Job Details

Job Type

Part-time

Description

Kennel Assistant I

Position Overview

The purpose of this position is to provide for the daily care of outpatients and hospitalized patients. This includes feeding, watering, cleaning, walking, helping medical staff with medicating, restraining patients for treatments, and monitoring the wellbeing of dogs, cats and, occasionally, other companion animals. This position requires a love of animals, the ability to warmly welcome and compassionately care for a wide variety of pets, and multitask efficiently.

Kennel team members use excellent communication and client-service skills to admit and discharge patients, and reassure nervous clients that their pets will be well cared for. Kennel team members demonstrate professional and courteous behavior toward clients and coworkers while handling multiple tasks, even during many interruptions.

The Kennel Team Member administers medications to patients, including those that are fearful and/or aggressive. The Team Member monitors pets for signs of distress or disease and provides for the comfort of pets and sanitation of the facility by keeping the kennel area and grounds clean and odor-free. The Team Member assists other veterinary staff members with restraining patients for treatments.

Must be able to withstand unpleasant odors and noises. May be exposed to bites, scratches, animal waste, and contagious diseases.

Reporting Structure

Directly reports to Kennel Manager and/or Practice Manager.

Primary Responsibilities

General

• Understands and applies hospital policies and procedures.
• Keeps kennel and grounds clean, orderly, and clutter-free.
• Removes trash, sweeps, and mops daily.
• Launders bedding and surgical linens.
• Maintains surgical instrument upkeep.
• Prepares surgical packs and instruments.
• Cleans surgical suite in between procedures.
• Assists in the preparation and recovery of surgical patients.
• Stocks hospital supplies as needed.
• Restrains patients for medical treatments.
• Attends staff and departmental meetings.

Client Relations

• Empathizes with clients and remains compassionate and well-mannered if a client becomes emotional or discourteous.
• Strongly believes in the quality of care provided and communicates this sense of assurance to clients.
• Demonstrates excellent communication and client-service skills during patient admission and discharge.
• Obtains information from the owner regarding the pet's medical needs and communicates it to the appropriate hospital staff.

Animal Care

• Provides compassionate patient care, including keeping patients clean, dry, and comfortable and alerting hospital staff to changes in a patient's condition while admitted.
• Assists medical staff to medicate patients and logs medication data in the PMS.
• Records weight at admission and during stay.
• Applies name band to patient at admission and removes before release.
• Puts pets in a secure cage with water and attaches necessary paperwork (cage card).
• Notes any concerns about the patient's medical condition, and contacts clients as directed to obtain permission for medical treatment.
• Cleans and sterilizes runs and cages daily.
• Walks, feeds, and medicates animals as instructed, and logs that data daily in the PMS.
• Monitors and logs urination and defecation habits and any occurrence of vomiting or diarrhea during stay for hospitalized patients.
• Takes patient temperatures during anesthesia recovery and logs data on the recovery sheet.

Personal Conduct

• Adheres to all hospital policies, standards, and procedures, including but not limited to uniforms, grooming, smoking, and personal calls, as stated in the hospital procedures manual.
• Serves as a representative of the hospital, displaying courtesy, tact, consideration, and a positive attitude in all interactions with clients, patients, and other staff members.
• Demonstrates initiative in everyday duties by seeking other work during down times, assisting other employees, and filling in for other employees as needed.
• Adheres to the posted work schedule. Arrives for work promptly and begins work at the start time. Follows hospital policies for reporting lateness or absences.
• Utilizes the time clock to clock in and out at the beginning and end of each day and during breaks.
• Organizes work areas and exercises time-management skills to maximize personal efficiency.
• Prioritizes tasks and handles multiple tasks in a calm, organized manner.

Additional Duties

• Attends departmental and staff meetings.
• Performs other duties as required or as asked by managers and employer.

Requirements

• Education equivalent to the completion of the 12th grade.
• Availability to occasionally work uncommon hours and overtime and to be recalled in emergency situations.
• Excellent animal-handling skills, including the confidence and dexterity to administer medications to animals.
• Ability to properly restrain patients.
• Ability to complete assigned tasks in the time allotted without direct supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to show empathy toward clients and treat animals with respect and compassion.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• A commitment to outstanding client service.
• Ability to lift objects weighing 40 pounds without assistance and objects weighing more than 40 pounds with assistance.
• Ability to stay on task and work energetically for the entire shift, sometimes exceeding 8 hours per day.
• Preferred: One year or more of experience in a veterinary hospital.

Salary Description

$17 - $19/ hour