Kennel Assistant

Suburban Animal Hospital; Virginia; On-site; USD 10,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Suburban Animal Hospital is looking for a Kennel Assistant to provide daily care for pets and monitor their health in a compassionate environment. The role requires standing for long periods and following specific procedures to ensure the well-being of patients, with overtime and weekend shifts expected. Candidates should enjoy working closely with animals and be prepared to lift heavy items as part of their responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Compassionate and enjoys working closely with pets.
• Ability to perform heavy lifting and stand for long periods.
• Must follow detailed care procedures and instructions.

Responsibilities

• Daily care and monitoring of hospital patients and boarding pets.
• Cleans cages and runs, providing timely feeding and hydration.
• Reports any health concerns to Veterinary Staff.

Job description

Job Description

The Kennel Assistant is responsible for the daily care and monitoring of hospital patients and boarding pets. For this reason, the Kennel Assistant must be compassionate and enjoy working closely with the patients (dogs and cats).

This position’s full time scheduled days and hours may vary based on hospital need. Overtime, holiday and weekend work will be required. This position requires standing for long periods of time and heavy lifting.

• Follows and performs tasks on daily, weekly and monthly check off lists without supervision.
• Walks, feeds, and provides water for hospital patients and boarders on time and as scheduled or requested by Kennel lead, management or doctor.
• Records input and output (food offered/eaten as well as urination/defecation/vomiting/diarrhea) as documented in hospital procedure.
• Cleans patient cages and runs daily as scheduled ( a minimum of three times daily)
• Washes, dries, and stores towels and boarding facility bedding.
• Properly maintains, sanitizes and organizes kennel, grooming, isolation areas as well as exterior grounds and the walking area.
• Properly bathes boarders and drop offs, and safely perform nail trims.
• Understands, demonstrates and utilizes proper restraining techniques.
• Reads and accurately interprets the patient cage card for any special situations/instructions.
• Monitors patients’ behaviors and notes potentially aggressive behaviors, any abnormal behaviors (not eating, diarrhea, lack of urination); requests assistance when needed.
• Monitors all patients for appetite, vomiting or diarrhea and reports anything out of the ordinary to a Veterinary Technician or a Veterinarian immediately. In addition, the cage card and AVImark record must be updated and a message must be placed on Doctors desk WHEN NOTED.
• Escalates/reports any patient health concerns to a Veterinary Technician or Veterinarian that day. Ensures that action is taken.
• Ensures that patient samples (vomit, diarrhea, etc.) are saved and marked with patient information and date for a Doctor to evaluate in proper containers. This includes all diarrhea and vomit found in kennels or voided outside on walks)
• On the day of discharge, ensures pet is clean and brushed out, and gathers all of the pet’s personal belongings including food and medication for the client.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $12.50 - $13.50 per hour

COVID-19 considerations:
Required to wear a mask during shift