods, be positioned in front of a computer monitor for extended periods, and able to lift up to 50 pounds
• Able to work at a steady pace and complete tasks on schedule
• Able to be exposed to allergens, including rabbits, grasses, and hays

Commitment

Full Time

Compensation

Annual Salary: $61,440 – $68,640

Additional Benefit: $1/hr more for bilingual Spanish speaker

401K

Health and dental coverage

Free routine pet check ups onsite via staff HRS Veterinarian

Employee discounts at the Hop Shop

Come see celebrate how dynamic and diverse the citizens and business of Richmond California are! The second Annual Rich City Day is just around the corner and House Rabbit Society is happy to be part of the action. This event will be hosted at Armistice Brewing Company on Saturday, July 13.

We’ll have a booth there from 2-8 pm with goodies, advice, and more!

There will be food, music, local artists, and other Richmond-based nonprofits. Make plans to stop by to say hi!

House Rabbit Society is hitting the road this summer! We’ll be visiting several of our local animal shelters, with the goal to help raise awareness about adopting from shelters as well as provide educational materials to people who may not otherwise have access to them.

The next event is on Sunday, July 28th, we’ll be at San Jose Animal Care and Services, from 12-3 pm, in their large conference room. SJACS is located at 2750 Monterey Rd, San Jose. We’ll have a limited amount of our local hay for sale ($15.99 for 10 pounds) and we’ll also be offering grooming (nail trim, brushing, and gland cleaning) by appointment. Proof of RHDV2 vaccination is required. Book a grooming appointment at SJACS now. If possible, please bring cash to pay for your grooming appointment, as we will be donating the proceeds to SJACS.

You will also have a chance to receive a free mystery binky box, which will include all-natural toy products and various parts for making your own rabbit throw chew toy. All we ask is for you to visit the SJACS bunnies and show an HRS staff member proof that you posted a photo of the bunnies to your own social media account and tag HRS and SJACS. Any help we can provide SJACS to help them get their rabbits adopted is appreciated. Helping rabbits anywhere helps rabbits everywhere!

Our facility will be CLOSED that day. Be sure to place Shop orders for Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th.

Visit us at our other upcoming Summer Shelter Tour days!

San Jose Animal Care Center
2750 Monterey Road, San Jose 95111
Sunday July 28th from 12pm to 3pm

Oakland Animal Services
1101 29th St, Oakland 94601
Thursday August 22nd from 12pm to 3pm

Napa County Animal Control and Adoption Center 
942 Hartle Ct, Napa 94559
Friday August 30th from 12pm to 3pm

Berkeley Humane’s Bark Around the Block
2700 Ninth St, Berkeley, CA 94710
Saturday September 7 for Bark Around the Block 10 am – 4 pm

We “HOP” to see you there!

Our facility will be closed on Sunday, May 26th in observance of Memorial Day. We look forward to seeing you again Friday May 31st!

House Rabbit Society is currently experiencing a phone outage. We are working hard to get the system back on line ASAP. In the meantime, browse our website for information on programs, check our Instagram and Facebook for updates on events and check out our online Hop Shop for placing curbside and shipping orders!

Our email, shop, medical intake forms, and boarding systems are still in service.

Thank you so much for all your continued support!

Our facility will be closed on certain dates throughout the Spring. We will be closed on the following dates:

• Thursday, March 28th through April 3rd for Easter Break
• Thursday, April 18th for an outreach event
• Sunday, April 21st for a large scale spay/neuter clinic for Napa Buns

We are looking forward to inviting everyone back on site for some of our newest main room renovations!

Make plans to join us for our 2nd annual holiday bunny bazaar on December 16, from 11 am to 4 pm.

Stop by to make your own mischief mat to take home to your furry friend or give to an HRS shelter rabbit, like Royal Icing (pictured). You can also make your own holiday foraging bag and stuff it full of special goodies that will be fun for your bunny to discover.

We’ll also have various rabbit keepsakes and trinkets and a hot cocoa bar (with vegan options) available by donation.

There’s no ticket for entry. Mischief mats are $15.99 and foraging bags are $5.99. We’ll have a free, exclusive holiday cocoa bunny sticker modeled after HRS volunteer bunny Cocoa for anyone who stops by, so don’t miss out! All proceeds support rabbit rescue and education. We hope to see you there!

Can’t make it to the event but would like to see all the goodies our Hop Shop has to offer? Check out our online store! We ship nationwide across the US.

On December 7th, 2023, an outbreak of myxomatosis was confirmed to have been the cause of several deaths of rabbits at an outdoor petting zoo in Berkeley, California, in early November. Read the article from Berkeleyside here.

House Rabbit Society is located here in the San Francisco Bay Area, and many of our members and supporters are local to us.

The Berkeley deaths are the 5th ones attributed to myxomatosis in the Bay Area in 2023. In August, there was a confirmed case in San Jose. In September, there was one in Santa Cruz. In October, there was a confirmed case in Santa Cruz and another in Freedom.

What is myxomatosis?

Myxomatosis is a deadly, viral infection in rabbits caused by a member of the Poxvirus family. It’s endemic to many coastal areas on the west coast of the United States, in the territory of the brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani), which is a reservoir of this disease.

The virus is fatal to domestic rabbits. Currently, there is no treatment or vaccine available in the U.S. Myxomatosis only causes illness in rabbits, not other animals or in people.

How is myxomatosis spread?

Myxomatosis is spread by vectors (mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks) that have bitten an infected rabbit. Direct contact with an infected rabbit can also spread the disease or contact with surfaces contaminated by an infected rabbit. Wild rabbits can carry and spread myxomatosis but may not become sick.

What are the symptoms of myxomatosis?

Symptoms include swollen eyelids, ears, nose, lips, and genitals, a high fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, and progresses to difficulty breathing, and death, within 2 weeks or less. The onset of illness is rapid and sudden death may occur.

If you think your rabbit may have myxomatosis, call your veterinarian immediately and quarantine them away from all other rabbits.

Protecting your rabbit from myxomatosis

House Rabbit Society recommends rabbit guardians in areas where there have been confirmed cases of myxomatosis to house their rabbits indoors (which is also a recommendation due to Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type-2 [RHDV2]), with secure window screens.

Administer a monthly flea treatment to rabbits, to prevent fleas and fur mites. Safe treatments to prevent and kill fleas on rabbits include Advantage (imidocloprid), Program (lufenuron), and Revolution (selamectin). Never use Frontline (fipronil), which is fatal to rabbits.

Prevent mosquitoes from breeding on your property. Regularly check for stagnant water (such as flowerpots, gutters, etc.) and remove any that you find.

Wash your hands before and after handling rabbits, especially ones from outside your home.