Veterinary Assistant (Flexible Working Hours)

Destination Pet; San Juan Capistrano (CA); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telehealth

401k

Pet Insurance

Job summary

Destination Pet, Ortega Animal Care Center, seeks a veterinary assistant to join our caring team. You will support veterinarians with nursing care, help with surgical prep, and maintain precise medical records to ensure top‑quality patient care.

Responsibilities include assisting with check‑in/out, handling dogs on leashes, and performing lab tests. The role requires 10‑hour shifts, weekend availability, and potential to move to full‑time based on performance.

Qualifications

• 1+ year of clinic experience as a veterinary assistant.
• Must have a high school diploma.
• Must be able to work evenings, weekends and holidays.
• Physically able to lift up to 40 pounds.
• Must stand, walk and climb stairs as part of daily duties.
• Proficient with computer systems and multi-line phone usage.
• Comfort handling dogs on leashes and restraints during exams.
• Must tolerate disinfectants, animal dander and exposures.
• Shift length is 10 hours; 3–4 shifts per week with weekend availability.
• Opportunity to transition to full‑time with strong performance.

Responsibilities

• Welcome clients and pets and ensure a comfortable visit.
• Assist veterinarians with compassionate nursing care.
• Prepare and sterilize surgical instruments and equipment.
• Maintain accurate medical records.
• Fill prescriptions and explain directions to clients.
• Support reception with check-in/out and phone coverage.
• Perform various in-house laboratory tests.
• Keep clinic clean and well maintained.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Clinic experience

Communication

Teamwork

Safety procedures

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Welcome to Destination Pet. We are One Pack- a united team working together to elevate the love and lives of pet families. Our pet-obsessed professionals create a connected care network of trustworthy partners who bring creative innovation every day. We are revolutionizing the pet industry. Join us! We are seeking a Veterinary Assistant to join our team at Ortega Animal Care Center. REPORTS TO: Practice Manager.

PERKS: Telehealth , 401k and Pet Insurance

PAY: $20.00 - $27.00/hour DOE.

Access your earned wages anytime with DailyPay. The right candidate must be friendly, outgoing and people oriented. Must be a self-motivated team player who is attentive to detail, effective at oral and written communication, and demonstrates strong technical skills.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensuring that clients and pets feel welcome and comfortable.
• Assisting veterinarians to provide compassionate nursing care.
• Cleaning, maintaining, and preparing surgical instruments and equipment.
• Maintaining accurate medical records.
• Filling prescriptions as directed by a veterinarian and explaining prescription directions.
• Assisting receptionists with check-in and checkout procedures and providing telephone support.
• Performing various laboratory tests.
• Keeping our facilities clean and well maintained.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

• Expertise & Experience: 1+ years of clinic experience as a veterinary assistant. High school diploma.
• Physical: Must be able to work evenings, weekends and holidays.
• Must frequently lift 40 pounds.
• Must be able to stand, walk and climb stairs frequently.
• Must be able to work on computer system and work multi-line telephone.
• Must be able to handle dogs on leashes.
• Must be able to work in an environment with exposure to disinfectant/sanitation chemicals, animal dander and excretions.
• Must be comfortable restraining animals during medical examinations.
• 10-hour shifts, 3-4 shifts per week, need to have weekend availability as well as week day availability.
• Opportunity to move into a full-time position with good performance and needs of the hospital.

Destination Pet LLC affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, genetic information, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled.

Destination Pet LLC endeavors to make our employment website and application process accessible to all users and applicants. In doing so, we provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation or assistance completing the application process, please contact a member of our recruitment team.

At Destination Pet, we’re all about creating a workplace that's bursting with diversity and inclusivity. We don't play favorites or judge folks based on skin color, religion, gender, age, disability, or any other protected characteristics. Our hiring decisions are solely based on what you can bring to the team. So, we’re throwing the door wide open for all like-minded candidates who believe in celebrating and honoring diversity and inclusion.

Destination Pet, headquartered in Irving, Texas, is a national network of pet-obsessed professionals dedicated to elevating the love and lives of our pet families through total pet care. With more than a century of experience, our founders understood the need for better pet healthcare and believed in the value of integrating pet services from veterinary medicine to, grooming, boarding, daycare, training and more. By connecting the experts behind the scenes, we get to know our pet families in a way that allows us to offer proactive, convenient, and personalized advice and care.