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Animal Assistant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Southaven Animal Hospital

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Animal Technician Assistant

Southaven, MS · On-site

$18/hr

Animal Technician Assistant Job Title: Animal Technician Assistant Department: Animal Care / Veterinary Services Reports To: Animal Technician, Veterinary Technician Position Summary The Animal ...

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How much do animal assistant jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 25, 2026, the average hourly pay for animal assistant in the United States is $14.68, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $10.58 and $15.14 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Animal Assistant vs Veterinary Technician?

AspectAnimal AssistantVeterinary Technician
CredentialsNone required or basic certificationsLicensed or certified, often requiring an associate degree
Work EnvironmentAnimal shelters, pet clinics, grooming facilitiesVeterinary clinics, animal hospitals, research labs
Job DutiesAssist with animal care, cleaning, feeding, basic handlingPerform medical tests, assist in surgeries, administer medications
Employer & Industry UsageAnimal shelters, pet stores, grooming salonsVeterinary practices, animal hospitals, research institutions

Animal Assistants typically focus on basic animal care and support roles, often with minimal formal credentials. Veterinary Technicians have more advanced responsibilities, including medical procedures, requiring certifications or licenses. Both roles work closely with animals but differ significantly in training, duties, and work settings.

What are Animal Assistants?

Animal Assistants are professionals who help care for animals in a variety of settings, such as veterinary clinics, animal shelters, pet boarding facilities, and research labs. Their duties typically include feeding, grooming, exercising, and monitoring animals, as well as cleaning enclosures and assisting veterinarians or other animal care specialists. They play a crucial role in ensuring the health and well-being of animals, and may also interact with pet owners and assist with administrative tasks. To become an Animal Assistant, a love for animals, attention to detail, and good communication skills are essential.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Animal Assistant, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Animal Assistant, you need a basic understanding of animal care, handling, and health, often supported by a high school diploma or relevant coursework. Familiarity with animal restraint techniques, cleaning protocols, and sometimes specialized software for record-keeping is typically required. Compassion, attention to detail, and strong communication skills help you provide quality care and work effectively with both animals and their owners. These skills ensure the safety, health, and well-being of animals while maintaining efficient operations in veterinary or animal care settings.

What are some common challenges Animal Assistants face in their daily work, and how can they prepare for them?

Animal Assistants often encounter challenges such as managing the stress and unpredictability of working with a variety of animals, handling physically demanding tasks, and ensuring strict adherence to safety protocols. They may also need to communicate effectively with veterinarians, pet owners, or other staff members, which requires patience and strong interpersonal skills. To prepare, candidates should develop resilience, maintain physical fitness, and seek training in animal behavior and handling techniques, as well as familiarize themselves with the specific procedures of their workplace.
More about Animal Assistant jobs
What cities are hiring for Animal Assistant jobs? Cities with the most Animal Assistant job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Animal jobs? The most popular types of Animal jobs are:
What states have the most Animal Assistant jobs? States with the most job openings for Animal Assistant jobs include:
Animal Assistant jobs near you
Infographic showing various Animal Assistant job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 75% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $30,541 per year, or $14.7 per hour.
TES Farm Animal Assistant

TES Farm Animal Assistant

Auburn University

Auburn University, AL • On-site

$14/hr

Full-time

Posted 4 days ago

Auburn University rating

6.2

Company rating: 6.2 out of 10

Based on 44 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

494th of 560 rated colleges and universities

Job description

Overview
Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine is seeking applicants for a TES Farm Animal Assistant for the J. T. Vaughan Large Animal Teaching HospitalThis position provides technical support to veterinarians diagnosing and treating food and fiber producing species including training on topics such as animal husbandry, nutrition, handling, restraint, and ethology within the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Learn more about VET MED and check out our facilities here: https://www.auburnvetmed.com/
Temporary Employment Services (TES), a unit of the Auburn University Department of Human Resources, is an in-house support center established to meet the temporary employment needs of the university. TES provides qualified and dedicated temporary employees in a wide variety of occupations to meet the staffing needs throughout the campus. Temporary employees are hired for a variety of reasons with the most common being:
    • Assistance in the place of a regular employee who is absent for a specified period of time
    • Additional assistance during periods of abnormal or peak workloads
    • Assistance with special projects
    • Seasonal work
    • Emergencies

If you are looking for an employment opportunity, TES is a great way to showcase your professional skills and assist Auburn University while gaining valuable work experience within higher education.
AU students are not eligible for TES.
Working Hours
Mon - Fri from 7:30 am until 6:00 pm. Flexibility is required as call-backs and/or weekends may be needed occasionally.
Responsibilities
  • Assist with the instruction of veterinary students in completing an initial exam, catheter placement, oral intubation, routine hoof trims, animal handling (primarily cattle, small ruminants, swine, camelids & large exotics), animal behavior, surgical preparation, fluid therapy, usage of equipment used in performing medical procedures.
  • Provide direct patient care, including but not limited to, physical exams, administration of medications/vaccinations, catheter placement, oral intubation, collection of biomedical samples, administration of fluid/blood/plasma therapy, case monitoring.
  • Maintain an adequate floor stock through ordering of supplies, restocking, and perform routine cleaning of hospital barns, lab equipment, research facilities, and ambulatory vehicles.
  • Communicate with clients with concerning patients.
  • Assist with the preparation for medical procedures, including surgeries, by gathering supplies, preparing surgical fields, nerve blocks, sedation protocols.
  • Operates, maintains, repairs, and clean animal handling equipment/laboratory/research/clinical equipment as needed to maintain proper functions of the services.
  • Performs routine laboratory procedures on biomedical samples, inspects facilities, equipment, and supplies daily, as well as observes health status of university and client owned animals, environmental conditions, temperature, and sanitation.
  • Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds and able to stand 3-6 hours at a time. Job will require frequent standing and walking as well as lifting heavy objects.
  • Transportation of livestock on university property requiring knowledge in proper use of trucks, trailers, tractors, forklifts and other farm equipment.
  • Livestock handling and restraint (included but not limited to: cattle, small ruminants, swine & camelids) with some large animal exotic handling and restraint.
  • Use of alley systems, manual chutes, hydraulic chutes, hydraulic tables and other large animal restraining equipment.
  • Assists clinicians on farm calls.
  • Responsible for organizing some animal housing, some feeding and over all care of livestock animals.

Qualifications
Can be a combination of education and experience listed below.
  • High school diploma or equivalent.
  • Experience handling and managing food animals safely.
  • Veterinary assistant/technician experience
  • Farm animal experience
  • Large animal experience
  • Animal science degree, or any related fields/degrees.

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
  • Knowledge in proper use of trucks, trailers, tractors, forklifts and other farm equipment.
  • Requires livestock handling and restraint (included but not limited to: cattle, small ruminants, swine & camelids) with some large animal exotic handling and restraint.
  • Knowledge of alley systems, manual chutes, hydraulic chutes, hydraulic tables and other large animal restraining equipment.
  • Must be able to work as a team and possess critical thinking skills.

Why Work at Auburn?
    • Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
    • Culture of Excellence: We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
    • We're Here for You: Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
    • Sweet Home Alabama: The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
    • A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.

Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!
Equal Opportunity Compliance Statement
It is our policy to provide equal employment and education opportunities for all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable law. Please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity Compliance's website to learn more.

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