Know A-Z About Kennel Technicians

It was a warm Sunday morning when my friend planned to leave her pet dog in a kennel as her family planned to go for a week’s vacation. She had made a visit a few times to the kennel to make sure her pet will be comfortable during the period. She then learnt about the things kennel technicians did that she gladly shared with me.

Here are a few things that she told me:

A kennel technician is hired to provide care to animals and they could work in boarding kennel, a private show kennel, a veterinarian's office, a shelter or a grooming facility. They most often work with dogs and cats, and other domestic animals like birds or rodents. They are in charge of the upkeep of any animals that are in their care by making sure the animals are clean, healthy, and happy. Their responsibilities include walking the animals, feeding and watering them, administering medication, scooping poop as well as cleaning the kennels.

It is to be understood here that most owners placed their pets in boarding house kennels for a short period of time when they went on business or for a short vacation where they are unable to take their pet along. Animal shelters also function like kennels where the animals are housed till they are adopted. So the job of a kennel technician involves interacting with people either when the owner comes to pick up the pet or drop him or when people come for adoption of a pet.

It is very necessary for a kennel technician to have a love and passion for animals as they have to interact with them 24/7. These technicians have to be strong enough to handle large dogs on leash and courageous to control them. They have to have empathy for animals in shelters that have experienced some form of neglect or abuse to again trust people and associate human interactions with positive experiences.

The work that a kennel technician does varies depending on the nature of the kennel and where he or she works, with the main job being to clean cages every day, ensure the animals get sufficient exercise, food and water. He/she has to also make sure their specific health or dietary needs are met. If he works in an animal shelter he/she has to keep track of the animal’s behavior on a chart to be later analyzed by a specialist. This would help a person adopting a pet to know more about its temperament and any issues it might have.

No formal education is required to become a kennel technician, though a high school diploma is desirable, with some employer preferring people with experience. You could initially volunteer at an animal shelter to learn skills like cleaning the cages, giving food and water to the animals, taking the dogs on regular walks, and performing some grooming tasks.

Alternatively you could take up associate degree programs or certificates in animal care and management that would equip you with how to restrain, handle, and care for animals. You could also learn basic safety procedures to work with injured or ill animals. You would also be introduced to lab equipment and sterilization techniques.

As a last note kennel technicians work for about 40 hours a week though they may be expected to work even in early mornings, weekends, evenings, and holidays. 

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