Job Description

The Kennel Assistant provides the daily care, cleaning, feeding, medications, exercise and enrichment activities to shelter dogs and other species as needed. The Kennel Assistant must perform basic health exams, vaccinations, calculate medication dosages and be skilled at assessing animal behavior. A basic understanding of veterinary medicine is required. They communicate directly with the public via phone, email and in person. They screen potential adopters, safely facilitate dog meet and greets and finalize successful adoptions. They provide adoption counselling, basic training advice, adoption resources and canine health advice to the public. The Kennel Assistant uses their knowledge of canine behavior and body language to keep themselves, their co-workers and the public safe when interacting with dogs. Kennel Assistants must know basic animal restraint techniques and be comfortable with a variety of animal handling tools. They maintain detailed and accurate notes in our software systems and must able to communicate effectively internally and with external partners. The Kennel Assistant work with little supervision. They reunite lost pets and initiate enforcement for Animal Services Officers (ASOs) by identifying violations of the Responsible Pet Ownership (RPO) bylaw when they present at Animal Services (ie: licensing, protection, prohibited).

As the Kennel Assistant, you will:

• Animal Husbandry and Facility
• Communication with Internal and External Customers
• Animal Behaviour Assessments and Handling
• Animal Intake and Examinations
• Assist ASOs and Management with RPO Violations

Your education and qualifications include:

• Experience working in a veterinary clinic, shelter and/or dog boarding facility/daycare.

• Experience working in a commercial animal facility (ie: zoo, research, dog kennel) is considered an asset

• Experience handling large dogs with unpredictable behavior.

• Experience administering needles and medications is preferred.

• Knowledge of handling techniques for aggressive and fearful dogs.

• Ability to safely and effectively restrain various animal species.

• Knowledge of Fear Free techniques.

• Ability to recognize signs of illness in a dog.

• Ability to read dog body language and recognize psychological distress.

• Strong customer service skills, including professional phone and email etiquette as well as the ability to maintain composure.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to use computer applications and software, including MS Office.

• Knowledge of Chameleon software or 311 software is preferred.

• Ability to administer subcutaneous injections for the purposes of vaccinations and microchipping.

• Ability to calculate doses of medications.

• Ability to schedule citizen appointments, veterinary appointments and officer transfers.

• Ability to work in a physically demanding and high paced environment.

• IMPORTANT : Applicants who have been educated outside of Canada must have education which is comparable to the minimum qualification in Canada. Applicants submitting foreign credentials require an official academic assessment report issued by a recognized Canadian assessment service at application.

Conditions of employment:

• The successful applicant must maintain legal eligibility to work in Canada. If the successful applicant possesses a work permit, it is their responsibility to ensure the permit remains valid.
• A Police Information Check (Vulnerable Sector) Satisfactory to the employer will be required from the applicant(s) or successful candidate(s), at their expense. To obtain a Police Information Check please visit
• Must be physically able to perform all duties of the position including, but not limited to: heavy lifting (50-100lbs), pushing/pulling, holding and/or restraining dogs of various sizes, walking and standing for 5+ hours per day.
• The successful candidate will be required to complete a Physical Fitness Assessment and obtain a certificate through the University of Manitoba, at their own expense.

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