Veterinary Assistant, Receptionist, East Hants Animal Hospital

VCA Canada Animal Hospitals (NS) Ltd.; Elmsdale; On-site; CAD 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive wages

Benefits

RRSP Employer Group Match

Annual uniform allowance

Career development

Employee Assistance Program

Pet care discounts

Shopping discounts

Wellness apps

Job summary

East Hants Animal Hospital is seeking an experienced Veterinary Assistant, Receptionist to join our team in Elmsdale, NS. You will welcome clients and their pets while supporting the Veterinarian and Technician team and handling front-desk responsibilities with care.

Ideal candidates have client-service experience or veterinary exposure, strong customer service skills, and VA/VOA certification is an asset. A love for all small companion animals is essential, and you will be part of a supportive,

Qualifications

• Previous client services experience and/or Veterinary industry exposure is ideal.
• Excellent customer service skills; a real aptitude for putting people at ease and creating a welcoming environment.
• Veterinary Assistant (VA) or Veterinary Office Assistant (VOA) program certificate is an asset.
• A love for all small companion animals!!

Responsibilities

• Create a warm and welcoming environment for our patients and pet parents.
• Answer a multiline phone system and track and book appointments effectively.
• Place outbound calls to pet parents for follow-up and future bookings.
• Respond to and manage email correspondence with clients, referring veterinarians and internal messages.
• Admitting and discharging pet patients.
• Invoicing/billing; create estimates, obtain owner confirmation and process payments.
• Schedule appointments.
• Assist veterinary staff with various tasks and treatments.
• Animal restraint.
• Maintain cleanliness of reception areas, pet holding areas, exam rooms and treatment areas.
• Shift-sharing at other VCA hospital locations may be required.

Skills

Customer service experience

Veterinary industry exposure

VA/VOA certificate

Love for small animals

Education

VA/VOA certificate or program

Job description

Veterinary Assistant, Receptionist

Location: Elmsdale, NS

East Hants Animal Hospital is currently welcoming an experienced Veterinary Assistant, Receptionist to join our team. This is an exceptional opportunity for an organized, motivated, and empathetic individual to join us in a very important dual support role for the hospital. In this role, you will help our clients and their pets feel welcomed and appreciated while also being hands on with the Veterinarian and Technician team!

Responsibilities:

• Create a warm and welcoming environment for our patient and pet parents
• Ability to answer a multiline phone system and track and book appointments effectively
• Placing outbound calls to pet parents for follow-up and future appointment bookings
• Respond and manage email correspondence; clients, referring veterinarians & internal office messages
• Admitting and discharging pet patients
• Invoicing/billing; creating estimates, obtaining pet owner confirmation and processing payments
• Scheduling appointments
• Assisting the Veterinary staff with various tasks and treatments
• Animal restraint
• Housekeeping duties; cleanliness of reception area, pet holding areas, exam rooms and treatment areas
• Shift-sharing at other VCA hospital locations may be required

The ideal candidate:

• Previous client services experience and/or Veterinary industry exposure is ideal
• Excellent customer service skills; a real aptitude for putting people at ease and creating a welcoming environment
• Veterinary Assistant (VA) or Veterinary Office Assistant (VOA) program certificate is an asset
• A love for all small companions animals!!

What VCA Canada Offers

• A caring culture of Wellness and Appreciation!
• Competitive wages and benefits!
• RRSP Employer Group Match Program!
• Annual uniform allowance
• Exceptional career development: there is room to grow here!
• Employee Assistance Program
• Referral Bonus Rewards Opportunities to give back in your community through VCA initiatives
• Generous personal pet care discounts
• And extra perks like shopping discounts and cool wellness apps!

About us!

East Hants Animal Hospital is rapidly growing area. We are in a brand-new, bright, and modern location in the heart of Elmsdale. Our commitment is to provide the best of both client and associate experience. Our clinic team is an active member of the community, and we work as partners with our clients to provide the best quality care for their pets. We take pride in practicing high-quality medicine and have a complete complement of in-house diagnostic equipment, including laboratory tools, as well as digital radiology, dental radiology, ultrasound, and extensive monitoring equipment.

Our Story

VCA Canada is a network of veterinary hospitals, with our head office in Calgary, Alberta, committed to positively impacting pets, people, and local communities for nearly 45 years. We have compassion for the neighbourhoods we serve and every pet within them, not just those we see in our hospitals. Every VCA Canada hospital location takes pride in its legacy of excellence, earning the trust of pet owners by delivering the highest quality of medicine to keep pets happy and healthy. In 2017, VCA Canada became part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of brands, solidifying an even stronger commitment to ensuring the strength and stability of the veterinary profession and our commitment to pet parents nationwide. VCA Canada is also passionate about providing an industry-leading Associate experience to over 4,000 Canadians employed across the country. In 2026, for the third year in a row, we were named one of Alberta's Top Employers, which recognizes organizations whose head offices are located within the province and lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Additionally, we were selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People 2026, which recognizes employers across Canada that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work and programs for young people starting their careers. Most recently, we received 2026 Great Place to Work Certification Canada.

Join us.

A leader in veterinary care, VCA Animal Hospitals is committed to taking care of the future of veterinary medicine. We are a family of hometown animal hospitals determined to positively impact pets, people and our communities. From primary care to emergency, urgent and specialty care, VCA delivers world-class medicine and hometown care to more than four million pets each year. We invest in cutting-edge tools, training and technology that enable Associates across our national network of hospitals to lead the industry today and into tomorrow. Among our talented 35,000 Associates are nearly 7,000 veterinarians – including 500 who are board-certified specialists – nearly 4,000 credentialed technicians and over 10,000 veterinary assistants – all dedicated to giving pets the very best in medical care. The future of veterinary medicine is in our hands.