Animal Care Specialist
About The Position
Create a healthier, brighter future for pets, pet parents and people! If you want to make a real difference, create an exciting career path, feel welcome to be your whole self and nurture your wellbeing, Petco is the place for you. Our core values capture that spirit as we work to improve lives by doing what’s right for pets, people and our planet. We love all pets like our own We’re the future of the pet industry We’re here to improve lives We drive outstanding results together We’re welcome as we are Petco is a category-defining health and wellness company focused on improving the lives of pets, pet parents and Petco partners. We are 29,000 strong and operate 1,500+ pet care centers in the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, including 250+ Vetco Total Care hospitals, hundreds of preventive care clinics and eight distribution centers. We’re focused on purpose-driven work, and strongly believe what’s good for pets, people and our planet is good for Petco. As a Companion Animal Specialist, you are the primary expert and advocate for the health, welfare, and proper care of companion animals and aquatic life within the Pet Care Center (PCC). You ensure exceptional animal care and habitat maintenance while supporting sales, merchandising, and inventory execution. In close partnership with the sales team, you help deliver outstanding customer experience by combining deep animal-care knowledge with strong operational discipline. This role is ideal for someone passionate about animal welfare who enjoys teaching others and contributing to a collaborative team environment.
Requirements
- Minimum of 1 year of experience working with or caring for companion animals and aquatic life.
- Strong knowledge of animal care, husbandry, and maintenance practices.
- Demonstrated ability to educate others and communicate effectively.
- Strong customer service mindset with an aptitude for selling behaviors.
- Basic business, math, and inventory management skills.
- Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
- High school diploma or GED preferred.
- Completion and ongoing maintenance of the Petco Animal Care Certification Program required.
Responsibilities
- Ensure the health, safety, and proper care of all companion animals and aquatic life in accordance with Petco standards, policies, and procedures.
- Complete and verify required 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 the primary resource for animal care education for customers and PCC partners.
- Adhere to and promote all safety, animal welfare, and loss prevention procedures.
- Deliver knowledgeable, compassionate, and solution-focused service to customers.
- Actively support customer interactions using Petco’s selling model.
- Promote a culture of teamwork, inclusion, and collaboration across the PCC.
- Mentor and educate partners on animal care standards, maintenance routines, and best practices.
- Maintain professional, clean, and well-presented animal habitats and aquatic areas.
- Support the achievement of department sales, margin, and shrink goals.
- Ensure merchandise is stocked, priced, and displayed to Petco standards, with a primary focus on companion animals and aquatics.
- Efficiently order live animals, supplies, and related merchandise in partnership with the sales team to support inventory integrity and business goals.
- 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.
- Perform additional duties and special projects as needed to support Pet Care Center operations.
- Verify all animal care and maintenance tasks are completed according to established schedules.
- Perform routine housekeeping duties, including cleaning habitats and tanks, sweeping and mopping floors, dusting, and facing merchandise.
- Ensure compliance with all 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 Omni-channel and in-store initiatives through consistent execution and customer engagement.
Benefits
- Opportunities to learn, grow, and explore career paths.
- A fun, fast-paced role where no two days are the same.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
