Animal Care Specialist

Petco • South Gate, CA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Animal Care Specialist is the primary expert and advocate for the health, welfare, and proper care of companion animals and aquatic life within a Pet Care Center. The role ensures exceptional animal care and habitat maintenance while supporting sales, merchandising, and inventory execution. Working closely with the sales team, the specialist combines animal-care knowledge with operational discipline to provide an outstanding customer experience and support a collaborative team environment.

The position includes completing and verifying animal-care tasks and documentation, maintaining clean and compliant habitats, educating customers and coworkers, supporting sales and inventory goals, and assisting with day-to-day Pet Care Center operations. It is performed in a retail environment with active engagement on the sales floor. The role requires frequent standing and walking, bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting, including safely moving merchandise, supplies, or animals weighing up to 50 pounds. Employees work near animals and may be exposed to animal dander, odors, noises, and cleaning chemicals. Flexible availability is required to support operating hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Requirements

• At least 1 year of experience working with or caring for companion animals and aquatic life.
• Strong knowledge of animal care, husbandry, and maintenance practices.
• Ability to educate others and communicate effectively.
• Strong customer-service mindset and aptitude for selling behaviors.
• Basic business, math, and inventory-management skills.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Completion and ongoing maintenance of the Petco Animal Care Certification Program is required.
• Ability to safely lift and move merchandise, supplies, or animals weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Flexible availability to work during Pet Care Center operating hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Ability to perform the role’s physical activities, including frequent standing and walking, bending, kneeling, and reaching, and to work near animals and cleaning chemicals.

Nice To Haves

• High school diploma or GED preferred.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the health, safety, and proper care of companion animals and aquatic life according to Petco standards, policies, and procedures.
• Complete and verify animal-care tasks, including hourly animal health checks, wellness documentation, maintenance logs, and incident reports.
• Ensure proper handling, documentation, and care of relinquished and adoption animals.
• Serve as a resource for animal-care education for customers and Pet Care Center partners.
• Follow and promote safety, animal-welfare, and loss-prevention procedures.
• Provide knowledgeable, compassionate, and solution-focused customer service and support customer interactions using Petco’s selling model.
• Promote teamwork, inclusion, and collaboration across the Pet Care Center.
• Mentor and educate coworkers on animal-care standards, maintenance routines, and best practices.
• Maintain clean, professional, and well-presented animal habitats and aquatic areas.
• Support department sales, margin, and shrink goals.
• Ensure merchandise is stocked, priced, and displayed to Petco standards, focusing on companion animals and aquatics.
• Order live animals, supplies, and related merchandise in partnership with the sales team.
• Analyze inventory data and identify opportunities to improve in-stock levels, shrink, and operational efficiency.
• Participate in animal- and aquatic-related physical inventory counts.
• Assist with opening and closing procedures as assigned and perform additional duties and special projects as needed.
• Verify animal-care and maintenance tasks are completed on schedule; perform routine housekeeping, including cleaning habitats and tanks, sweeping and mopping, dusting, and facing merchandise.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, operational, and safety standards.
• Process register transactions accurately and efficiently.
• Evaluate customer needs and escalate concerns to the Leader on Duty when appropriate.
• Support omnichannel and in-store initiatives through consistent execution and customer engagement.

Benefits

• The job posting refers applicants to Petco Total Rewards information, including health and financial benefits, 401(k), incentives, and paid time off; specific benefit eligibility and details are not provided.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed