Kennel Attendant Jobs for OPT Students
Kennel Attendant jobs involve hands-on animal care, feeding, cleaning, and monitoring the health of dogs and cats in boarding facilities or veterinary clinics. For F-1 OPT students in animal science, veterinary technology, or biology, these roles offer direct field experience that counts toward your authorized OPT employment period.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Companion Animal Hospital is Hiring a Kennel Attendant!
ROLE
Kennel Attendant
- Status: Part-time
- Salary: $14.50 - $16 per hour based on experience
- Schedule: 3-4 evenings per week, and every other weekend. There is a possibility of some weekday morning hours also if desired.
Companion Animal Hospital, a full-service animal hospital in Eagan, is looking for a part-time kennel attendant who loves working with animals. This is an excellent opportunity to get started in a veterinary hospital setting while still attending school. Duties include feeding animals, supervising play groups, cleaning kennels and clinic premises, record keeping, monitoring animal health, and administering medications. Candidates must be organized, reliable, detail-oriented, and compassionate to ensure the safety and well-being of the pets in our care. Animal experience is preferred. A successful candidate must be able to work weekends, evenings, and occasional holidays. Some weekday hours may be available. We can provide steady work, with some flexibility in schedule to work around school or work commitments.
FINANCIAL BENEFITS
- A flexible approach to compensation that will reflect your skillset and future performance
- 401(k) matching & Roth Retirement Savings Plan
- 529 Savings Plan
- Referral bonus program
WELLNESS BENEFITS
- Sick Time / Paid Time Off
- Free/discounted lab work for all employee pets
- Pet discounts on services and products
- Pet food discount program
WORKPLACE BENEFITS
- Quarterly Team Rewards Bonus Program
- Professional development opportunities
- Continuing education allowance
- Uniform allowance
LIFESTYLE BENEFITS
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee discount program
JOIN OUR TEAM!
Think you're the kennel assistant we're looking for? Apply today!
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at Companion Animal Hospital and Vetcor. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all employees. Every team member enriches our diversity by exposing us to various ways to understand and engage with the world. That’s why we’re committed to a workplace culture where employees are comfortable being their authentic selves, feel a complete sense of belonging, and are empowered to reach their highest potential.
INTRODUCTION
Companion Animal Hospital is Hiring a Kennel Attendant!
ROLE
Kennel Attendant
- Status: Part-time
- Salary: $14.50 - $16 per hour based on experience
- Schedule: 3-4 evenings per week, and every other weekend. There is a possibility of some weekday morning hours also if desired.
Companion Animal Hospital, a full-service animal hospital in Eagan, is looking for a part-time kennel attendant who loves working with animals. This is an excellent opportunity to get started in a veterinary hospital setting while still attending school. Duties include feeding animals, supervising play groups, cleaning kennels and clinic premises, record keeping, monitoring animal health, and administering medications. Candidates must be organized, reliable, detail-oriented, and compassionate to ensure the safety and well-being of the pets in our care. Animal experience is preferred. A successful candidate must be able to work weekends, evenings, and occasional holidays. Some weekday hours may be available. We can provide steady work, with some flexibility in schedule to work around school or work commitments.
FINANCIAL BENEFITS
- A flexible approach to compensation that will reflect your skillset and future performance
- 401(k) matching & Roth Retirement Savings Plan
- 529 Savings Plan
- Referral bonus program
WELLNESS BENEFITS
- Sick Time / Paid Time Off
- Free/discounted lab work for all employee pets
- Pet discounts on services and products
- Pet food discount program
WORKPLACE BENEFITS
- Quarterly Team Rewards Bonus Program
- Professional development opportunities
- Continuing education allowance
- Uniform allowance
LIFESTYLE BENEFITS
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee discount program
JOIN OUR TEAM!
Think you're the kennel assistant we're looking for? Apply today!
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core values at Companion Animal Hospital and Vetcor. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all employees. Every team member enriches our diversity by exposing us to various ways to understand and engage with the world. That’s why we’re committed to a workplace culture where employees are comfortable being their authentic selves, feel a complete sense of belonging, and are empowered to reach their highest potential.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Kennel Attendant
Target employers already familiar with OPT
Veterinary clinic networks, animal shelters, and university-affiliated kennels are more likely to have hired OPT students before. Prior experience with work authorization paperwork reduces friction and speeds up the hiring process significantly for you.
Clarify your OPT authorization upfront
Kennel operators often confuse OPT with visa sponsorship. Explain clearly that you already have work authorization through your EAD card and that no employer sponsorship or petition filing is required from their side during your OPT period.
Connect your degree to animal care responsibilities
OPT employment must be directly related to your field of study. Frame your academic background in animal science, biology, or veterinary technology as directly applicable to kennel duties like health monitoring, behavior assessment, and intake procedures.
Track your employment start date carefully
You cannot begin working before your EAD start date, even if the employer has offered you the role. Confirm your EAD card has arrived and the validity dates are correct before accepting any kennel shift or training day.
Consider part-time roles to bridge gaps
OPT allows part-time work of at least 20 hours per week as qualifying employment. If full-time kennel positions are scarce in your area, part-time roles at boarding facilities or shelters still satisfy DSO reporting requirements and protect your OPT status.
Report your employer to your DSO immediately
Once you accept a kennel attendant role, report your employer name, address, and job start date to your Designated School Official without delay. Unreported employment creates compliance problems that can jeopardize your ability to apply for STEM OPT extension later.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does kennel attendant work qualify as valid OPT employment?
Yes, if your degree is in a directly related field such as animal science, veterinary technology, zoology, or biology. OPT employment must be directly related to your major, so you'll need to document how hands-on animal care connects to your academic program when reporting employment to your DSO.
Where can I find kennel attendant jobs that are open to OPT students?
Migrate Mate lists kennel attendant and animal care roles filtered for OPT-eligible candidates, so you're not wasting time applying to positions that won't consider your work authorization. Browsing Migrate Mate saves time and surfaces employers who already understand how OPT works, which matters a lot in hands-on fields like animal care.
Can I work part-time as a kennel attendant on OPT?
Yes. Pre-completion OPT allows part-time work of fewer than 20 hours per week while school is in session, and post-completion OPT requires at least 20 hours per week to count as qualifying employment. Both full-time and part-time kennel roles can satisfy OPT requirements if the work is directly related to your degree field.
Do kennel attendant employers need to file any paperwork for OPT students?
No. Unlike H-1B sponsorship, OPT requires nothing from the employer in terms of petitions or fees. Your EAD card is your standalone work authorization document. You simply present it during I-9 verification alongside your passport, and the employer processes you like any other authorized worker.
What happens to my OPT status if my kennel attendant job ends?
Post-completion OPT allows up to 90 cumulative days of unemployment. If your kennel role ends, that unemployment clock starts running immediately. Find a new qualifying position and report it to your DSO as quickly as possible. Exceeding 90 days of unemployment terminates your OPT authorization and triggers your 60-day grace period.
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