Kennel Attendant at Veterinary Wellness Partners, Inc – Orrville, Ohio

BASIC FUNCTION

• A kennel attendant provides daily care, feeding and exercise of boarded pets.
• He or she also pays close attention to pets’ status such as signs of stress and changes in eating or elimination habits, promptly notifying technicians and veterinarians when a pet needs medical attention.
• The kennel attendant interacts with clients in person and by phone and e-mail. Proper record documentation and accurate completion of boarding forms and cage cards is critical.
• A kennel attendant must pay close attention to details, understand and follow proper feeding and sanitation procedures and monitor boarded pets.
• The kennel position is fast-paced and physical in nature, requiring continuous movement for the duration of each shift.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILIES

• Keep the safety and health of animal guests as the top priority and provide compassionate care to all lodgers.
• Walk through kennel area regularly, checking each pet for any abnormal activity such as vomiting, diarrhea or blood in the cage or run.
• The ability and compassion to handle pets that may be scared, aggressive, or wiggly according to self–control guidelines listed below.
• Ability to keep self-control by maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in difficult situations. This type of self- control includes, but not limited to, yelling or cursing at pets, physical abuse (hitting, slapping, swatting, punching, kicking, or knocking off balance), using excessive force to manipulate movement of pets (jerking on leash/collar, grabbing or twisting) any part of body or applying pressure in a rough manner.
• Understands and agrees to practice all behaviors and principles of OPSR.
• Performs daily work as listed on Standard Operating Procedures.
• Performs weekly and monthly chores as listed.
• Understands and can perform all tasks described in the Kennel Training Manual.
• Understands how to administer medications, specifically, Insulin shots, dosage in solid or liquid form, oral medications, eye medications, ear medications, and miscellaneous medications.
• Participates in disinfecting the facility on a daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis.
• Communicated any concerns or updates in the appropriate way- verbal and/or written.
• Records daily actions with initials (ex. MRF), this can include but is not limited to; Kennel Checklist, Medications, Weekly Chore List, Monthly Chore List, Activity Sheet, Charts, and Daycare Checklist.
• Monitors animals in the kennel carefully and ensures that pets are safe, comfortable and under control always.
• Collect any samples requested by the doctor or technician.
• Maintain food and supply storage areas.
• Understand infectious diseases and how to control and prevent their spread.
• Prepare boarding report cards for animals going home .
• Completes any miscellaneous tasks designated by Supervisor or Management.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• To perform the job successfully, an individual must be able to complete all areas outlined for this position in a satisfactory manner. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities necessary to meet the minimum job requirements of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
  • Experience
    • Required; Limited experience with animal care
    • High school diploma or equivalent, or in process of obtaining
    • Experience in caring for animals, proper restraint techniques
  • Age
    • Must be at least 16 years old
  • Skills
    • Limited animal handling
    • Communication- verbal and written
    • Detail oriented
    • Handling cleaners and disinfectants safely and in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Physical Obligations:
    • The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
      • The employee must have full range of body movements including use of hands, fingers, bending, reaching, and crouching.
      • The employee must have use of all five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
      • The employee must have the ability to lift/walk/control/handle dogs with a minimum of 5 pounds and a maximum of 200 pounds regularly.
      • Endure standing and walking on hard floor surfaces for extended periods.
      • Type information for patient records and business use
      • Able to sustain continuous physical movement for the duration of each shift.

• Personal Characteristics
  • Dependability: honors commitments even under adverse circumstances.
  • Initiative: proceeds on a task without requiring detailed instructions.
  • Persistence: demonstrates tenacity at solving problems.
  • Responsible: readily accepts responsibility for solving problems and handling unusual situations.
  • Stress tolerance: able to make sound decisions, lead effectively and maintain calm under highly stressful and unexpected situations.
  • Flexibility: confident in applying own skills and abilities to new situations.
  • Client Service: deals effectively and courteously with clients regarding status of animals or any issues.
  • Teamwork: shares tasks/ideas with others on the work team, identifies where help is needed and continually works with others on the team to ensure productivity.

• Working Conditions
  • Able to work in noisy work conditions with sounds from animals and equipment
  • This position will require the employee to be indoors and outdoors, despite weather conditions, on a regular basis throughout the shift. The indoors are a climate controlled, smoke free environment.
  • The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but can be higher in other areas.