Kennel Assistant

Position Summary

The Kennel Attendant is responsible for maintaining a clean, sanitary, safe, and well-organized environment throughout the emergency veterinary hospital. This position plays an important role in supporting patient care and hospital operations by maintaining cleanliness, completing laundry, stocking supplies, managing waste, and ensuring patient and staff areas are consistently prepared for use.

The ideal candidate is dependable, detail-oriented, organized, hardworking, and takes pride in maintaining a clean and professional hospital environment. This position requires the ability to work independently while also supporting the needs of the medical team in a fast-paced emergency hospital.

Essential Responsibilities

Hospital Cleaning & Sanitation

• Maintain cleanliness and sanitation throughout the hospital, including treatment areas, kennels, wards, hallways, lobby, offices, break rooms, restrooms, and other designated areas.
• Clean and disinfect floors, walls, doors, counters, surfaces, kennels, runs, cages, and other hospital areas according to established protocols.
• Perform routine and deep-cleaning duties as assigned.
• Promptly clean spills, accidents, bodily fluids, and other environmental contaminants using appropriate PPE and hospital-approved cleaning products.
• Maintain a high standard of cleanliness in high-traffic and patient-care areas.
• Empty and replace trash, recycling, laundry, and appropriate waste containers throughout the hospital.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces throughout the day.
• Maintain cleanliness of staff and client-facing areas to ensure a professional hospital environment.
• Follow all hospital infection-control and sanitation protocols.
• Properly use, store, and maintain cleaning equipment and chemicals.
• Report damaged equipment, maintenance concerns, or safety hazards to leadership promptly.

Laundry

• Collect, sort, wash, dry, fold, and distribute hospital laundry.
• Maintain an adequate supply of clean bedding, towels, blankets, gowns, and other washable materials throughout the hospital.
• Separate contaminated or heavily soiled laundry according to hospital protocols.
• Properly handle and transport soiled laundry to minimize contamination.
• Keep laundry areas clean, organized, and stocked.
• Monitor laundry supplies and communicate when additional supplies are needed.
• Ensure clean laundry is returned to appropriate storage locations.
• Maintain an organized linen inventory and prevent unnecessary shortages.

Stocking & Inventory Support

• Restock hospital supplies throughout designated areas on a regular basis.
• Maintain organized supply rooms, cabinets, closets, and storage areas.
• Monitor commonly used cleaning, laundry, kennel, and hospital supplies.
• Notify appropriate leadership when supplies are running low or need to be reordered.
• Assist with receiving, organizing, and putting away deliveries as assigned.
• Rotate supplies appropriately and maintain organized storage areas.
• Keep supply areas clean and free of unnecessary clutter.
• Ensure frequently used items are readily accessible to hospital staff.
• Assist with maintaining inventory organization and identifying supply needs.

Kennel & Patient Area Maintenance

• Maintain clean, sanitary, and organized kennels, cages, runs, and patient areas.
• Change bedding and remove soiled materials as needed.
• Clean and disinfect patient housing areas according to hospital protocols.
• Ensure clean bedding and appropriate supplies are available for hospitalized patients.
• Maintain organization of kennel and patient-care supplies.
• Assist with preparing patient areas for incoming patients and resetting areas after discharge.
• Communicate any significant cleanliness, maintenance, or supply concerns to the medical team or leadership.
• Remove trash and waste from designated hospital areas on a regular basis.
• Properly handle and dispose of waste according to hospital policies and applicable regulations.
• Assist with maintaining appropriate separation of regular trash, recycling, laundry, and regulated waste.
• Ensure trash receptacles are clean, properly lined, and available for use.
• Monitor waste areas and notify leadership of concerns.

General Hospital Support

• Assist with maintaining an organized and functional hospital environment.
• Help prepare hospital areas before, during, and after periods of high patient volume.
• Assist with room turnover and resetting areas for hospital use.
• Help move supplies, laundry, equipment, and other materials throughout the hospital as needed.
• Assist with seasonal, monthly, or periodic deep-cleaning projects.
• Complete assigned cleaning and maintenance checklists accurately.
• Support hospital leadership and the medical team with environmental and operational needs.
• Maintain awareness of areas requiring additional cleaning or attention and take initiative when appropriate.

Patient Care Support

Patient handling is not the primary responsibility of this position. However, the Kennel Attendant may be expected to perform basic support duties related to maintaining patient areas, including:

• Providing clean bedding and maintaining sanitary patient housing.
• Removing soiled bedding and cleaning patient areas.
• Assisting with basic kennel maintenance.
• Reporting concerns regarding a patient's immediate environment to the medical team.
• Assisting with basic patient movement or handling only when appropriately trained and directed by the medical team.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

• Experience in an animal care setting handling various breeds and sizes of dogs and cats
preferred but not required
Required Education:
• High School Diploma or GED preferred

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:
• Basic written, verbal, and active listening communication skills with a customer-oriented
approach
• Basic judgement and problem-solving skills
• Compassion and empathy for both pets and pet owners
• Interact with a variety of clients and employees in a professional, caring, compassionate,
and tactful manner
• Attention to detail and high level of accuracy
• Organizational and time management skill
• Handle and maintain sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Ability to identify and foresee problems, present solutions and collaborate as a team player

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly required to talk and hear.
Specific vision abilities are required to do this job including close vision. This position requires
walking, standing, and sitting bending, reaching, grasping, and repetitive motions. May be
exposed to disinfectant/sanitation chemicals, pet dander, and excretions. This position is
exposed to low to moderate noise levels. Must be able to lift up to 30 lbs. unassisted, 50 lbs. with
assistance. Must be able to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends.

ABOUT LAKEFIELD VETERINARY GROUP

We believe exceptional veterinary care starts with exceptional people.

We partner with hospitals across the country to preserve what makes each practice special - its people, culture, and connection to community - while providing the operational support and resources that allow teams to thrive.

As we grow, we are committed to creating an environment where team members feel respected, supported, and empowered to deliver outstanding care.

Our Values

Our culture is built on five core values that guide how we work and serve:

• Respect

• Learning

• Do the Right Thing

• Wow Service

• Fun

If these resonate with you, you’ll fit right in.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Lakefield Veterinary Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members and applicants.