Kennel Assistant

Practice

Goodlettsville Animal Hospital is proud to be a well-established practice in a great community!

Our 5-doctor team utilizes multiple exam rooms, a full lab and in-house pharmacy, digital radiology, ultrasound, and more to provide top level care to our companion animal patients. We're a busy practice with a well-established name in the community, and we look forward to continuing our legacy for years to come!

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).

Schedule and Availability Requirements

Our hospital operates during the following hours: 

• Monday & Thursday: 6:30 AM – 8:00 PM 

• Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday: 6:30 AM – 6:00 PM 

• Saturday: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM 

• Sunday: Closed to the public 

Kennel assistants typically work a combination of 4- to 10-hour shifts. Availability to work across all operating hours is required, including every other Saturday and Sunday. 

Kennel assistants participate in a rotating weekend schedule to provide care for boarding animals when the hospital is closed to the public. This includes working both morning and evening shifts on assigned Sundays, alongside a veterinary assistant, to ensure boarding animals are fed, walked, and housed in clean, safe conditions. 

Additionally, employees are required to work a minimum of one holiday shift per year, which includes providing care for boarding animals when the hospital is closed. 

Candidates must be able to meet these scheduling requirements to be considered for the position.

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.
• 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 $13.00 - USD $15.00 /Hr.

Compensation: 13 to 15 (USD)