Kennel Attendant

Assistance Dogs International; Burnaby; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Puppies are a perk

Benefits after probation

Job summary

PACS (PADS) Burnaby is seeking a Kennel Attendant to maintain kennels, coordinate volunteers, and support advanced dog training. This on-site role requires animal care experience and a passion for service dogs.

The successful candidate will join a compassionate, mission-driven team at our Burnaby campus. Responsibilities include daily kennel maintenance, supervising volunteers, dog welfare, training support, and administrative duties.

Qualifications

• Must have high school diploma and be able to lift up to 40 lbs.
• Valid BC Driver's Licence Class 5 is required.
• Experience supervising volunteers in a non-profit setting is an asset.
• Experience working with animals is required.

Responsibilities

• Clean and maintain advanced kennels, training spaces, and exercise yards daily.
• Coordinate onboarding and scheduling of kennel volunteers and sitters.
• Provide routine care, grooming, and health checks for dogs in advanced training.
• Assist trainers with obedience and skills training and behaviour plan implementation.
• Maintain accurate records and participate in meetings; support the Advanced Training department.

Skills

Calm under pressure

Volunteer supervision

Strong communication

Time management

Independent worker

Problem solving

Non-profit experience

Animal handling

Education

High school diploma

BC Driver's Licence (Class 5)

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Kennel Attendant | Burnaby

Application Deadline: Friday, November 13, 2027

PUPPIES ARE JUST ONE OF THE JOB PERKS!

We are an organization driven by passionate people – which happens to include puppies that grow up to change lives every single day. We expect excellence of ourselves and our team, but we have funtoo. Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS) breeds, raises and trains fully certified assistance dogs. Our service (mobility & PTSD) and hearing dogs provide life-changing independence to those with disabilities other than blindness. Our accredited facility dogs work with community professionals, such as teachers, RCMP and psychologists to help support wellness in our community.

We are proud of the fact that we were the first fully accredited member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI) in Canada.

OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Advanced Training Department , the Kennel Coordinator cares for dogs in Advanced Training and the areas the dogs use at PADS facilities, as well as supervises volunteers who support PADS kennel activities. The Kennel Coordinator provides support to the Advanced Training department as needed. PADS’ training philosophy is relationship-centered, and based on current, evidence-based training methods and follows a Least Invasive Minimally Aversive (LIMA) approach.

ABOUT US

At PADS, we foster a constructive, cooperative, and welcoming team setting. Our commitment is to cultivate an empowering environment for our team. We value a sustainable work-life balance and believe that work should be fun. We approach challenges with a growth mindset, striving for improvement and innovation.

As the Kennel Attendant, you’ll help reflect PADS’ core values through clear communication, thoughtful support, compassion for people and dogs, and a commitment to teamwork, learning, and improvement.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Cleaning and Maintenance

• Ensuring the advanced kennels, training spaces, and exercise yards are cleaned and maintained daily to a safe and sanitary condition.
• Ability to use landscaping equipment to maintain outside areas around property including but not limited to raking, snow removal, leaf blowing, and pressure washing.
• As required, maintaining the cleanliness of the puppy/breeding kennels and yards before and after puppy assessments, etc. to a safe and sanitary condition.
• Maintain the administrative building yard as assigned.
• Clean dog dishes, wet and dry clean of kennel spaces, sweep/mop floors, laundry in advanced kennel building on a daily basis or throughout the day as needed.
• Assist with food deliveries and storage

Coordinate Kennel and Advanced Sitting Volunteers

• Assisting with onboarding and training of new Advanced Training volunteers, student interns and sitters.
• Scheduling of kennel volunteers (daytime and evening shifts) and weekend/relief sitters.
• Providing guidance and supervision to on‑site volunteers and training support to Advanced Training sitters.
• Assist with dog pickups on Fridays to sitters. Discuss homework and any other pertinent information about the dog’s training and/or care.

Husbandry of Dogs in Advanced Training

• Providing routine care and grooming of advanced dogs, including periodic checks for illness, injury, or abnormalities, and nail trimmings, ear cleanings, and other basic treatments.
• Reporting concerns to the PADS Medical Team.
• Scheduling and transporting dogs for veterinary appointments.
• Responsibility for the welfare of dogs in advanced training, including behavioural enrichment for dogs in the kennel.
• Adhere to pm feeding schedule and prepare food for dogs.

Training of Dogs in Advanced Training

• Assisting the Advanced Trainers with the obedience and skills training of dogs as requested as well as behaviour plan implementation in the Advanced Training Program.
• Assist with exercise and toileting of dogs in Advanced Training.

Administrative Duties

• Actively participating in the maintenance of up-to-date, accurate and complete records. regarding dogs in Advanced Training, attend staff and departmental meetings, and email as required.

Other

• Complying with PADS procedures in order to meet Assistance Dogs International (ADI) standards and ethics for the care of assistance dogs.
• Maintaining current knowledge of legal requirements regarding canines, as well as of assistance dog programs.
• If applicable, in public encounters or with volunteers on site, familiarizing the public about assistance dogs and the legal rights of people with disabilities who are partnered with them; and demonstrating appropriate behaviour in working with dogs and volunteers (e.g., good personal and canine hygiene, courtesy and consideration to others and others’ property, proper training techniques in handling dogs)
• Additional duties as required.

The duties and responsibilities listed in this job description are not a comprehensive list. It is reasonable for the employee to expect that additional tasks may be assigned from time to time. In addition, the scope of the duties and responsibilities listed here may change as necessitated by PADS changing needs.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience & Behavioural Qualifications

• Demonstrated calm under pressure and ability to have compassion and support volunteers during a stressful time.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience supervising and training volunteers.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement, and maintain confidentiality.
• Effective time management and able to balance competing priorities.
• Solid record of having engaged in positive, productive working relationships.
• Demonstrated interest in learning new training techniques.
• Demonstrated capability in problem‑solving, reasoning, and organizational skills
• Experience working in the non‑profit sector as an employee or volunteer is as asset.
• Previous experience working (personal or professional) with animals is required.
• Demonstrated capacity to work in a busy and at times, noisy work environment.
• Working knowledge of adult education and demonstrated skill for teaching adults is beneficial but not required.

Education & T echnical Qualifications

• High school diploma is required.
• Valid B.C. Driver’s Licence, at a minimum level of Class 5.
• Efficient use of PC’s, the internet, and Microsoft 365 suite. Ability to learn new software as required.
• Experience with Salesforce is an asset.

WORKING CONDITIONS &COMPENSATION

Physical Efforts

• This position involves physical work and requires working outdoors in various weather conditions.
• When on site, the successful candidate must be able to safely lift and carry up to 40 lbs. of food and supplies, and assist with handling dogs weighing up to 90 lbs. over short distances.

Physical Environment

• Under regular working conditions, the employee will be working within shared workspaces on the PADS campus in Burnaby, BC, as well as at off‑site training venues and in public locations.
• This is an on‑site position at the PADS campus in Burnaby.

Sensory Attention

• Use of computer monitors is required
• There is daily interaction, and physical contact, with dogs that are in the Advanced Training Program and puppies visiting the PADS puppy kennel, as well as possible exposure to chemicals and other cleaning solutions needed to maintain the PADS kennel.
• Required to be visually aware of stress signals to observe if dogs are exhibiting stress signals.
• Dealing with dog bodily fluids on a regular basis
• Interactions with the public

Location: Burnaby, BC
Employment Type: Full-time
Work Arrangement: Based at our Burnaby Campus in a standard office setting, hybrid work a possibility.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 7.5 hours per day. Typical hours are Monday to Thursday, 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.

Compensation: $50,00- 55,000 annually as a starting salary based on a 37.5‑hour work week. A benefits package is available after the 3‑month probation period.

BE YOU. WITH US.

We serve communities that are greater and stronger because of their diversity. What makes YOU different is worth both celebrating and cultivating.

PADS is committed to equality across race, gender, age, religion, identity, ability, and experience. We invite you to bring your whole self to our team, helping us to change lives, one dog —and person— at a time.

DOES THIS ALL SOUND LIKE A GOOD FIT?

Accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process. Applicants are invited to make required accommodations known in advance.

We thank all applicants for their interest and will contact only those applicants selected for further consideration. Please note that submissions will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, and therefore early submission is encouraged. The position is available immediately.