Demo

Kennel Assistant

NVA
Ashland, VA Full Time
POSTED ON 7/29/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 9/29/2026

Description & Requirements

Kennel Assistant (Weekend Availability Required)

Are you passionate about animals and interested in a future career in veterinary medicine? Our busy veterinary hospital and boarding facility is looking for a compassionate, dependable Kennel Assistant to join our team. This is an excellent opportunity for high school or college students looking to gain hands-on experience in an animal care setting while exploring a career in veterinary medicine.

What You'll Do

As a Kennel Assistant, you'll play an important role in the daily care and comfort of our boarding and hospitalized pets by:

  • Feeding and providing fresh water to animals according to established schedules
  • Safely handling and restraining pets using low-stress techniques
  • Cleaning and disinfecting kennels, cat condos, treatment areas, and equipment to maintain a healthy environment
  • Exercising, monitoring, and providing enrichment for boarding pets
  • Transferring pets between boarding, treatment, and exercise areas
  • Assisting with bath packages, including nail trims, ear cleanings, and learning proper animal handling techniques
  • Communicating with clients by providing boarding pet updates over the phone
  • Learning our hospital software and supporting the team with basic administrative tasks as needed

Why Join Our Team?

We're more than just a boarding facility—we're a full-service veterinary hospital with over 100 indoor/outdoor dog runs and spacious cat condos. Our kennel team works closely with our medical team, giving you opportunities to learn beyond daily animal care.

As part of our team, you'll have opportunities to:

  • Shadow veterinarians and veterinary assistants during medical procedures
  • Learn basic veterinary skills and animal handling techniques
  • Develop client communication and customer service experience
  • Explore career paths within our hospital through internal career mapping
  • Grow into future roles such as Receptionist or Veterinary Assistant based on your interests, performance, and availability

Whether you're planning for veterinary school or simply love working with animals, this position provides valuable experience in a supportive, team-oriented environment.

Schedule & Availability

  • Weekend availability is required. Candidates must be available to work both Saturdays and Sundays.
  • Typical shifts are 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
  • Additional weekday shifts may be available.
  • Split shifts can be accommodated for students when scheduling allows.
  • Holiday availability is required, as our boarding facility is busiest during holiday seasons.

What We're Looking For

  • A genuine love for animals and a willingness to learn
  • Dependability, strong work ethic, and the ability to work as part of a team
  • Comfort working in a fast-paced, physically active environment
  • Ability to safely handle dogs and cats of all sizes
  • No previous veterinary or animal care experience is required—we're happy to train the right candidate.

If you're looking to gain real-world veterinary experience, work alongside an experienced medical team, and start building a career in animal healthcare, we'd love to meet you!

Salary.com Estimation for Kennel Assistant in Ashland, VA
$40,422 to $46,745
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Kennel Assistant?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Kennel Assistant career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$40,303 - $46,614
Income Estimation: 
$47,649 - $53,689
Income Estimation: 
$40,303 - $46,614
Income Estimation: 
$47,649 - $53,689

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs with skills like those required for the Kennel Assistant.

Click the checkbox next to the jobs that you are interested in.

  • Data Collection Skill

    • Income Estimation: $40,167 - $60,323
    • Income Estimation: $43,983 - $60,058
  • Medical Record Keeping Skill

    • Income Estimation: $38,829 - $50,718
    • Income Estimation: $39,160 - $49,565
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at NVA

  • NVA Bennington, VT
  • Description & Requirements We’re Hiring!! We are looking for - A p art -time Client Service Representative to join our West Mountain family . S omeone who ... more
  • 10 Days Ago

  • NVA Albuqerque, NM
  • Description & Requirements Emergency Veterinarian - Ethos ER Immerse Mentorship Program – Albuquerque, New Mexico Route 66 ECC is seeking veterinarians pas... more
  • 10 Days Ago

  • NVA Londonderry, NH
  • Description & Requirements Associate Veterinarian Come Practice Great Medicine With People You Actually Love Working With Looking for a hospital where you ... more
  • 10 Days Ago

  • NVA Springs, MS
  • Description & Requirements Bienville Animal Medical Center | Ocean Springs, MS Join Our Team We are growing—and we invite you to grow with us. If you’re lo... more
  • 10 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Kennel Assistant jobs in the Ashland, VA area that may be a better fit.

  • Impawsible Pups Richmond, VA
  • Job Summary Join our dedicated team as a Kennel Assistant and become a vital part of providing exceptional care and support for our animals. In this energe... more
  • 11 Days Ago

  • BluePearl Vet, LLC Richmond, VA
  • BluePearl Pet Hospital is seeking a dedicated Kennel Assistant to join their team! Pay: $16.00 - $20.00 / hour This pay band is a starting point and is dep... more
  • 1 Month Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!