Kennel Assistant - Growth-Minded Organization

Position Purpose

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

Kennel Assistant 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 as 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.

Essential Responsibilities continued

· Launders and dries towels and blankets.

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

· In some practices and based on veterinary practice experiences and confidence:

o Assists with the administration of medications under the supervision of Doctors or Technicians; assists with the administration of medications, post-operative care or preparation of samples for laboratory examination, collect specimens, clean instruments, fill prescriptions as authorized.

o Provides bathing and grooming services.

· Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements / Qualifications

· Full or part-time

· Ability to work on weekends

· Previous veterinary experience preferred

· Client satisfaction references 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