Lead Kennel Assistant

When you join Cedarcrest Animal Hospital in Acworth, GA, you become part of a commitment established in 2008: to deliver excellent veterinary medicine and build lasting relationships with both clients and teammates. Our vision centers on empowering every individual to succeed and grow professionally through a deep commitment to our pets and community. The community recognizes this commitment, reflected in our exceptional 4.6-star Google rating. This is an opportunity for you to bring your expertise to a trusted full-service small animal practice and do your best work every day.

About the Role

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.

Responsibilities

• Providing Compassionate Care: Provide daily care to boarding pets and hospitalized patients, including feeding, watering, and exercising them according to schedule.
• Managing Admissions and Discharges: 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: 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: Administer medications and flea/tick control to pets boarding with us, accurately recording instructions on the kennel medication board.
• Maintaining a Clean Environment: Clean and disinfect cages, runs, yards, litter boxes, and bowls using proper protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE) to control infectious diseases.
• Delivering TLC: Perform extra "TLC" playtimes, walks, or baths for clients who have requested special attention for their pets.

Requirements

• 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.

Benefits

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: 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: Support for 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 the Location

Acworth, GA is a vibrant community located in the greater Atlanta area, offering a superb quality of life that supports both professional engagement and personal downtime. You will find yourself in a location known for its friendly atmosphere and deep sense of community, allowing you to easily build lasting relationships with the clients you serve.

About the Organization

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. 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.