Kennel Assistant

Abqpetcarehospital; Lewis Center (OH); On-site; USD 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

The Animal Care Center of Polaris is seeking a dedicated Kennel Assistant to join our team. Your focus is ensuring boarding and daycare animals are safe, clean, fed, and comfortable, with a strong emphasis on maintaining high cleanliness standards.

This entry-level role offers excellent opportunities to learn and grow within the veterinary field, with training provided to build skills in animal care, husbandry, and facility maintenance.

Qualifications

• No prior veterinary experience required; training provided.
• High school diploma or equivalent; part-time/weekend students may apply.
• Physical ability to lift up to 50 lbs and stand/walk for long periods.
• Flexible schedule including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Strong work ethic, attention to detail, compassion for animals, and a team orientation.

Responsibilities

• Animal Care & Husbandry: Daily maintenance, feeding, walking, monitoring, and grooming of animals.
• Facility Cleanliness & Sanitation: Deep-clean cages, launder towels/blankets, and maintain clean areas.
• Stocking & Organization: Keep food storage, cleaning supplies, and kennel areas stocked.

Skills

Strong work ethic

Attention to detail

Compassion for animals

Team player

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

The Animal Care Center of Polaris is seeking a dedicated, hardworking, and animal-loving Kennel Assistant to join our team. Your primary focus will be ensuring that all boarding and daycare animals are kept safe, clean, fed, and comfortable. This is a critical role that maintains the highest standards of cleanliness throughout our facility and directly impacts the health and happiness of our patients. This is an entry-level position with excellent opportunities to learn and grow within the veterinary field.

Key Responsibilities

Animal Care & Husbandry

• Daily Maintenance: Feed, water, and exercise patients and boarding animals according to specific instructions and schedules.
• Walking & Solitary Time: Provide safe leash-walking for dogs in designated outdoor areas and ensure cats receive proper litter box maintenance and attention.
• Patient Monitoring: Observe animals closely for any signs of illness, discomfort, or changes in behavior (such as lack of appetite or lethargy) and immediately report findings to the veterinary team.
• Comfort & Grooming: Bathe patients as requested and ensure all cages and runs are stocked with clean, dry bedding.

Facility Cleanliness & Sanitation

• Kennel Sanitation: Deep-clean, scrub, and disinfect cages, runs, and cat condos using hospital-grade cleaners to prevent the spread of disease.
• Laundry Management: Run continuous loads of laundry to keep the clinic stocked with clean towels, and blankets.
• General Housekeeping: Sweep, mop, take out trash, and maintain clean common areas, treatment areas, and outdoor pet waste stations.
• Stocking Supplies: Keep food storage areas, cleaning supply closets, and kennel areas organized and fully stocked.

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: No prior veterinary experience required; prior experience in animal shelters, doggy daycares, or pet grooming is highly valued. We are happy to train the right candidate!
• Education: High school diploma or equivalent (or currently enrolled student if applying for part-time/weekend shifts).
• Physical Requirements: Must be comfortable lifting up to 50 lbs unassisted and spending the majority of the shift standing, bending, lifting, and walking.
• Availability: Ability to work a flexible schedule, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays to ensure continuous animal care.
• Attributes: A strong work ethic, attention to detail, compassion for animals, and a positive, team-oriented attitude.

National Veterinary Associates (NVA) is a leading North American pet health care company with nearly 1,300 locations spanning general practice veterinary hospitals, Ethos emergency and specialty hospitals, and pet resorts and equine veterinary care. With approximately 40,000 team members, we care for pets and support pet families in communities across the United States and Canada. Our purpose is to give pets and the people who love them more quality years together, and our mission is to make care more personal, easy and accessible while advancing medicine and care across every stage of life. Across NVA, we support our teams with the resources, expertise and opportunities they need to deliver exceptional care and help shape the future of veterinary and pet care.

Purpose: Give pets and the people who love them more quality years together

Mission: Transform the pet family experience to be personal, easy and accessible, while advancing medicine and care across every stage of life.

Values: Care Deeply, Do What’s Right, One Team, Own It, Shape What’s Next

One NVA: Bringing General Practice & Ethos Together

NVA is built to make care personal, easy and accessible, while advancing medicine across every stage of a pet’s life.

At National Veterinary Associates, we want to make sure your experience connecting with us is seamless and straightforward. Here’s what to expect when interacting with us:

• We’ll always reach out via verified LinkedIn profiles or emails ending in @nva.com
• We may also contact you via text message from an identified NVA representative for recruiting-related communication
• All job opportunities and applications are hosted on our official careers site: careers.nva.com
• There is no cost or confidential information required to apply or be considered for a position
• If you have any doubts about a communication, feel free to visit our careers page to verify authenticity or email us at [e-mail]. Thank you for exploring opportunities at NVA!

NVA offers a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, a 401k with employer match, and paid time off (including sick time) for all eligible employees.

The team can provide more information about compensation and benefits for your specific location during the process.

For positions based in Colorado, NVA provides eligible employees with paid sick and safe leave and public health emergency leave in accordance with the requirements of Colorado’s Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.

NVA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.