Kennel Assistant at Ham Lake Veterinary Hospital

Ham Lake Veterinary Hospital•Andover, MN

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Ham Lake Veterinary Hospital is seeking a Kennel Assistant to provide care for patients visiting the practice for grooming and/or boarding. This role is crucial in ensuring the boarding area is clean, safe, and comfortable for all patients. The Kennel Assistant will be responsible for cleaning cages, runs, and ward areas, as well as managing laundry. Additionally, the role involves walking, feeding, and administering medication to patients under the supervision of a Doctor or Technician, based on the assistant's confidence and experience.

Requirements

Ability to work on weekends as required
Previous veterinary experience preferred
Ability to lift patients up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients over 25 pounds with assistance
Practices OSHA safety techniques including proper PPE

Nice To Haves

Patience & Compassion: Remaining professional while still making Doctors, teammates, clients, and patients feel as comfortable as possible regardless of the situation or challenges presented.
Collaboration & Teamwork: Carefully coordinating actions with practice team members. Quickly incorporating feedback to ensure positive results. Sharing ideas and being open to other’s ideas. Continually looking for ways to help others.
Communicating: Conveying boarding outcomes to clients and teammates to ensure successful client care.
Active Listening: Following the expressed wishes of clients.
Client Satisfaction: Ensuring all activities and interactions result in the highest level of client satisfaction.

Responsibilities

Provides great care for patients visiting the practice for grooming and / or boarding.
Ensures patients are admitted noting the client’s specific instructions to ensure a quality outcome including contact information and pick up time.
Accurately and legibly records information related to the patient such as feeding schedules, appearance, and behavior during practice visit.
Observes patient’s appearance and activity for general physical condition, obvious signs of illness, disease and discontent.
Appropriately handles patients and as needed, properly restrains hard-to-control patients.
Walks patients several times a day to provide exercise and time for elimination of bowels and bladder.
Applies knowledge of normal food and liquid requirements and as required, provides special food and liquids.
Ensures patients are clean and fresh smelling and have been checked by a Technician / Doctor prior to discharge; ensures patient has all personal property upon exit.
Ensures cages and patients are properly numbered and identified and that personal property (toys, treats, blankets, leashes) are stored in the proper areas and identified.
Regularly cleans, disinfects and maintain kennels, cages, runs and stalls as often as is necessary to ensure no cages or kennels are soiled and odors are not apparent.
Performs general cleaning in other areas of the hospital to control the spread of disease.
Washes and sterilizes water and food bowls.
Launders and dries towels and blankets.
Walks hospital grounds regularly and cleans any trash and stool material; empties trash throughout the practice and grounds.
Performs other duties as assigned.