Join Our Team

The Adoption Counselor supports prospective adopters throughout the adoption process, from application review and interviews through meet-and-greets, placement, and post-adoption support. This role is responsible for building relationships with applicants, gathering and evaluating information, and helping make thoughtful matches that support both the dog and adopter.

The ideal candidate is an excellent communicator who combines strong customer service with sound judgment and discernment. This position requires organization, follow-through, attention to detail, and the ability to balance a positive adopter experience with Wags & Walks’ adoption standards and the individual needs of each dog.

Department: Adoption

Reports to: Director of Program Operations

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Location: Nashville, TN

Compensation: $20-24/hr, commensurate with experience

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Adoption Counseling & Placement

• Review and process adoption applications thoroughly and efficiently.

• Conduct adoption interviews using open-ended questions to understand an applicant’s household, lifestyle, experience, expectations, and preferences.

• Build rapport with applicants while gathering the information needed to make thoughtful and appropriate placement decisions.

• Maintain current knowledge of available dogs, including known medical, behavioral, and placement considerations.

• Educate applicants on dog ownership, transition expectations, decompression, training, medical needs, and other relevant adoption resources.

• Coordinate and facilitate meet-and-greets, introductions, and adoptions.

• Use sound judgment and discernment when evaluating potential matches and escalate concerns or complex applications when appropriate.

• Safely handle dogs of varying sizes, energy levels, and backgrounds throughout the adoption process.

Applicant Experience & Communication

• Provide timely, professional, and compassionate communication by phone, email, and in person.

• Maintain consistent follow-up with active applicants and ensure that communication remains organized and up to date.

• Help applicants identify dogs that may be a strong fit while setting realistic expectations around individual dogs and the adoption process.

• Navigate difficult conversations, declined matches, and other sensitive situations professionally and respectfully.

• Build relationships with adopters that support long-term engagement with the Wags & Walks community.

• Complete required post-adoption communication and connect adopters with appropriate resources when additional support is needed.

Program Operations & Documentation

• Maintain accurate and timely applicant, adoption, and dog records in Shelter Manager and other internal systems.

• Ensure adoption contracts, payments, microchip information, and required documentation are completed accurately.

• Communicate adoption plans, holds, meet-and-greets, and dog availability clearly across Programs teams.

• Collaborate closely with Foster, Animal Care, Medical, Behavior, Intake, and other staff to gather information and support placement decisions.

• Maintain confidentiality and follow organizational policies when handling applicant and adopter information.

• Participate in staff meetings, trainings, adoption events, and other program activities as needed.

Skills & Attributes

• Strong relationship-building, communication, and customer service skills.

• Sound judgment and discernment when evaluating information and making placement recommendations.

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple applicants and dogs simultaneously.

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-volume rescue environment.

• Proactive and able to take ownership of applications and follow them through completion.

• Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

• Able to slow down when needed, ask thoughtful questions, and avoid making assumptions or rushed decisions.

• Professional and composed when navigating challenging conversations or competing priorities.

• Collaborative and able to communicate effectively across departments.

• Open to coaching, feedback, and continued professional development.

• Knowledge of dog behavior, handling, and basic animal care preferred.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; college education preferred.

• Previous experience in animal welfare, customer service, hospitality, sales, or another people-facing role preferred.

• Experience working with dogs in a rescue, shelter, veterinary, training, or similar environment preferred.

• Proficiency with Google Workspace, Slack, and database or shelter management systems; ability to learn new technology quickly.

• Ability to safely handle and lift up to 50 lbs and work directly with large or energetic dogs.

• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings, weekends, and adoption events as needed.

Submit An Application

Our Animal Caretakers are responsible for overseeing the care and well-being of all the dogs in our adoption center. This job requires an outgoing, enthusiastic, and hardworking person to help us grow our rescue. It is physically demanding but also extremely rewarding. Dog lovers are encouraged to apply, but it's not a requirement.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Follow cleaning, feeding, and watering protocols to maintain the health of all animals.

• Ensure every dog in our care is walked every four hours at a minimum.

• Keep boards and kennel cards updated in real-time.

• Adhere to isolation and quarantine protocols when handling new or contagious animals.

• Keep the facility clean, safe, organized, sanitary, and presentable at all times.

• Abide by intake protocols and procedures when processing new dogs.

• Administer oral, topical, and injected medications to animals.

• Assist medical staff with restraint, exams, and treatments.

• Assist adoptions and foster staff with meet-and-greets, supply preparation, and pick-ups/drop-offs.

• Ensure supplies are organized and properly stocked. Monitor all inventory and inform the Animal Care Manager of any needed supplies for animals, staff or volunteers.

QUALITIES

• Must be a dog lover and possess some knowledge of basic dog behavior and needs. Must be willing to get hands dirty, be flexible, and be reliable.

• Must enjoy public speaking and communicating with a diverse group of volunteers.

• Must have excellent customer service experience, proven attention to detail, and good organizational and time management skills.

• Must be a team player and have a positive attitude. Personable, professional, upbeat, and energetic.

• Ability to communicate skillfully and effectively with a diverse community in a professional, pleasant, respectful manner and use good judgment.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Ideally, one year of professional experience working with dogs in a kennel environment.

• Must be able to sit at a desk in front of a computer for several hours. Constantly operates a computer and other office machinery.

• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs to help move kennel crates, dog food, and other supplies.

• Must have proficiency with computers, including Word, Excel, Slack, and Google Docs—the ability to learn new technology quickly.

• Must have a current and valid TN Driver’s License.

• Must be able to work a flexible schedule that includes early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Compensation: $18-21/hr, commensurate with experience

Submit An Application

The Veterinarian will provide clinical care for Wags & Walks rescue dogs and eligible community-owned animals while serving as the senior clinical authority for veterinary decisions and medical protocols.

This role works in close partnership with the Medical Director and reports jointly to the Medical Director and Executive Director.

The Veterinarian is responsible for veterinary judgment, clinical standards, treatment decisions, medical protocols requiring DVM oversight, population-health guidance, and applicable responsibilities tied to veterinary licensure.

The Medical Director oversees day-to-day medical operations, workflow, scheduling, team coordination, and implementation of established medical protocols. The Executive Director retains organizational, budgetary, staffing, and strategic oversight.

The Veterinarian may also serve as the supervising veterinarian associated with the Nashville veterinary premises permit and applicable controlled-substance/DEA responsibilities. Organizational decisions regarding overall intake strategy, staffing, budgets, placement, and rescue operations remain with Wags & Walks leadership.

Department: Medical

Reports to: Executive Director

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Compensation: Competitive, commensurate with experience

Location: Nashville, TN

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Care

• Perform veterinary examinations and develop appropriate diagnostic and treatment plans.

• Provide preventive care and manage acute and chronic medical conditions.

• Perform spay/neuter procedures and common soft-tissue surgeries.

• Evaluate surgical candidates and oversee anesthesia, pain management, and recovery.

• Provide urgent stabilization when appropriate and determine when emergency or specialty referral is necessary.

• Evaluate dental disease and perform or oversee appropriate dental care.

• Maintain complete, accurate, and timely medical records.

Intake & Shelter Medicine

• Establish and oversee medical intake protocols in partnership with the Medical Director.

• Provide direct veterinary examinations when clinically indicated or required.

• Establish protocols for vaccination, parasite prevention, infectious-disease screening, and treatment.

• Develop clear triage and escalation guidelines for staff.

• Establish medical hold, isolation, and clearance criteria.

Population Health & Disease Prevention

• Monitor the rescue population for infectious-disease trends and emerging concerns.

• Establish quarantine, isolation, and biosecurity standards.

• Lead the medical response to suspected outbreaks or exposure events.

• Provide medical guidance regarding safe animal movement, housing, and placement during infectious-disease concerns.

• Partner with the Medical Director, Executive Director, and Operations when population-health concerns may affect normal intake or housing decisions.

• Review significant disease events and recommend improvements to protocols and procedures.

Medical Systems & Protocols

• Develop, review, and maintain practical veterinary protocols and SOPs in collaboration with the Medical Director.

• Establish clear guidelines for medication administration, medical escalation, surgery, anesthesia, infectious disease, foster care, and outside referral.

• Create systems that allow trained staff to operate safely and consistently when the veterinarian is not directly involved.

• Train and support veterinary and animal-care team members within appropriate scopes of responsibility.

• Review medical workflows and identify opportunities to improve consistency, safety, and efficiency.

Resource Stewardship

• Practice evidence-based and resource-conscious rescue medicine.

• Recommend diagnostics and treatments based on clinical value, prognosis, welfare, and appropriate use of organizational resources.

• Determine when cases can safely be managed in-house versus requiring outside referral.

• Partner with the Medical Director and Executive Director regarding significant medical expenditures and medical-budget planning.

  Help reduce unnecessary outside veterinary costs without compromising animal welfare.

Regulatory & Controlled-Substance Oversight

Depending on the final role structure, responsibilities may include:

• Serving as supervising veterinarian for Wags & Walks Nashville's veterinary premises.

• Maintaining required Tennessee veterinary licensure.

• Obtaining and maintaining applicable DEA registration.

• Overseeing controlled-substance storage, access, administration, inventory, and documentation.

• Maintaining compliance with applicable state and federal veterinary regulations.

• Cooperating with inspections, audits, and regulatory requirements.

• If responsibility for the premises permit and/or applicable DEA registration is required for this position, willingness and legal eligibility to assume those responsibilities will be a condition of employment.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Work closely and collaboratively with the Medical Director as the primary day-to-day medical operations partner.

• Provide clear, timely, and practical veterinary guidance.

• Collaborate closely with Medical, Intake, Operations, Foster, and Adoption teams.

• Communicate significant medical and population-health concerns to the Medical Director and Executive Director.

• Distinguish true medical urgency from issues that can safely be monitored or managed through established protocols.

• Welcome thoughtful questions and differing perspectives.

• Approach challenges with professionalism, sound judgment, and a solutions-oriented mindset.

• Help foster a culture of accountability, consistency, and collaboration rather than departmental silos.

• Respect the distinction between veterinary clinical authority, day-to-day medical operations, and broader organizational decision-making.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• DVM or equivalent veterinary degree.

• Active Tennessee veterinary license or eligibility to obtain one.

• Strong small-animal clinical experience.

• Ability to independently perform spay/neuter procedures.

• Competency in common soft-tissue surgery.

• Strong understanding of anesthesia, analgesia, and perioperative care.

• Excellent clinical judgment and communication skills.

• Strong medical-record documentation.

• Willingness and eligibility to assume applicable regulatory responsibilities.

Preferred

• 3+ years of veterinary experience.

• Shelter, rescue, or high-volume spay/neuter experience.

• Population-health or infectious-disease experience.

• Community veterinary medicine experience.

• Experience developing veterinary SOPs.

• Experience managing controlled substances or serving as supervising veterinarian for a veterinary premises.

• USDA accreditation or willingness to obtain it.

Our Ideal Candidate

• Our ideal veterinarian is a strong clinician and thoughtful medical leader who is calm under pressure, low-ego, collaborative, and comfortable making clear decisions.

  They understand that excellent rescue medicine means caring for the individual patient while also considering population health, prognosis, quality of life, organizational resources, and Wags & Walks' ability to sustainably save more dogs.

Submit An Application

Full-Time, Hourly | $21–$24 per hour, depending on experience

Reports to: Marketing Manager, Chief Marketing Officer

About Us

Wags & Walks is a nonprofit dog rescue dedicated to reducing euthanasia in local shelters and increasing awareness of rescue dogs as wonderful pets. We are ambitious with our goals and constantly looking for better ways to serve our community. In rescue, adaptability is key, change is inevitable, and a love for dogs is essential.

Our Nashville team works in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where creativity, flexibility, and initiative are valued. Every day brings new opportunities to tell meaningful stories, connect with our community, and help more dogs find loving homes.

Position Overview

We're looking for a creative, organized, and highly motivated Social Media & Content Creator to join our Nashville marketing team.

This role is responsible for capturing, creating, and publishing engaging content that brings our mission to life online. The ideal candidate is a strong visual storyteller who enjoys creating content in real-time, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is passionate about animal rescue.

You'll play a key role in producing content across social media platforms, helping showcase adoptable dogs, fundraising campaigns, events, volunteers, fosters, and the everyday moments that make rescue work so impactful. This position works closely with the marketing team to execute content strategies, support digital campaigns, and maintain a consistent brand presence across channels.

Responsibilities

Social Media & Content Creation

• Capture photo and video content throughout the rescue, including dog intakes, adoptions, events, volunteer experiences, foster stories, and day-to-day shelter moments

• Create and edit engaging short-form video content for Instagram Reels, TikTok, Facebook, and other digital platforms

• Write thoughtful, engaging captions that reflect the Wags & Walks voice and mission

• Assist with maintaining and executing the social media content calendar

• Coordinate and attend photo and video sessions for adoptable dogs, events, and special campaigns

• Identify compelling rescue stories and help bring them to life through social content

• Support efforts to grow engagement, reach, and audience growth across social platforms

• Monitor trends, platform updates, and emerging content opportunities

• Assist with community engagement, including monitoring comments, messages, and user-generated content opportunities

• Help maintain organized digital asset libraries and content archives

Marketing & Communications Support

• Assist with copywriting for fundraising campaigns, event promotion, website updates, and other marketing initiatives

• Support graphic design needs using Canva, Adobe Express, or similar platforms

• Help maintain website content, including available dogs, events, and program updates

• Assist with content needs for fundraising campaigns, partnerships, special events, and organizational announcements

• Support the execution of marketing campaigns and promotional initiatives across multiple channels

• Coordinate content logistics with volunteers, fosters, adopters, partners, and other departments as needed

Administrative & Team Support

• Maintain content trackers, project management tools, and organizational systems

• Keep marketing folders, assets, and documents organized and up to date

• Attend marketing meetings and assist with follow-up action items

• Support event coverage, campaign execution, and other marketing-related projects as assigned

• Collaborate closely with team members across departments to help achieve organizational goals

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in social media, content creation, digital marketing, communications, or a related field

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Digital Media, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant professional experience will also be considered.

• Demonstrated experience creating, editing, and publishing content for social media platforms

• Strong understanding of Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and short-form video best practices

• Experience with Canva, CapCut, Adobe Express, InShot, Later, Figma, or similar content creation tools

• Photography and videography skills with a strong eye for visual storytelling and brand consistency

• Excellent writing and communication skills

• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment

• Comfortable receiving feedback and adapting quickly in a fast-paced setting

• Proficiency with Google Workspace and common project management tools

• Comfortable working around dogs and in a hands-on rescue environment

• Passion for animal welfare and the Wags & Walks mission

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience working or volunteering in animal welfare, nonprofit organizations, or mission-driven environments

• Experience with Mailchimp, Squarespace, Monday.com, or similar platforms

• Basic graphic design experience

• Familiarity with social media analytics and reporting

What Success Looks Like

• Consistently creating engaging, mission-driven content that helps dogs get seen and adopted

• Maintaining a strong and authentic social media presence across platforms

• Supporting fundraising, adoption, foster, and community engagement efforts through storytelling

• Contributing to a collaborative, creative, and mission-focused marketing team

• Helping more people connect with and support the work of Wags & Walks