Animal Attendant

Due to the growth of the business, we have both casual and permanent animal attendant positions available.  

About us:   

AREC (Animal Referral and Emergency Centre) was established in 2004 and is a privately owned and operated emergency veterinary hospital led by a singular, highly regarded emergency veterinarian, Dr. David Tabrett, who continues to work within the business. We are a family-oriented, non-corporate, ASAV-accredited “Hospital of Excellence” practice with a collaborative team of more than 110 employees.   

Our team comes from a diverse range of backgrounds and our decisions and behaviour are underpinned by our core values of Respect, Diligence, Professionalism, Excellence, Empathy, and Integrity. With a strong focus on professional development, mental health and work-life balance, our compassionate team and leadership are just a small part of what makes AREC special.  

Our mission is to provide peace of mind for our clients – that is, both pet owners of the Hunter and the local vet clinics to offer relief for after-hours, emergencies, and referral services.  

The Role:  

Our Animal Attendant roles are entry-level. As an Animal Attendant, your primary responsibilities are to assist our nursing and veterinary team when needed as well as provide an outstanding level of care for our visiting patients. You will be required to ensure our patient's health and safety are always paramount and the gold standard of care is provided throughout their stay.  

These positions are ideal for GP nurses who are developing the foundational skills required and gaining experience to be one of our Emergency & Critical Care nurses.  

Your Duties & Responsibilities:  

• Ensuring hospital workflows are efficient by maintaining hospital hygiene and replenishing floor stock levels  
• Patient care – this includes maintaining patients’ temporary environments, ensuring their health and safety and carrying out daily tasks related to their care  
• Assisting nurses and vets with animal handling, procedures, IV placement, blood draws, IV fluids set up, X-rays and ultrasounds when needed.  
• Assisting with TPR duties under supervision and as directed by nurses.  
• Surgery assistance (set up and maintenance of surgical areas)  
• Reception duties when required  
• Handle patients in line with our “Low-Stress Handling” techniques  

Your Skills & Experience:  

• Previous experience and employment in a veterinary hospital/setting  
• Ability to prioritise under pressure in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment    
• Excellent communication and organisational skills    
• Adaptable and responsive to guidance, ensuring tasks are completed according to specified requirements  
• Genuine desire to deliver exceptional patient and client care  
• Sound knowledge of hospital hygiene and general clinic workflow requirements  
• Experience in animal handling (including exotics and wildlife)   
• Understanding of low-stress handling or willingness to learn  
• Ability to work autonomously as well as collaboratively  

Requirements:  

• Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing (essential)  

• A minimum of 1-2 years experience in general practice (essential)   

Due to the critical and fast-paced nature of our environment, we do not have the capacity to  provide the foundational skills and experience developed in general practice. It is for this reason, that we expect that candidates have been pre-exposed to, and possess, the fundamental skills to support them in their roles.  

• Willingness to adhere to the AREC guidelines and expectations outlined in the AREC Progression Plan to ensure consistent development and advancement. 
• Availability for shiftwork including a variety of early morning, afternoon, evening, overnight and weekend shifts.   
• Flexibility to work public holidays – as we are a 24-hour hospital, we require our team to be available during peak periods such as Easter, Christmas, New Year and October Long Weekend.  
• Casual positions require a minimum commitment of 2 shifts per month, plus the availability to pick up extra shifts during peak periods.  
• Note: Please be prepared to discuss your specific availability early in your application process.  

AREC can offer:  

• Continuing Education Allowance and access to employer-funded benefits including memberships and registrations to professional organisations for eligible employees.  
• Competitive remuneration  
• Paid attendance for compulsory staff meetings  
• An engaged and committed leadership team that encourages growth and recognises positive contributions and feedback from the team  
• Dedicated ‘Break Nurses’ on shift to encourage rest and improve staff wellbeing  
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Wellness Committee 

Contact:  

Sally Armstead – hr@arecvet.com.au 

How to Apply: 

If you are keen to be a part of a highly compassionate and hard-working team of healthcare professionals, we would love to hear from you. Please apply by completing the CV Submission form below. 

AREC foster diversity and inclusion within the organization to create an environment where all individuals are valued and included.  

Note: All short-listed applicants will be required to undergo a pre-employment check to verify their identity, qualifications and experience in the form of a reference check. 

Learn more about us: 

 View our videos and photos via the below links:  

AREC Kookaburra Vets