Animal Care Specialist

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.
• Mentor and educate partners on animal care standards, maintenance routines, and best practices.
• 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.
• Analyze inventory data and identify opportunities to improve in-stock levels, shrink, and operational efficiency.
• Perform additional duties and special projects as needed to support Pet Care Center operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Animal Care & Maintenance: Verify all animal care and maintenance tasks are completed according to established schedules. Perform routine housekeeping duties, including cleaning habitats and tanks, sweeping and mopping floors, dusting, and facing merchandise.
• Customer Experience & Sales Support: Process register transactions accurately and efficiently. Evaluate customer needs and escalate concerns to the Leader on Duty when appropriate. Support Omni-channel and in-store initiatives through consistent execution and customer engagement.

Qualifications

• 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.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• High school diploma or GED preferred.
• Completion and ongoing maintenance of the Petco Animal Care Certification Program required.

Essential Functions & Work Environment

• This role is performed in a Pet Care Center retail environment and requires active engagement on the sales floor.
• The role requires frequent standing and walking, as well as bending, kneeling, reaching, and lifting.
• Able 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.
• Must be able to work in proximity to animals, including exposure to animal dander, odors, noises, and cleaning chemicals.
• Flexible availability to support Pet Care Center operating hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Benefits

• Start Rate: $15.00
• For a more detailed overview of Petco Total Rewards, including health and financial benefits, 401K, incentives, and PTO - see here.

Company Information

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