Elena Prokopets
Claire Briggs Webber, CPRW
Veterinarians help animals live long, healthy lives. But much of the work at the vet’s office is done by veterinary assistants who comfort animals, prepare them for exams, offer triage services, and educate pet owners on post-intervention care, nutrition, and general care. A well-run veterinarian office likely has a vet assistant to thank.
When writing a cover letter, remember to clearly communicate the value you can bring to the workplace and contextualize the skills from your vet assistant resume.
This post provides vet assistant cover letter examples and how-to tips.
Vet Assistant Cover Letter Example
Hello York Veterinary Center Team,
Your job description on Indeed mentioned that you’re looking for “an enthusiastic, compassionate, and hands-on vet assistant” — a description that strongly matches my profile.
For the past three years, I’ve been part of the Clinton Vet Center team in Brooklyn — one of the best institutions for exotic pet care. During my time with the team, I have learned to properly handle all types of pets — from miniature pigs to king snakes — with utmost care. I’ve assisted the team in restraining and sedating pets, handling X-rays, ultrasounds, and laser therapy manipulations. Thanks to my in-depth knowledge of animal anatomy, I can ensure that each procedure goes fast and with the least stress for the patient.
Moreover, my duties included:
- Collection and preparation of samples for laboratory testing
- Monitoring and reporting of all boarded pets’ vitals
- Preparation and dispensation of administered drugs, including controlled substances
Before joining Clinton Vet Center, I also worked with Johannes Pet Clinic in Queens, where my assistant duties covered a wider range of administrative tasks. I’m well-familiar with various online appointment scheduling platforms, e-prescription tools, and electronic recordkeeping for vet clinics. My duties also included a lot of customer-facing communication — education on post-treatment care, better pet diets, service charges, follow-up visits, etc. These have always been delivered with the highest level of detail, integrity, and transparency.
So if you’re looking for a vet assistant with hands-on medical skills and strong front-desk skills, I’m that kind of person.
In my free time, I also volunteer at a local animal shelter, providing care to the boarded animals and helping with outreach efforts. Last year, I found new, loving homes for over 30 abandoned pets.
Don’t hesitate to contact me for any information, regarding my skills, qualifications, or employment history. References are also available upon request.
Regards,
Mika Santos
Veterinarian Assistant Cover Letter No Experience (Plain Text)
Dear Dr. Lovitz,
My name is Leon Carter, and I am writing to you to express my interest in the position of veterinarian assistant at Animalz Midwest Practice. I learned of this position through my friend and your office manager, Becky Davis. I’ve taken the time to review the details of the position, and I am confident that I am the best candidate for your team.
Currently, I am finishing an internship at the Peoria County Animal Hospital. There, I am responsible for assisting veterinarians and technicians as they conduct exams and provide diagnoses for sick pets. My work here primarily involves cats, dogs, birds, rodents, and several exotic household pets (including a raccoon and a python). Additionally, I provide backup support for the front desk staff.
My internship finishes at the end of May and by that time, I will also obtain my Veterinary Assistant Certificate of Completion via Peoria Community College.
In addition to my internship, I have taken advantage of several opportunities to improve my skills in the areas of customer service, animal husbandry, and communication skills.
Specifically, I have:
- Improved my Spanish language fluency to better communicate with all clients
- Volunteered at an animal sanctuary to gain experience working with large animals
- Worked through a temporary agency to gain skills such as customer service and office technology
Additionally, I was involved in 4-H as a youth and am a leader today. If hired, I will provide the highest level of care to your patients and their owners. I’m looking forward to supporting your clinic’s efforts to provide services to local animal shelters.
My resume further elaborates on my skill set and past work experience.
Regards,
Leon Carter
Veterinarian Assistant Cover Letter (Word)
Skills for Vet Assistant
Employers expect vet assistants to have a good mix of hard skills and certain personality attributes. In particular, both your resume and veterinary assistant cover letter must clearly articulate:
- Animal handling experience: Be sure to mention what types of pets you’ve dealt with (cats, dogs, larger domestic animals, smaller exotic pets, etc), as well as manipulations you know how to perform (e.g., restraining, sedation, grooming, sample collection, etc).
- Veterinary knowledge. Although most vet assistant positions don’t require a license, you still need to showcase an understanding of different anatomy terms and zoonotic diseases to follow the instructions and assist with treatments effectively.
- Communication skills. Vet assistants need to clearly convey information, answer questions, and provide instructions or recommendations to pet owners. Moreover, they also need to effectively communicate with the team — report on vitals, perform manipulations, and share results
Since the job can get hectic at times, you must also show a good degree of mental resilience and strong self-management skills. Below sample vet assistant skills, we recommend adding to your cover letter to make a stronger first impression:
Hard Skills
- Veterinary terminology and anatomy
- Knowledge of common animal conditions
- Animal restraint techniques
- Vaccination administration
- Sample collection
- Basic surgical assistance
- Animal wound care
- First aid for animals
- Animal nutrition recommendations
- Basic grooming techniques
- Animal diet planning
- Equipment sterilization
- Animal facilities cleaning
- Clinical record-keeping
- Pet owner education
- Parasite control
- Dental care procedures
- Ultrasound operations
- Knowledge of infection control measures
- Post-operative care delivery
- Animal vital signs monitoring
- Assisting in diagnostic procedures
Soft Skills
- Verbal communication skills
- Active listening to understand client needs
- Collaboration with other staff
- Adaptability to fast-paced environments
- Problem-solving skills
- Professionalism in animal care
- Integrity and ethical behavior
- Strong rapport-building abilities
- Attention to detail
- Task prioritization
- Schedule planning
- Customer expectation management
- Empathy and compassion
- Cultural sensitivity
- Customer service skills
- Stress management
- Confidence in animal handling
- Patience and kindness
How To Write A Veterinarian Assistant Cover Letter
A cover letter is your first introduction to your prospective boss. You should position yourself as a courteous, professional, and customer-oriented candidate. Here’s how to do so.
Start With a Compelling Opening Paragraph
Address the letter to the hiring manager and use a professional cover letter opening line. In the first paragraph, explain why you are interested in the position and how your qualifications align with the vet assistant job requirements.
To make an even stronger impression, you can also share:
- A recent accomplishment (e.g., being named as an ‘Employee of the Month’)
- An interesting fact about yourself (e.g., that you own 2 cats and 3 lizards)
- Why you’re passionate about the job (e.g., An amazing vet team rescued my childhood dog…).
No matter which approach you choose, make sure your cover letter opening is 2-3 sentences long at max.
Show You’ve Done Your Research
Notice that the letters above refer to the veterinary clinic doing work for local animal shelters. The writer also mentions that they read the job requirements thoroughly. Both of these things show they did preliminary company research. Use your cover letter to show you understand which customers the practice welcomes the most often and how they run the business. Doing so indicates you put in extra effort, and that you aren’t simply sending the same generic cover letter with every application.
Demonstrate Your Expertise
The main body of your cover letter should largely focus on your skills and accomplishments. The reader should clearly understand what type of work you’ve previously done — mostly front-end tasks and general animal care or more hands-on interventions. Similar to a resume, you can use bullet points to draw attention to your main competencies in administering medication and doing various procedures.
Next, don’t forget to include your accomplishments. Accomplishments represent a combination of your education, developed skills, and work experience. Be sure to mention specific steps you’ve taken to improve your skills (like in one of the samples above) and/or mention any positive outcomes you’ve helped achieve (e.g., had a 95% customer satisfaction score in the past job).
For example, you can frame your accomplishments in the following way:
In my last position, I assisted on over 200 interventions, including an emergency surgery for a sugar glider, who choked on a Lego part. I helped the vet perform tracheal intubation by locating the smallest tube we had from a medicine dispenser and then manipulated the X-ray to get the best view of the tiny obstructed airways.
Adjust The Cover Letter Length
There is no need to rewrite your resume or tell your life story. Stay on topic. Pick three or four areas to emphasize, and edit ruthlessly. The final version of your cover letter should be less than a page long. Remember vet doctors are busy. They like it when people get to the point fast.
Close on a High Note
In the final paragraph, express your enthusiasm for the position and thank the hiring manager for considering your application. Another good way to close a cover letter is by adding a call-to-action — a short, directive sentence encouraging the reader to complete the next step. That is get in touch for more information or invite you to an in-person interview.
Final Tip: Address Any Missing Details
Never let the hiring manager make assumptions about you or fill in any blanks in your career history. Or else, they might arrive at false conclusions. Instead, take the time to fill in any missing details. For example, the applicant with no vet experience isn’t certified yet but will be by the time they begin working. That’s important to note on the cover letter.
Also, you may want to spend just one or two sentences providing a concise, positive explanation for gaps in your work history or any other issue that could raise questions. Be forthcoming as transparency creates trust and trust helps you build better rapport with prospective employers.
