What are the responsibilities and job description for the Kennel Assistant position at Main Street Veterinary Hospital PC?
About Main Street
Main Street Veterinary Hospital is the last privately owned small animal hospital in the Cornelius–Davidson area. For 12 years, we’ve proudly served our community.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for an experienced, caring, dependable Kennel Assistant to join our team. This role is all about keeping our boarding pets safe, clean, and comfortable. The right person will be attentive to detail, enjoy working with animals of all sizes, and take pride in maintaining a clean environment. You’ll help with feeding, walking, bathing, and monitoring pets, while also keeping our kennels and common areas spotless. A positive attitude, teamwork, and a strong work ethic are a must.
Core Responsibilities:
- Follow all hospital protocols related to the care, feeding, and housing of animals.
- Maintain cleanliness and sanitation of kennels, play areas, and common spaces to support animal health and disease control.
Key Responsibilities:
- Work collaboratively with the team and maintain a positive, professional attitude.
- Admit boarding animals and complete the required intake paperwork.
- Confirm owner instructions and ensure medications are verified by a Veterinary Assistant.
- Monitor animals for changes in condition, signs of illness, or unusual behavior, and report concerns to a Veterinary Assistant or Doctor.
- Assist with safe handling and restraint of animals as needed.
- Walk boarded dogs several times daily for exercise and elimination; assist with hospitalized dogs as directed by the medical team.
- Bathe or spot clean boarded animals as required.
- Feed and water animals according to the owner's instructions.
- Prepare animals for discharge, ensuring they are clean and their belongings are returned.
- Keep cages, condos, and exercise areas clean and sanitized throughout each pet’s stay.
- Wash and disinfect bowls, maintain laundry, and manage trash disposal.
- Perform routine cleaning of hospital grounds, including stool pickup and trash removal.
- Clean and disinfect turf and outdoor areas.
- Accurately document feedings, eliminations, and other care notes.
- Communicate clearly with clients about their pet’s stay and deliver excellent customer service.
- Complete all daily, weekly, and monthly assigned cleaning and care tasks.
Skills/Qualifications:
- Previous experience in a kennel/boarding setting is preferred
- Apply knowledge and skills in handling individual animal temperament, understanding Animal Behavior
- Ability to gain animal confidence when restraining for transport or treatment
- Knowledge of proper methods of animal restraint
- Ability to use cleaning materials and equipment with skill and efficiency
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing client services to meet client satisfaction
- Ability to work independently on assigned tasks as well as to accept direction on given assignments
