Workers' comp class code · Health & Care
Class code 8837 — Veterinary — All Other Employees
Kennel and support staff at a veterinary clinic.
This classification applies to kennel and support staff at a veterinary clinic who handle animal housing, feeding, exercise, and cleaning duties rather than clinical treatment.
Typical work includes walking and exercising boarded animals, cleaning kennels and cages, feeding and monitoring animals in the clinic's care, and assisting with basic restraint during grooming or transport between areas. This role involves close, repeated physical contact with animals throughout the day, often without the controlled setting of an exam room.
Payroll includes kennel attendants, groomers, and general support staff who don't perform clinical procedures. Injury frequency is shaped heavily by bites, scratches, and strains from handling or restraining animals of varying size and temperament, along with slip hazards from cleaning wet kennel areas.
What code 8837 typically includes
- Kennel attendants and animal caretakers
- Groomers and bathing staff
- Staff exercising and walking boarded animals
- Cage and facility cleaning personnel
- General support staff without clinical duties
Codes this one gets confused with
8831 — Veterinarian & Clerical
Covers the clinical and office staff performing exams and procedures rather than the housing and custodial work found here.
See code 88318829 — Nursing Home — All Employees
A human-care facility classification with a similar custodial-care structure but no animal-handling exposure.
See code 8829What this code means for your premium
Because animal handling here happens outside the more controlled setting of clinical exam rooms, this classification often runs slightly higher than the clinical veterinary code.
Estimate your premiumClassification is not final until a carrier assigns it. Code numbers, wording and exceptions vary by state and rating bureau — several states run their own bureaus. This page is general reference written in our own words; your carrier's underwriter assigns the code based on your actual operations and payroll records.
Questions about code 8837
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