Lead Kennel Assistant

Lead Kennel Assistant

At Firetower Animal Clinic, you will join an organization deeply rooted in the Winterville community since 2002. Our mission centers on providing high-quality, customized care, treating every pet like our own. We are proud to be an American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) accredited facility, a distinction held by only 15% of hospitals nationwide, recognizing our adherence to rigorous standards in surgery, patient care, and emergency services. This commitment to excellence is reflected in our outstanding 4.8-star Google rating, showing the trust our clients place in us. If you are looking for an environment where you can immediately contribute to top-tier veterinary medicine, this is where you can do your best work. Your dedication as a veterinary professional deserves a supportive environment. As a valued teammate, you will be empowered to practice advanced medicine using individualized, case-by-case care plans tailored for each patient. Our scheduling provides consistent structure, with operating hours closing at 6:00 PM on weekdays and 12:00 PM on Saturdays, ensuring you maintain a sustainable work-life balance. Furthermore, for after-hours emergency cases, we refer patients to the nearby Points East Veterinary Specialty Hospital, allowing you to focus completely on your primary caseload during business hours and limiting on-call burnout. We believe in equipping our teammates with the tools necessary to deliver exceptional medical outcomes. Firetower Animal Clinic offers a comprehensive suite of services, including advanced care, surgical procedures, urgent care, wellness and prevention, and thorough testing and diagnostics. Our AAHA accreditation means our protocols are continuously evaluated across critical areas like anesthesiology, diagnostic imaging, and client services. You will join a practice committed to meetingand exceedingthe recognized benchmark for quality care in veterinary medicine, giving you the platform you need to succeed. Winterville, North Carolina, offers a welcoming community setting where Firetower Animal Clinic has served the local area and beyond for over two decades. Winterville is known for its neighborly atmosphere and provides a great backdrop for living and working. You will find yourself practicing within a community that strongly supports its local veterinary partners, as evidenced by our strong client relationships and high approval ratings. This setting provides the ideal combination of rewarding professional practice and easy access to a comfortable, small-town lifestyle.

Your Impact as a Lead Kennel Assistant

As the Lead Kennel Assistant, you are the primary caretaker for our boarding and hospitalized guests, ensuring they receive the highest quality daily care, feeding, and exercise. You serve as a critical line of defense for our patients' health, paying close attention to signs of stress or illness and promptly notifying the medical team when attention is needed. You will also manage client interactions during check-ins and check-outs, ensuring accurate documentation and a welcoming experience for both pets and their owners.

Your Impact Will Include:

• Providing Compassionate Care: You will provide daily care to boarding pets and hospitalized patients, including feeding, watering, and exercising them according to schedule.
• Managing Admissions and Discharges: You'll handle check-ins and check-outs, talking with owners, recording feeding/medication instructions, labeling belongings, and ensuring every pet goes home clean and happy.
• Monitoring Patient Health: You will walk through the kennel area regularly to check for abnormal activity (vomiting, diarrhea, stress), properly marking records and reporting issues to doctors and technicians immediately.
• Administering Medications: You will administer medications and flea/tick control to pets boarding with us, accurately recording instructions on the kennel medication board.
• Maintaining a Clean Environment: You'll clean and disinfect cages, runs, yards, litter boxes, and bowls using proper protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE) to control infectious diseases.
• Delivering TLC: You will perform extra "TLC" playtimes, walks, or baths for clients who have requested special attention for their pets.

What You'll Bring to the Team

• Confidence around animals and pets.
• Knowledge of proper animal restraint techniques and infectious disease control.
• Must be 16 years of age or older.
• Must be in the process of obtaining or have attained a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Reasoning, remembering, and language ability (reading, writing, and speaking English) to perform duties proficiently.
• A commitment to maintaining our Core Values and Mission Statement.

Responsibilities and Benefits

How You're Supported

As part of the Mission Pet Health family, you get the stability of a local practice backed by the comprehensive benefits and resources of a larger network. The focus is on investing in you, so you can focus on what you love. Note: Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support you at every stage. Eligibility for specific benefits varies based on your role and hours worked.

Competitive Compensation

A competitive hourly rate or salary based on your experience and role.

Health & Wellbeing

We offer comprehensive coverage options including Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance, along with access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all teammates.

Financial Security

Plan for your future with our 401k retirement options and additional financial protection benefits like Life Insurance and Disability coverage.

Commitment to Growth

We support your career goals with opportunities for professional development, including educational assistance for qualified teammates to enroll in AVMA-accredited veterinary technician programs.

The Power of a Network

Join a nationwide community of over 20,000 veterinary professionals who share a passion for collaboration, career growth, and sharing best practices.

Valuable Perks

Enjoy discounted veterinary care for your own pets, access to an online discount platform, and free 24/7 access to doctors through Teladoc.

About Mission Pet Health

Mission Pet Health was founded by veterinarians on the belief that local practices thrive with clinical autonomy, collaboration, and medical excellence. The organization provides world-class support to its 850+ hospital teams on a hyper-local basis so they can focus on what matters most: the medicine, their patients, and their team culture. Learn more at missionpethealth.com.

Driving the award-winning culture are the WAG values Work Together, Amaze, and Grow . Mission Pet Health is veterinarian-led, people-focused, and on a mission to be the best place to work in veterinary medicine. We are proud to be recognized as a 2025 "Most Loved Workplace," ranked #2 in America's Top 100 and #1 in veterinary care.

Reasonable Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation. Please contact View email address on click.appcast.io with your request and contact information.

EEO Statement: Mission Pet Health is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.