What are the responsibilities and job description for the Kennel Assistant position at Vicar Operating, Inc. dba VCA?
Kennel Assistant – Dog & Cat Boarding Location: Anchorage, Alaska Employment Type: Part Time About Us: VCA Bering Sea Animal Hospital is a well-established 3-doctor general practice veterinary hospital open seven days a week. We are committed to providing comprehensive, high-quality care to pets, including wellness, advanced diagnostics, and specialized services such as orthopedic surgeries, acupuncture, and laser therapy. We are proud to be AAHA-accredited, demonstrating our dedication to the highest standards of veterinary care. Our team utilizes hands-free radiograph techniques and incorporates Fear Free® handling methods to ensure the comfort and safety of our patients. In addition to medical care, we offer on-site boarding for both dogs and cats, providing compassionate care while their families are away. Position Summary: The Kennel Assistant plays a vital role in maintaining the health, safety, and comfort of dogs and cats in our boarding facility. This position involves direct animal care, facility sanitation, and client communication to support the overall operations of the hospital. Key Responsibilities: Provide daily care for boarding dogs and cats, including feeding, fresh water, exercise, litter box care, and enrichment activities. Clean, disinfect, and maintain kennels, cat condos, common areas, and equipment to hospital standards. Observe and monitor the health, behavior, and overall well-being of boarding pets, promptly reporting any concerns to veterinary staff. Assist with bathing, basic grooming, and administering oral medications under supervision. Maintain accurate boarding records and follow established protocols for pet identification and care instructions. Interact with clients during pet drop-off and pick-up, ensuring excellent customer service. Adhere to all safety, sanitation, and infection control protocols. Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent required. Previous experience in animal care, boarding, shelter, or kennel environments preferred, but training is available for the right candidate. Ability to work in a physically demanding environment, including lifting up to 50 lbs and standing/walking for extended periods. Strong attention to detail, reliability, and commitment to animal welfare. Excellent communication and teamwork skills. Flexibility to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays as required for boarding care. Compensation and Benefits: Competitive hourly wage based on experience. Employee discounts on veterinary services and products. Opportunities for professional development and advancement within the hospital. Supportive and collaborative team environment. Schedule: This position requires a flexible schedule, including weekends and holidays, as boarding care is provided seven days a week. VCA Bering Sea Animal Hospital is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace. If you are a current associate, you need to apply through our internal career site. Please log into Workday and click on the Jobs Hub app or search for Browse Jobs. Benefits: We offer competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and paid vacation/sick days, 401(k), generous employee pet discounts and more! The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development). We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com. A leader in veterinary care, VCA Animal Hospitals is committed to taking care of the future of veterinary medicine. We are a family of hometown animal hospitals determined to positively impact pets, people and our communities. From primary care to emergency, urgent and specialty care, VCA delivers world-class medicine and hometown care to more than four million pets each year. We invest in cutting-edge tools, training and technology that enable Associates across our national network of hospitals to lead the industry today and into tomorrow. Among our talented 35,000 Associates are nearly 7,000 veterinarians – including 500 who are board-certified specialists – nearly 4,000 credentialed technicians and over 10,000 veterinary assistants – all dedicated to giving pets the very best in medical care. The future of veterinary medicine is in our hands. Join us.
