Summary:  The Animal Care Team Member is responsible for taking exceptional care of boarding clients here at Hawthorne Animal Hospital. The employee must perform many important tasks of our hospital such as care and treatment for animals in our boarding department, customer service regarding boarding admissions, discharges, and customer inquiries during the animal’s stay, general cleaning duties, and occasionally provide miscellaneous support to the veterinarians, veterinary practice manager, and other staff members. Hours of work range from 6 a.m. - 9 p.m., including rotating weekends. This position is an excellent entry level position for those seeking a career in Veterinary Sciences. 

Tasks: The Animal Care Team Member shall be responsible for, but is not limited to the following:

1. General Animal Care

1. Feeds and water animals according to schedules and feeding instructions in order to maintain proper patient nutrition 

2. Mixes food, liquid formulas, medications, or food supplements according to instructions, prescriptions, and knowledge of animal species in order to ensure proper patient health

3. Performs animal grooming duties such as bathing, brushing, cutting nails, assisting with anal gland expressions, and cleaning ears to ensure proper maintenance of patients

4. Takes animals outside for consistent potty breaks in all weather conditions so they are comfortable in the boarding environment and assuring cages are clean at all times 

5. Properly dealing with all kinds of temperaments (i.e. fractious, content, etc. )

6. Develop skills by completing mastery levels

1. General Medical Care

1. Completes medical records and charting for boarding pets

2. Chronically observe animals hourly to detect signs of illness, disease, or injury

3. Restrains animals so nurses and veterinarians will be able to work on them

4. Collects and record animal information such as physical condition, treatments received, medications given, and food intake

5. Identify vaccines that are not up to date that are required to board at Hawthorne, recognize signs of food allergies and assist with radiographs and/or ultrasounds

6. Contacts owners for permission to secure treatment for sick or injured animals

1. Cleaning and Stocking Duties

1. Performs facility laundry and cleaning; organizes, maintains, and disinfects animal quarters, such as play areas, pens, cages and equipment to maintain a clean and healthy healthcare environment. This includes vacuuming, mopping, changing garbage, dusting, following a daily cleaning list and anything else requested.

2. Inform Facilities Manager when product stock is running low and help restock products when shipments arrive.

1. Customer Service

1. Get to know the client’s story; make your interactions relational, and not transactional.

2. Schedule appointments, admit boarders, answer client questions and provide client communication during pet’s stay

3. Assists clients with handling or moving multiple pets in order to decrease stress associated with veterinarian visits and increase positive experiences

4. Responds to questions from patrons, and provide information about animals, such as behavior, habitat, or facility activities

5. Assist reception, call center and pharmacy by answering phones, processing appointments, checking out clients and shuttling pets and prescriptions to waiting customers

1. Attend all staff and training meetings 

1. Completes other duties as needed 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the job.

1. Customer and Personal Service – Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. Drive to provide excellent patient care with love and compassion to all pets

1. Oral Expression- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. This includes the ability to speak confidently about boarding services, and the ability to translate vaccination records along with asking questions when a task is unclear, or asking for assistance with risky, painful or aggressive pets

1. Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

1.  Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or our animal clients in order to make improvements, take corrective action, or improve the client’s health.

1. Organizing, planning, and prioritizing work- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work with or without supervision.

1. Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials. Exposure to all weather elements: Pets go outside in all weather.

1. Knowledge of Medical Terminology- Knowledge of basic medical terminology in order to be able to effectively assist with minor procedures when necessary. This includes, but is not limited to the ability to read prescription labels, understand dosing instructions, and administer medications. (Training provided).

1. Knowledge of Vaccines and Preventions- Knowledge of vaccines requirements, protocols and preventions in order to to be able to effectively accept boarding patients. This includes the ability to read and understand vaccine history, understand due dates and provide options of care when needed. (Training provided).

1. Interacting with Technology- Using computers and computer systems along with other office equipment in order to enter data or process information.

1. Mathematics- The ability to perform basic mathematics, and learn to decipher difference between dosing units (mLs, cc, units, etc.).

1. Team Orientation- The ability to work effectively with others in a team environment.

1. Self Motivation- Taking initiative to continue or complete a task or activity without constant persuasion or supervision.

Qualifications:

In order to be eligible for the animal care position, applicants must adhere to the following: 

1. Pass a drug screen test

2. Pass a criminal background check

3. Be able to, on occasion of need, lift at least forty pounds of weight

Reports to: Animal Care Supervisor(s), Practice Manager and Human Resources

Often works with: Animal Care Team and Veterinary Technicians