Animal Care Specialist

Petco · Mount Vernon, NY · 1 wk ago

OTHR$17–$25/hrPart-time

About the role

As a Companion Animal Specialist, you are the primary expert and advocate for the health, welfare, and proper care of companion animals and aquatic life within the Pet Care Center (PCC). You ensure exceptional animal care and habitat maintenance while supporting sales, merchandising, and inventory execution. In close partnership with the sales team, you help deliver outstanding customer experience by combining deep animal-care knowledge with strong operational discipline.

Responsibilities

Pet First – Protect & Empower: Ensure the health, safety, and proper care of all companion animals and aquatic life in accordance with Petco standards, policies, and procedures.
Complete and verify required animal care tasks, including hourly animal health checks, wellness documentation, maintenance logs, and incident reports.
Serve as the primary resource for animal care education for customers and PCC partners.
Foster the Fun – Connect & Bond: Deliver knowledgeable, compassionate, and solution-focused service to customers. Actively support customer interactions using Petco’s selling model. Promote a culture of teamwork, inclusion, and collaboration across the PCC.
Let’s Go! Own & Commit: Support the achievement of department sales, margin, and shrink goals. Ensure merchandise is stocked, priced, and displayed to Petco standards, with a primary focus on companion animals and aquatics.

Requirements

Minimum of 1 year of experience working with or caring for companion animals and aquatic life.
Strong knowledge of animal care, husbandry, and maintenance practices.
Demonstrated ability to educate others and communicate effectively.
Strong customer service mindset with an aptitude for selling behaviors.
Basic business, math, and inventory management skills.
High school diploma or GED preferred.
Completion and ongoing maintenance of the Petco Animal Care Certification Program required.

Qualifications

Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
Frequent standing and walking, as well as bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting.
Ability to safely lift and move merchandise, supplies, or animals weighing up to 50 pounds.
Regular engagement with customers on the sales floor, including providing customer assistance and performing cashiering and point-of-sale transactions.
Proximity to animals, including exposure to animal dander, odors, noises, and cleaning chemicals.

Skills

Strong customer service mindset with an aptitude for selling behaviors.
Basic business, math, and inventory management skills.
Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.

Benefits

Salary Range: $17.00 - $25.00
Start Rate: $18.00

Pay

The pay ranges outlined below are presented in accordance with state-specific regulations. These ranges may differ in other areas and could be subject to variation based on regulatory minimum wage requirements. Actual pay rates will depend on factors such as position, location, level of experience, and applicable state or local minimum wage laws.