Veterinary Assistant, General Practice, Alta Vista Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centre

Veterinary Assistant, General Practice

Location: Ottawa, ON

Employment Type: Full-time

Job type: Existing

Compensation: $18.00 to $25.00 per hour, depending on experience and skills

Alta Vista Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centre welcome a Veterinary Technician Assistant to join our General Practice team in Ottawa, Ontario. This is full-time, exceptional opportunity for an organized, motivated, and empathetic individual to join us in a very important support role for the entire hospital.

What You Will Do

• Provide hands-on support to our veterinary team, assisting with patient care, treatments, and clinical procedures.
• Create a welcoming haven for our clients, ensuring pet parents feel supported, heard, and valued.
• Nurture a gentle, low-stress environment to help keep our patients' comfort a top priority.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized hospital, ensuring our reception, holding, and common areas are always pristine.
• Collaborate across departments to keep our daily hospital workflow running smoothly and efficiently.

What You Bring

• A warm, compassionate heart with exceptional client service skills and a nurturing approach to pet care.
• A Veterinary Assistant (VA) certificate or equivalent technical assistance clinical experience is an asset.
• The ability to stay calm, gentle, and adaptable under pressure and in fast-paced medical situations.
• A genuine eagerness to learn, grow your clinical skills, and support our veterinary team with daily treatments.
• Must have flexibility to work a variety of shifts, which may include nights, overnights, weekends and holidays.

What We Can Offer You

• Competitive compensation that reflects your skills, experience, and the role.
• RRSP Employer Group Match Program (5%) to help you save for the future.
• Paid time off for continuing education, vacation, sick days, and personal wellness days.
• Annual CE Allowance.
• Benefits: Minimum 24 hours per week for eligibility, with flexible options.
• Paid annual certification memberships and uniform allowance.
• Mental health support tools and resources: Virtual health care (telemedicine), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and digital wellness tools supporting mindfulness, sleep, and physical fitness.
• Various career development pathways.
• Generous personal pet care discounts and lifestyle perks, including exclusive shopping discounts and access to a wellness app.

Our hospital: For more than six decades, our hospital has been a trusted cornerstone of the Ottawa veterinary community. Today, we bring general wellness care, 24/7 emergency medicine, and board-certified specialty services together under one roof in our state-of-the-art, purpose-built Alta Vista Specialty & Emergency Veterinary Centre. Supported by a close-knit family of 160 team members and 30 collaborative doctors, you’ll have access to advanced diagnostic tools, dedicated technical support, and seamless case consultations every day.

Our Story

VCA Canada is a network of veterinary hospitals, with our head office in Calgary, Alberta, committed to positively impacting pets, people, and local communities for nearly 45 years. We have compassion for the neighbourhoods we serve and every pet within them, not just those we see in our hospitals. Every VCA Canada hospital location takes pride in its legacy of excellence, earning the trust of pet owners by delivering the highest quality of medicine to keep pets happy and healthy.

In 2017, VCA Canada became part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of brands, solidifying an even stronger commitment to ensuring the strength and stability of the veterinary profession and our commitment to pet parents nationwide. VCA Canada is also passionate about providing an industry-leading Associate experience to over 4,000 Canadians employed across the country. In 2026, for the third year in a row, we were named one of Alberta's Top Employers, which recognizes organizations whose head offices are located within the province and lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Additionally, we were selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People 2026, which recognizes employers across Canada that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work and programs for young people starting their careers. Most recently, we received 2026 Great Place to Work® Certification™ Canada.

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