The Pet Care Assistant works with the veterinary medical team to provide and prepare for the best medical care of pets.

• Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team. 

• 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. 

• Serve as support to the Client Services Coordinator, Veterinary Assistant and Veterinary Technician.  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.

CAPABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE

• 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. Unusually decisive in handling difficult 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

• Initiative – Shows willingness and aptitude to use own discretion in taking 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.

• Tolerance for Stress / Resiliency – Maintains a positive “can do” outlook, rebounds quickly from frustrations and unpleasant odors.

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 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.