Animal Care Specialist

Petco•Columbia SC Harbison, SC

4d•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 deliver an outstanding customer experience, educate customers and coworkers, and contribute to a collaborative team environment. The position is performed in a Pet Care Center retail environment with active engagement on the sales floor. It involves frequent standing and walking, bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting, including safely moving merchandise, supplies, or animals weighing up to 50 pounds. The role also involves working near animals and potential exposure to animal dander, odors, noises, and cleaning chemicals. Flexible availability is required to support store 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 work in proximity to animals, including exposure to animal dander, odors, noises, 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 in accordance with 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.
Provide animal-care education to customers and Pet Care Center partners.
Follow and promote safety, animal welfare, and loss prevention procedures.
Deliver knowledgeable, compassionate, and solution-focused customer service and support customer interactions using Petco’s selling model.
Promote teamwork, inclusion, and collaboration, and mentor and educate partners 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, particularly companion animals and aquatics merchandise.
Order live animals, supplies, and related merchandise 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 and perform additional duties and special projects as needed.
Verify that animal care and maintenance tasks are completed according to established schedules.
Perform routine housekeeping, including cleaning habitats and tanks, sweeping and mopping floors, 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.