Empty promises - Veterinary Assistant VCA Employee Review

2.0
3 Dec 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Most of the staff was a pleasure to work with. And of course the animals were great! Newly renevated.

Cons

When I first started working there I was promised to do some veterinarian technician work on top of working in the kennel. The kennel was a mess! It didn't matter how much you cleaned it smelled. On top of that they had an abundance of fruit flies that took months to get rid of. No trash can with a lid and a trash can in the back that had sat there for lord knows how long (at least 2-3months) with trash in it. During renovations someone thought it was a great idea to put all the extra bowls and mop bucket outside to sit in the elements for months as well. The walking area for the dogs is a gravel covered area which is impossible to keep sanitary. You can pick up all the feces but spraying it down is an impossible task. Now back to the vet tech responsibilities. Anytime I tried to learn new things I felt like I was in the way. I voiced my opinion on things I wanted to learn and they never happened. The only doctor that was interested in showing and teaching me things was pretty much fired. After that happened business dropped and my hours went out the window. I remember at one point I was asked to help lift a dog on a table and hold him while sedated so they could finish prepping for a surgery. I stayed to watch because it was a small mass removal that wouldn't take long and I knew they would still need help lifting the dog off the table. On top of that I was curious as to the duties of the tech. I was then asked pretty much in a rude manner to leave and do busy work. Since then I was pretty much made to do grunt and gofer work. And I was severely underpaid for the amount of work with long work hours. Sometimes you weren't even allowed a break.

Explore other reviews about VCA

5.0
8 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Small animal, exotics, free care to wildlife, opportunities to work with zoo animals. Internal promotions to change all management has made the work environment very positive. Boarding facilities. Opportunity for certifying for internal crematory.

Cons

Pay rate less than expected for experience level. Corporate in California has increased prices every year that is causing all of my friends and family to change vets. With our rural area and low average income, pets are getting euthanized instead of having testing and treatment. Staff should have more discounts for employee pets.

4.0
12 Jun 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This company offers many opportunities for doctors and techs to grow in their careers. They provide tons of support and they've been making HUGE changes to veterinary medicine on a whole. I have never known another company to offer so many benefits and perks for staff (especially techs), and they're even making lots of effort to invest in the veterinary receptionists-the front line associates of the hospital. They're also making great strides to acknowledge some of the feedback we've had for many years. They're savvy and smart, making business decisions that build on a company that will be around a long time (and has.)

Cons

There have been times where transparency and communication are lacking, and sometimes to the point where hospital-level employees feel left out or unheard. Some bigger topics like onboarding and navigating what support comes from where could be more clear. It feels like they've been fusing on new concepts/policies/features to the company, making it feel like a clunky machine rather than building something new and streamlined. Maybe it's in the works, but how do we know down here?

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VCA Response
4d
Thank you for sharing such thoughtful feedback. We’re glad to hear you’ve experienced strong support, growth opportunities, and benefits across our teams. We also recognize how important clear communication and connection are, especially as we continue to evolve. We’re creating more opportunities for open dialogue through listening sessions and bringing leaders closer to our hospital teams to better understand their day‑to‑day experiences and offer meaningful support. We’re also continuing to invest in leadership and communication training to strengthen consistency across our hospitals. Your insights help guide this work, and we appreciate all that you do for your teams and patients.
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