Shelter Veterinarian

Definition: Provide leadership and direction for the medical and surgical care of animals in the shelter. Responsible for the day to day health of animals in the shelter. Triage and stabilize ill and injured animals (including on-call as needed), diagnose and treat a wide variety of medical conditions, anesthetize animals as needed, and perform surgery.  Work with staff to create community programs to reduce shelter intake and euthanasia. Must have a great attitude towards saving lives. Recognition and documentation of animal cruelty, including expert witness testimony.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities:

• Diagnosis and treatment of disease
• Disease identification and surveillance, including daily rounds
• Triage and examination of a variety of species
• Efficiently stabilize and manage a variety of trauma cases, including vehicular traumas, high-rise traumas, etc.
• Recognize, manage and treat a wide variety of medical conditions, with a particular focus on infectious diseases
• Direct veterinary technicians and assistants in the daily performance of their duties
• Oversee controlled substances use and logging with the assistance of the medical personnel (where applicable)
• Properly record all drug activity, DEA logs, and statistics, as required by law
• Administration and monitoring of anesthesia
• Performance of routine surgery, focusing on high-volume high-quality spay/neuter
• Develop Public Education and Programs for community animals
• Collect appropriate samples and perform and/or request appropriate laboratory tests, including decapitation for rabies testing 
• Interpretation of laboratory data and radiographs
• Assist in placement and euthanasia decisions
• Maintain accurate and complete medical records, including computer data entry
• Recognition and documentation of cruelty cases, including preparation of veterinary statements and expert witness testimony
• Necropsy examinations of deceased animals
• Work with the Executive Director to ensure compliance with relevant state law and county code
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director

Position Requirements:

• DVM, VMD, or equivalent degree 
• Licensure in CA to practice veterinary medicine
• Previous clinical experience, particularly in shelters and herd health, is required
• Interest in and understanding of shelter medicine, epidemiology, and herd health
• High Volume Spay/Neuter and TNR
• Strong surgical and diagnostic skills 
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills, able to multi-task and prioritize
• Dependable, reliable, and efficient
• Must have a valid CA driver’s license
• Must be able to lift at least 50 pounds, stand for prolonged periods of time, and perform multiple surgeries on a daily basis