Run away - Certifed Veterinary Technician (CVT) VCA Employee Review

1.0
Sep 6, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You get corporate discounts and the vet tech week gifts were usually decent. Pay was pretty good

Cons

-Do not support employees or care about mental or physical health needs -Will do anything to crush unionization. During my interview, I was asked if I supported unions, which was extremely uncomfortable. -Profit over patient care. At one point I was working in the ICU and we had 19 patients with 2 techs. When I asked for help from management, they told me to give patients to the doctor's assistant who had no medical training and didn't even know how to take vitals. -The management plays favorites even to the detriment of patient and employee safety. One tech would regularly work 24-hour shifts while others were denied chances of picking up overtime shifts. -Hiring team doesn't understand the needs of the roles they are filling. I was hired into surgery with the promise of not having to run anesthesia. On my first day, the team told me they already had scrub techs and specifically needed someone to run anesthesia. -No training process whatsoever. I was pulled into running distance anesthesia by myself when I had never even seen it done before. I was placed in the ICU and not even trained on how to run the O2 kennels. I was put in charge of anesthesia for a patient with a fentanyl CRI and ventilator and never used either. My first ER relief shift, I was scheduled alone for the first 2 hours of the shift and I didn't have any previous ER experience. -Management completely changed 2-3 times in the year and a half I was there. -Pay was good because you didn't get raises. They pay according to how bad they needed techs. I was hired after only 3 years of experience and was making a dollar less than someone who had been there 20 years. If you work at a Mars affiliated hospital, remember your coworkers are your teammates. Stick together. That is the only way to create change.

avatar
VCA Response
3y
We're committed to ensuring our team members are supported and are given the resources needed to thrive in their roles, so it concerns us to read your comments. We make those benefits available here: https://www.vcacareers.com/global/en/benefits. Please know that we are here to listen, and we encourage you to email us at EmployeeConcerns@vca.com so we may further discuss your time with us. Thank you.

Explore other reviews about VCA

5.0
May 8, 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
Jun 12, 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?

avatar
VCA Response
1mo
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.
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All