Kennel Assistant at Eastern Animal Hospital

Heartland Veterinary Partners; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 22,000 - 25,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement benefits or accounts

Bonus incentive

Flexible work schedules

Career and professional development

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Referral Program

Job summary

Eastern Animal Hospital in Baltimore, MD, is seeking a Kennel Assistant to support grooming and boarding services. You will admit patients, follow client instructions, and document feeding, appearance, and behavior during visits.

The role involves lifting duties, walking dogs, and maintaining clean kennels to ensure safety and comfort. Responsibilities include restraining difficult patients as needed, providing exercise times, and ensuring the return of personal belongings at exit.

Qualifications

• Ability to work on weekends as required.
• Previous veterinary experience preferred.
• Ability to lift patients up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients over 25 pounds with assistance.

Responsibilities

• Provides great care for patients visiting the practice for grooming and / or boarding.
• Ensures patients are admitted noting the client’s specific instructions to ensure a quality outcome including contact information and pick up time.
• Accurately and legibly records information related to the patient such as feeding schedules, appearance, and behavior during practice visit.
• Observes patient’s appearance and activity for general physical condition, obvious signs of illness, disease and discontent.
• Appropriately handles patients and as needed, properly restrains hard-to-control patients.
• Walks patients several times a day to provide exercise and time for elimination of bowels and bladder.
• Applies knowledge of normal food and liquid requirements and as required, provides special food and liquids.
• Ensures patients are clean and fresh smelling and have been checked by a Technician / Doctor prior to discharge; ensures patient has all personal property upon exit.
• Ensures cages and patients are properly numbered and identified and that personal property (toys, treats, blankets, leashes) are stored in the proper areas and identified.
• Regularly cleans, disinfects and maintain kennels, cages, runs and stalls as often is necessary to ensure no cages or kennels are soiled and odors are not apparent. Performs general cleaning in other areas of the hospital to control the spread of disease. Washes and sterilizes water and food bowls.
• Launders and dries towels and blankets.
• Walks hospital grounds regularly and cleans any trash and stool material; empties trash throughout the practice and grounds.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Weekend availability

Veterinary experience

Lifting patients

Job description

Practice

Eastern Animal Hospital has won the hearts of Baltimore’s pet owners for over 30 years. Referred to as “Baltimore’s Best Vets”, we are thrilled to serve our clients in a state-of-the-art facility with wellness care, urgent care, surgery, doggie daycare, and luxury boarding services. We are an AAHA accredited practice, a designation that only 10% of practices in North America have been awarded! Our state-of-the-art facility is fully equipped to handle a wide range of needs. Our experienced staff combines expertise with compassion to promote your pet’s health. With staff on-site 24/7, including an ICU and extended hours of operation, we are always available to assist the pets of the Baltimore community!
At Eastern Animal Hospital, we believe that taking care of our team is just as important as taking care of our patients. That’s why we prioritize work-life balance, offering flexible scheduling, paid time off, and an environment that values your time outside of work. We’re committed to mental health and well-being, providing an Employee Assistance Program and an open culture where you can thrive emotionally as well as professionally. We also invest heavily in professional development, with ongoing training opportunities, continuing education support, and a clear path for career growth—because when you grow, our entire hospital grows with you.

More About The Role

Reporting into the Practice Manager, the Kennel Assistant provides care to address the needs of patients that are visiting the practice for grooming and / or boarding. The Kennel Assistant ensures that the boarding area is clean and safe for all patients by cleaning cages, runs, and ward areas and washing laundry. The Kennel Assistant walks, feeds, and administers medication to patients (as needed and supervised by Doctor or Technician and based on confidence and experience).

Competencies

• Patience & Compassion: Remaining professional while still making Doctors, teammates, clients, and patients feel as comfortable as possible regardless of the situation or challenges presented.


• Collaboration & Teamwork: Carefully coordinating actions with practice team members. Quickly incorporating feedback to ensure positive results. Sharing ideas and being open to other’s ideas. Continually looking for ways to help others.


• Communicating: Conveying boarding outcomes to clients and teammates to ensure successful client care.


• Active Listening: Following the expressed wishes of clients.


• Client Satisfaction: Ensuring all activities and interactions result in the highest level of client satisfaction.
  

Essential Responsibilities

• Provides great care for patients visiting the practice for grooming and / or boarding.


• Ensures patients are admitted noting the client’s specific instructions to ensure a quality outcome including contact information and pick up time.


• Accurately and legibly records information related to the patient such as feeding schedules, appearance, and behavior during practice visit.


• Observes patient’s appearance and activity for general physical condition, obvious signs of illness, disease and discontent.


• Appropriately handles patients and as needed, properly restrains hard-to-control patients.


• Walks patients several times a day to provide exercise and time for elimination of bowels and bladder.


• Applies knowledge of normal food and liquid requirements and as required, provides special food and liquids.


• Ensures patients are clean and fresh smelling and have been checked by a Technician / Doctor prior to discharge; ensures patient has all personal property upon exit.


• Ensures cages and patients are properly numbered and identified and that personal property (toys, treats, blankets, leashes) are stored in the proper areas and identified.


• Regularly cleans, disinfects and maintain kennels, cages, runs and stalls as often is necessary to ensure no cages or kennels are soiled and odors are not apparent. Performs general cleaning in other areas of the hospital to control the spread of disease. Washes and sterilizes water and food bowls.


• Launders and dries towels and blankets.


• Walks hospital grounds regularly and cleans any trash and stool material; empties trash throughout the practice and grounds.


• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Ability to work on weekends as required


• Previous veterinary experience preferred


• Ability to lift patients up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients over 25 pounds with assistance


• Practices OSHA safety techniques including proper PPE

Benefits Offered

• Paid time off


• Health insurance; dental insurance; vision insurance


• Retirement benefits or accounts


• Bonus incentive


• Flexible work schedules


• Career and professional development


• Employee Assistance Program


• Employee Referral Program

Benefits offered may vary depending on full or part time employment status according to company policy.

Pay Range

USD $16.00 - USD $18.00 /Hr.