Pet Care Plus Resort & Spa | Chicago, IL
Starting Pay: $17.05 per hour
Seasonal Position Beginning in October
Part-Time: Approximately 15–20 Hours per Week
Additional Hours May Be Available
Potential Opportunity to Stay Long-Term After the Holiday Season
Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Overnight, Weekday, Weekend & Holiday Availability Needed
Pet Care Plus is hiring dependable, detail-oriented Seasonal Pet Care Attendants to join our team beginning in October and help support us through our busy holiday season.
This is a great opportunity for someone looking for 15–20 hours per week, with the possibility of picking up additional hours as business needs increase. For team members who perform well and are a strong fit with our culture, there may also be an opportunity to remain with Pet Care Plus in a permanent position after the holidays.
No professional pet care experience is required. We provide training for candidates who bring reliability, a strong work ethic, excellent attention to detail, and a genuine love for animals.
Important: Holiday availability is a requirement of this seasonal position and is non-negotiable. Please review the Holiday & Shift Availability section carefully before applying.
Applicants must also complete both assessments listed at the end of this posting to be considered.
Our Pet Care Attendants help dogs and cats remain safe, healthy, clean, comfortable, and well cared for throughout their stay.
Our holiday season is one of our busiest times of year, so we are looking for people who can move quickly without sacrificing accuracy, stay organized when priorities change, and pay close attention to details even in a fast-paced environment.
This is a hands-on, physically active, and cleaning-intensive position. You will spend time interacting with animals, but a significant part of the role involves cleaning, sanitation, laundry, facility upkeep, and maintaining a safe environment.
This position regularly involves:
Cleaning and sanitizing play areas, kennels, suites, cat spaces, bowls, floors, and equipment
Completing laundry, accident cleanup, and room resets throughout the day
Handling fur, slobber, pet waste, odors, and other messy parts of animal care
Following detailed feeding, medication, cleaning, and care instructions accurately
Repeating cleaning and care routines thoroughly and consistently
Moving efficiently between tasks during high-volume periods
Remaining attentive in a busy, loud, and sometimes unpredictable environment
Standing, walking, bending, lifting, and remaining physically active throughout the shift
Helping teammates wherever needed to keep operations running smoothly
If you take pride in important behind-the-scenes work, enjoy staying active, and understand that excellent pet care depends on getting the small details right, this may be a great fit.
Pet Care Plus Resort & Spa has cared for Chicago pets since 1998. We are proud to be Chicago’s longest-running dog daycare, boarding & grooming facility under the same family ownership.
We are more than a daycare. We are a full-service pet care company supporting dogs and cats through every stage of life. With our mission, “Your Best Friend’s Best Life Begins Here,” we focus on lifelong care rather than a one-service experience.
Our services include:
Dog daycare
Dog boarding
Cat boarding
Grooming and bathing
Puppy socialization
Enrichment services
Pet taxi services
Wellness-oriented care
We care for the whole pet—physically, mentally, and emotionally—through safe socialization, structured play, proper rest, attentive observation, and individualized care.
Families choose Pet Care Plus because of the trust we have built through high-touch care, open tours, live webcams, and consistent standards.
As a Seasonal Pet Care Attendant, you will support the daily care and supervision of our animal guests while helping maintain a clean, safe, organized, and efficient facility.
Your responsibilities may include:
Supervising and safely managing group dog play
Learning to recognize dog body language, behavior, and communication
Redirecting unsafe, inappropriate, or overly rough play
Helping maintain safe and balanced playgroups
Caring for dogs and cats of different sizes, ages, temperaments, and needs
Following feeding, medication, rest, and individual care instructions precisely
Monitoring pets for changes in behavior, appetite, appearance, or overall well-being
Communicating concerns promptly and clearly
Cleaning and sanitizing animal areas, equipment, bowls, floors, and shared spaces
Completing laundry and resetting rooms throughout the day
Preparing areas efficiently for arriving and departing guests
Providing animals with positive interaction, affection, structure, and enrichment
Following all safety procedures and care standards
Supporting teammates and stepping in where needed during busy periods
Are highly detail-oriented and notice the small things others may miss
Can work efficiently in a fast-paced environment without becoming careless
Genuinely love animals and understand that caring for them includes significant cleaning and routine work
Prefer active, hands-on work instead of sitting at a desk
Can follow detailed instructions and complete tasks accurately
Notice when something seems wrong and speak up quickly
Take pride in completing tasks thoroughly and correctly
Stay calm when several things are happening at once
Can shift priorities when the needs of the animals or facility change
Appreciate structure, routine, and clear expectations
Work well with a team and are willing to help wherever needed
Bring positive energy while taking your responsibilities seriously
Strong seasonal candidates are:
Dependable and committed to excellent attendance and punctuality
Available during our busiest holiday periods
Positive, coachable, and willing to learn
Extremely observant and attentive to detail
Comfortable following established procedures consistently
Able to work with a sense of urgency while maintaining quality
Calm and productive under pressure
Physically active and comfortable being on their feet for most of the shift
Able to receive feedback and apply it quickly
Self-motivated and able to recognize what needs to be done
Team-oriented, resilient, and willing to help others
Comfortable around barking, shedding, slobber, muddy paws, pet waste, cleaning products, and odors
This seasonal position is specifically designed to support our busiest fall and holiday periods. Holiday availability is mandatory and non-negotiable.
To be considered, you must be available to work:
Wednesday before Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day
Either Christmas Eve and OR Christmas Day
Either New Year’s Eve and OR New Year’s Day
Because the pets in our care stay with us 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, we cannot accommodate seasonal applicants who are unavailable during these required holiday periods.
If you are applying for morning shifts, you must be able to arrive between 5:00 AM, 6:00 AM and 7:00 AM, with 7:00 AM being the absolute latest start time.
Candidates who cannot reliably arrive during this window should not select morning availability.
Afternoon/evening shifts may end at approximately:
depending on the shift and operational needs.
Applicants interested in afternoon or evening hours must be comfortable working through the scheduled end of their assigned shift.
The anticipated schedule is approximately 15–20 hours per week, although:
Additional hours may be available based on occupancy and staffing needs
Strong performers may be offered additional shifts
There may be an opportunity to transition into an ongoing part-time or full-time position after the holiday season if there is a mutual fit
Please do not apply for this seasonal position if you already know you cannot meet the required holiday availability.
Previous professional pet care experience is not required.
We can train the right person in:
Dog behavior and body language
Safe animal handling
Group play supervision
Feeding and care procedures
Cleaning and facility standards
Animal health and safety observations
Reliability, work ethic, attention to detail, speed with accuracy, sound judgment, consistency, and a genuine desire to learn are essential.
Experience in animal care, hospitality, childcare, fitness, customer service, restaurants, retail, warehouses, housekeeping, janitorial work, or other active and team-oriented environments can be helpful, but it is not required.
Some days will be loud, messy, fast-paced, and physically demanding—especially during the holidays.
There will be barking, fur, slobber, muddy paws, accidents, odors, pet waste, laundry, frequent cleanup, and a lot happening at the same time.
You will be expected to work efficiently while still paying attention to important details. A missed feeding instruction, an improperly cleaned room, or a change in a pet’s behavior can matter.
There will also be meaningful moments: helping a shy dog become more confident, watching a puppy learn how to socialize, patiently caring for a senior pet, or seeing a returning guest race through the door because they know they are safe with us.
The animals in our care depend on us to get the details right every day.
Hands-on experience caring for dogs and cats
Training in dog behavior and body language
Experience in safe handling and group play management
Experience working within a professional pet care operation
A supportive, team-oriented workplace
Professional skill development and growth opportunities
A potential path into a long-term position with Pet Care Plus
Work that directly contributes to the health and happiness of animals
Plenty of tail wags, happy greetings, and occasional slobbery kisses
Applicants must complete two short assessments as part of the application process. These assessments are only one part of our evaluation and help us understand how candidates naturally work and learn.
Takes approximately 3–4 minutes
There are no right or wrong answers
Please answer honestly and avoid overthinking your responses
You will receive your results by email after completing the assessment
The second assessment link will then be sent to you by email
Takes approximately 12 minutes
This is a timed assessment
It helps us understand how candidates learn, adapt, and process new information
We consider the whole person throughout our hiring process, including:
Reliability and work ethic
Required holiday availability
Attention to detail
Ability to perform in a fast-paced environment
Attitude and coachability
Interview performance
Relevant experience
Overall fit for the position
To be considered for the Seasonal Pet Care Attendant position, please complete both assessments as part of your application.
Pet Care Plus Resort & Spa is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other status protected by applicable law.
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