Animal Caretaker Job in Ashland, VA

Kennel Assistant (Weekend Availability Required)

Are you passionate about animals and interested in a future career in veterinary medicine? Our busy veterinary hospital and boarding facility is looking for a compassionate, dependable Kennel Assistant to join our team. This is an excellent opportunity for high school or college students looking to gain hands-on experience in an animal care setting while exploring a career in veterinary medicine.

What You'll Do

As a Kennel Assistant, you'll play an important role in the daily care and comfort of our boarding and hospitalized pets by:

• Feeding and providing fresh water to animals according to established schedules
• Safely handling and restraining pets using low-stress techniques
• Cleaning and disinfecting kennels, cat condos, treatment areas, and equipment to maintain a healthy environment
• Exercising, monitoring, and providing enrichment for boarding pets
• Transferring pets between boarding, treatment, and exercise areas
• Assisting with bath packages, including nail trims, ear cleanings, and learning proper animal handling techniques
• Communicating with clients by providing boarding pet updates over the phone
• Learning our hospital software and supporting the team with basic administrative tasks as needed

Why Join Our Team?

We're more than just a boarding facility—we're a full-service veterinary hospital with over 100 indoor/outdoor dog runs and spacious cat condos. Our kennel team works closely with our medical team, giving you opportunities to learn beyond daily animal care.

As part of our team, you'll have opportunities to:

• Shadow veterinarians and veterinary assistants during medical procedures
• Learn basic veterinary skills and animal handling techniques
• Develop client communication and customer service experience
• Explore career paths within our hospital through internal career mapping
• Grow into future roles such as Receptionist or Veterinary Assistant based on your interests, performance, and availability

Whether you're planning for veterinary school or simply love working with animals, this position provides valuable experience in a supportive, team-oriented environment.

Schedule & Availability

• Weekend availability is required. Candidates must be available to work both Saturdays and Sundays.
• Typical shifts are 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
• Additional weekday shifts may be available.
• Split shifts can be accommodated for students when scheduling allows.
• Holiday availability is required, as our boarding facility is busiest during holiday seasons.

What We're Looking For

• A genuine love for animals and a willingness to learn
• Dependability, strong work ethic, and the ability to work as part of a team
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, physically active environment
• Ability to safely handle dogs and cats of all sizes
• No previous veterinary or animal care experience is required—we're happy to train the right candidate.

If you're looking to gain real-world veterinary experience, work alongside an experienced medical team, and start building a career in animal healthcare, we'd love to meet you!

National Veterinary Associates (NVA) is a leading North American pet health care company with nearly 1,300 locations spanning general practice veterinary hospitals, Ethos emergency and specialty hospitals, and pet resorts and equine veterinary care. With approximately 40,000 team members, we care for pets and support pet families in communities across the United States and Canada. Our purpose is to give pets and the people who love them more quality years together, and our mission is to make care more personal, easy and accessible while advancing medicine and care across every stage of life. Across NVA, we support our teams with the resources, expertise and opportunities they need to deliver exceptional care and help shape the future of veterinary and pet care.

Purpose: Give pets and the people who love them more quality years together

Mission: Transform the pet family experience to be personal, easy and accessible, while advancing medicine and care across every stage of life.

Values: Care Deeply, Do What’s Right, One Team, Own It, Shape What’s Next

One NVA: Bringing General Practice & Ethos Together

NVA is built to make care personal, easy and accessible, while advancing medicine across every stage of a pet’s life.

At National Veterinary Associates, we want to make sure your experience connecting with us is seamless and straightforward. Here’s what to expect when interacting with us:

- We’ll always reach out via verified LinkedIn profiles or emails ending in @nva.com

- We may also contact you via text message from an identified NVA representative for recruiting-related communication

- All job opportunities and applications are hosted on our official careers site: careers.nva.com

- There is no cost or confidential information required to apply or be considered for a position

If you have any doubts about a communication, feel free to visit our careers page to verify authenticity or email us at [email protected]. Thank you for exploring opportunities at NVA!

NVA offers a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, a 401k with employer match, and paid time off (including sick time) for all eligible employees. The team can provide more information about compensation and benefits for your specific location during the process. For positions based in Colorado, NVA provides eligible employees with paid sick and safe leave and public health emergency leave in accordance with the requirements of Colorado's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.

NVA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.