Kennel Help Job Descriptions

Kennel workers take on a variety of tasks depending on the type of kennel. For example, workers at a shelter kennel may be responsible for processing new animals, classifying animal breeds, cleaning up after the animals and participating in their general care. Understanding the roles of a kennel worker is an important first step in determining if it's a job you would like to pursue.

  1. Cleaning Responsibilities

    • Kennel help clean up messes created by the animals at the kennel. This includes cleaning up urine, vomit and feces. According to a Champaign County job description kennel workers will also help with light cleaning of offices, emptying trash, mopping of floors and cleaning of restrooms.

    Provide Basic Animal Care

    • Feeding animals and providing them with water, based on their own dietary needs is a crucial part of the job. Providing human companionship for socialization purposes, such as playing with animals, petting them and getting them used to grooming are all important aspects of a kennel helper's responsibilities. Exercising pets, such as taking them on walks and watching them when they play in a supervised yard (when available) are also important aspects of the position.

    Record Keeping

    • Kennels keep records for all animals impounded. Kennel help will assist in the maintenance of records that can include filing impound papers, filling out adoption contracts and filing vaccinations records. Kennel help at a veterinarian's office or pet day care will update pet owner information including recent vaccination information.

    Veterinary Assistant

    • Kennel help may assist veterinarians with the euthanasia of animals and other surgical and non-surgical procedures.

    Customer Service

    • Kennel help may also perform basic customer service duties such as answering phones, showing pets to prospective adoptive families, providing tours of facilities and answering questions about the animals being held at the shelter. Customer service responsibilities will vary if the kennel is a shelter, veterinarian's office or pet hotel.