Pet Care Assistant

Summary of Job Purpose and Function

The Pet Care Assistant works with the veterinary medical team to provide and prepare for the best medical care of pets, and to ensure this is provided in a happy, welcoming, friendly and efficient manner, influencing clients to return and refer their friends and families.

Description - External

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

• Prepare the treatment room for examination of pets and all necessary medical item and supplies (e.g. vaccinations, fecal loops, slides, etc.) for the veterinarian and/or veterinary technician. Set up fecals, smears, and skin scrapings as allowed by state rules and regulations.
• Maintain the flow of the Cycle of Service in accordance to position. Provide Client Education regarding preventive care, Optimum Wellness Plans, and basic status of hospitalized pets. Serve as support to the Client Services Coordinator staff on an as-needed basis.
• Hold or restrain pets during examination, treatment, or inoculation.
• Prepare routine in-house laboratory tests (e.g. canine heartworm, feline leukemia, FIV, and canine parvovirus) as allowed by state rules and regulations.
• Monitor the comfort of hospitalized patients. Ensure the comfort of hospitalized patients by "walking", exercising, feeding, and cleaning cages and pet (when approved by the veterinarian or veterinary technician).
• Bathe and dip pets when necessary to treat dermatological conditions (when advised by veterinarian or veterinary technician.
• Clean the surgical suite and instruments.
• Ensure cleanliness of the hospital including but not limited to housekeeping such as laundry, dishes, mopping, cage cleaning, trash collection and removal and instrument cleaning as outlined by hospital protocols
• Other job duties as assigned.

Hiring Qualifications

Capabilities and Experience (can do)

• Ability to multi-task- Manages multiple tasks at one time; quickly and accurately shifts attention among multiple tasks under distracting conditions without loss of accuracy or appearance of frustration.
• Communication skills - Reads, writes and speaks fluent English, using appropriate grammar, style and vocabulary. Correctly spells commonly used English words and job specific terms. Demonstrates exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Organizational ability - Demonstrates a systematic approach in carrying out assignments. Is very orderly and excels at cutting through confusion and turning chaos into order.
• Problem solving skills - Demonstrates a strong ability to identify, analyze and solve problems. Translates problems into practical solutions.
• Client service skills - Consistently ensures the team provides the client with attentive, courteous and informative service. Gains and shows personal satisfaction from delivering great service.
• Intellectual ability - Accurately and consistently follows instructions delivered in an oral, written or diagram format. Can provide directions.
• Mathematical ability - Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide, and to compute rate, ratio and percent; ability to convert units of measurement.
• Computer skills - Comfortably and confidently uses a computer and specialized software. Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, etc.

Attitudes (will do)

• Initiative - shows willingness and aptitude to take appropriate steps in finding solutions to problems; presents options and ideas to enhance current processes or procedures. Takes on additional responsibility when both big and small tasks need to be done.
• Integrity - Firmly adheres to the values and ethics of Banfield Pet Hospitals. Exhibits honesty, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Cooperativeness - Willing to work with others, collaborating and compromising where necessary; promptly share relevant information with others.
• Flexibility - Is open to changing situations and opportunities and is willing to perform all tasks assigned.
• Independence - Able and willing to perform tasks and duties without supervision as appropriate.
• Tolerance for Stress / Resiliency - Maintains a positive "can do" outlook, rebounds quickly from frustrations and unpleasantness, and maintains composure and friendly demeanor while dealing with stressful situations.

Special Working Conditions

• Ability to work at a computer for long periods of time.
• Ability to be confident around pets (i.e., dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.)
• Client needs and work volume may often require more than 40 hours per week to complete essential duties of this job. This position requires special hours including working weekends and evenings.
• Must have mental processes for reasoning, remembering, mathematics and language ability (reading, writing, and speaking the English language) to perform the duties proficiently.
• The noise level in the work environment is moderately high.
• Requires sufficient ambulatory skills in order to perform duties while at hospital.
• Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb as well as manipulate (lift, carry, move) up to 50 pounds.
• Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm-hand-finger dexterity with the ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard and operate equipment.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Associate is routinely exposed to a variety of pets that may bite or scratch, and on occasion, exposed to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medication/controlled substances.

Experience, Education and/or Training

• High School Diploma preferred.
• Must be at least 18 years old to perform duties involving radiography (x-ray) and exposure to radioactive substances.
• One year related experience required with customer service preferred.

Banfield Pet Hospital strongly supports and values the uniqueness of all individuals and promotes a work environment where diversity is embraced. Banfield Pet Hospital is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetic information, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability. Banfield Pet Hospital complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every Banfield location.