Kennel worker job

Kennel employees provide care for dogs and cats that are living in boarding or quarantine kennels for a variety of reasons, including the fact that their owners are away on vacation, the animals have been abandoned, or they are awaiting adoption.

In some kennels, there is room for just a few dogs at a time, while others may accommodate up to one hundred canines at once. The duties that kennel employees do might vary, however the primary responsibilities are often the following:

Cleaning and grooming domesticated animals like dogs and cats.

Getting food ready for pets like dogs and cats.

preparing any special diets that may be required.

Providing animals in need with capsules or other forms of medication.

Maintaining the cleanliness and hygiene of the kennels, which includes replacing the bedding, cleaning up the area, and eliminating garbage.

Dogs should be walked at least twice or three times a day so that they may get daily exercise.

ensuring that exercise areas are provided in the pens where the cats are kept.

Dogs are given specific attention and training whenever it is deemed necessary in order to ensure that they are obedient and behave appropriately.

Kennel staff may also offer owners and potential owners tours of the facility and advise on how to properly care for their animals.

In order to clean and sanitize the kennels, several implements, like as brushes, hoses, and steam-cleaning equipment, are used.

In addition to this, there is labour involved in administration. This involves collecting reservations over the phone, handling payments, maintaining records of vaccines, diets, prescriptions, and any unique requirements or behavioral issues that the client may have. Both manually and digitally on computers may be used to keep records.

Kennel employees maintain close communication with the kennel's owners or management, as well as with other coworkers and veterinarians.

Kennel employees typically put in roughly 40 hours per week, but may work even longer if necessary. They often begin their day at 7:30 a.m. and put in some time on the weekends. It is common practice to organize work on a rota basis with other members of the team in order to cover all of the needed hours and seven days of the week. There is often a wide variety of jobs available on a part-time, seasonal, and casual basis. For instance, several kennels need more labor during the Christmas season.

The majority of the job is done outside, regardless of the weather. Kennel areas aren't always warm, and they often stink and make a lot of noise. Walking the dogs on a regular basis and bending down to clean the kennels are also required tasks in this line of employment.

Around £8,000 is the typical starting pay for kennel workers in the United Kingdom. Kennel employees at the RSPCA get a yearly salary of at least 10,500 pounds from the organization (known as animal care assistants).

HOW TO BEGIN THIS OPTION FOR A PROFESSIONAL CAREER

It is estimated that there are over 3,500 open positions for kennel workers throughout the whole of the UK. Kennel employees may be hired by private kennels, nonprofit organizations such as the RSPCA and Dogs Trust, or assistance dog training organizations such as Dogs for the Disabled and Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. Kennel workers may also be employed by organizations that breed dogs. Kennels that are privately held might be either boarding, racing, or breeding facilities. There are also positions available within the military services that are responsible for the care of sniffer dogs or dog display teams.

There is often a lot of competition for full-time positions. A great number of kennels rely on volunteer help in addition to part-time, seasonal, and temporary employees.

There is a possibility that jobs may be advertised in the local press. On its website, the RSPCA offers a section dedicated to employment openings. Information about open positions may also be found on the websites of various dog training and other independent organizations.

EDUCATIONAL AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

There are no required academic credentials to become a kennel worker; nevertheless, certain companies may give preference to candidates who have attained grades of A through C or 1-3 on the General Certificate of Secondary Education, particularly in the subject of English or mathematics. It is essential to have genuine excitement and passion in the job that you do with little animals. Owning a pet or having experience working in kennels either voluntarily or as part of a work experience program are both beneficial experiences.

Useful credentials include:

Both the BTEC First Certificate and the BTEC First Diploma are available in Animal Care.

The City & Guilds Advanced National Certificate in Animal Care is an industry-recognized qualification.

Get in touch with the nearby institutions if you want information on the prerequisites for taking these classes.

The Animal Care College provides a broad variety of educational programs and certifications; some of these programs and qualifications have been recognized and approved by OCN (Open College Network). Every class is offered as a self-paced online learning package, complete with a personal instructor and internet discussion boards to facilitate student interaction. Courses include:

The First Level of an Introduction to Canine Psychology

Small Animal Care Certificate Intermediate Canine Psychology Level 2 National Small Animal Care Certificate Level 2 Small Animal Care Certificate Intermediate Canine Psychology Level 2

Level 2 of the Comparative Anatomy and Physiology of Cats and Dogs

For more details, please get in touch with The Animal Care College.

A COUPLE OF ADDITIONAL TESTS, SHOULD YOU REQUIRE THEM

New employees at the kennel get on-the-job training from the management or from other staff members with more expertise.

Courses leading to a first, national, or international certificate or diploma often run for a whole year. In addition to written and oral tests, they consist of hands-on practice and evaluation.

Kennel workers who are interested in expanding their knowledge and capabilities may take advantage of the Animal Care College's variety of certificates and diplomas at the Level 3 level. In addition to that, they offer advanced shorter courses such as:

Care and Management on a Higher Level

Superior Dietary Support for Pet Dogs and Cats

Certificate of Completion in Advanced Dog and/or Cat Care

Kennel workers have the opportunity to earn NVQs and SVQs while on the job, since attaining these credentials requires passing assessments in the workplace. There are NVQs and SVQs available in Animal Care from Levels 1 to 3, and there is a Level 3 Animal Care and Management qualification. For further information, get in touch with the agricultural college or community college in your area. SKILLS AND PERSONAL QUALITIES NEEDED

A kennel worker should:

Be very knowledgeable on how to properly care for little animals.

Be kind and tolerant with others.

Be dependable in addition to having the ability to take the initiative yourself.

Have the ability to put frightened and tense animals at ease.

Have the stamina and physical fitness necessary for the work at hand.

Maintain a pragmatic attitude and be ready to cope with filth and garbage.

Develop strong abilities in the art of communication.

Participate effectively in group endeavors.

YOUR OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LONG TERM

In smaller kennels, there may be less opportunities for promotion. In bigger kennels, there is sometimes the possibility of advancing one's career to the position of supervisor or manager.

Kennel employees who are interested in expanding their skill set have the opportunity to work toward obtaining applicable certifications for jobs in animal training, breeding, or RSPCA inspection work. Kennel employees who have the requisite expertise and abilities may be able to launch their own kennel businesses of their own.