Kennel Assistant - Companion Animal Clinic- VA

Join the Team at Companion Animal Clinic as a Full-Time Kennel Assistant!

Companion Animal Clinic in Fairfax Station, Virginia is looking for a compassionate, dependable, and hardworking Full-Time Kennel Assistant to join our team! If you love animals, enjoy being part of a team, and are looking for an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a veterinary hospital, this could be a great fit for you. Our Kennel Assistants play an incredibly important role in the day-to-day care of our patients and the overall operation of our hospital. From making sure pets are comfortable, clean, fed, and cared for to supporting our veterinary team and helping maintain a clean and organized hospital, this position is an essential part of the Companion team.

Schedule: Approximately 30–35 hours per week Weekend availability is required Compensation: $14–$16/hour, based on experience

About Companion Animal Clinic

Companion Animal Clinic is a full-service companion animal hospital located in Fairfax Station, Virginia. Our hospital is committed to providing high-quality veterinary medicine while creating a compassionate and welcoming experience for the pets and families we serve.

Our five-doctor veterinary team is supported by an experienced and dedicated group of veterinary professionals who work together to provide an exceptional standard of patient care. We value teamwork, communication, continued learning, and creating an environment where team members can grow their skills and feel like an important part of the hospital.

For someone interested in animal care or exploring a future career in veterinary medicine, the Kennel Assistant position is a wonderful opportunity to gain experience inside a veterinary hospital while working alongside veterinarians, technicians, assistants, and other experienced veterinary professionals.

What You'll Do

Provide Compassionate Animal Care

• Help ensure the comfort, safety, and well-being of animals staying in our care.
• Walk dogs and provide appropriate exercise and enrichment.
• Feed and provide fresh water to patients according to their individual instructions.
• Assist with basic patient care as directed by the veterinary team.
• Observe patients for changes in behavior, appetite, comfort, or overall well-being and communicate any concerns to the appropriate medical team member.
• Provide patience, kindness, and compassionate care to every animal.

Maintain a Clean & Comfortable Environment

Keeping our patients and hospital clean is a very important part of this position.

• Clean and disinfect kennels, cages, runs, and animal care areas.
• Maintain clean food and water bowls.
• Wash, dry, fold, and organize hospital laundry and bedding.
• Clean up after animals and properly dispose of waste.
• Help maintain clean exam rooms, treatment areas, and common spaces.
• Follow hospital cleaning and sanitation protocols to help provide a safe environment for patients and team members.

Safely Handle Dogs & Cats

• Safely and compassionately handle dogs and cats of different sizes, breeds, personalities, and energy levels.
• Follow established animal-handling and safety protocols.
• Assist veterinary technicians, assistants, and veterinarians with patient handling when appropriate.
• Recognize when an animal may be fearful, stressed, or uncomfortable and communicate concerns to the medical team.

Support the Veterinary Team

• Help keep patient care areas organized and stocked.
• Restock commonly used supplies as needed.
• Assist with maintaining an organized hospital environment.
• Communicate effectively with veterinarians, technicians, assistants, CSRs, and fellow kennel team members.
• Jump in and help the team wherever needed throughout the day.

What We're Looking For

You don't necessarily need years of veterinary experience to be successful in this role. We are looking for someone who is dependable, willing to learn, comfortable working hard, and genuinely cares about animals.

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Must be 18 years of age or older.
• A genuine love of animals and commitment to their care and well-being.
• Dependable and consistent attendance.
• Availability to work approximately 30–35 hours per week, including weekends.
• A positive attitude and willingness to work as part of a team.
• Strong communication and listening skills.
• Ability to follow instructions and hospital protocols carefully.
• Attention to detail, particularly when following feeding, cleaning, and patient care instructions.
• Comfort working in a busy veterinary hospital environment.
• Ability to safely lift, carry, walk, and assist with animals of varying sizes.
• Willingness to perform the cleaning, laundry, sanitation, and physical responsibilities that are an important part of kennel and patient care.
• Previous veterinary, kennel, boarding, shelter, rescue, pet care, or other animal-related experience is a plus, but not required for the right person.

Compensation & Benefits

$14–$16 per hour, based on experience

Full-time team members are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Training & Development
• Tuition Assistance
• Uniform Allowance
• Discounted Veterinary Care for Personal Pets

Come Grow With Us!

At Companion Animal Clinic, our Kennel Assistants are more than just the people who keep our kennels clean. They are caregivers, teammates, and an important part of making sure the animals entrusted to us feel safe and comfortable while they are in our care.

This can also be a wonderful entry point into veterinary medicine for someone who wants to learn more about the field and gain experience working alongside a veterinary team.

If you are dependable, hardworking, passionate about animals, and excited about becoming part of a supportive veterinary hospital team, we would love to meet you!

I especially like not requiring prior veterinary experience here. With the pay range and Katherine needing coverage fairly quickly, I’d rather let the knockout questions filter for weekends, 30–35 hours, pay alignment, animal comfort, and willingness to clean and keep the door open for a great, reliable person who can be trained.

Veterinary Innovative Partners (VIP) is a network of veterinarian-owned-and-operated hospitals across twelve states. VIP is guided by a mission to provide veterinarians and their teams with all the resources, mentorship, and autonomy they need to thrive personally and professionally while giving pets the best possible care.

Join the VIP family, where our team members are our top priority to ensure best-in-class personalized care, ownership and accountability, trust, and an exceptional work environment

Stay connected with VIP! Follow Veterinary Innovative Partners on LinkedIn for the latest career opportunities, team stories, and behind-the-scenes looks at life in our hospitals.