Job Description:
Job Title: Shelter Veterinarian
Department: Shelter – APL Clinic, AWC, and Community Clientele
Classification: Full time, Non-exempt
Job Relationship: Reports to Medical Director. Provides clinical supervision of Veterinary Technicians, Assistants, and students.
Position Summary: Provides spay, neuter, and other surgeries for animals in the APL Clinic, Community Clinic and AWC. Provides daily clinical supervision of veterinary technicians, students, and assistants before, after, and during surgery. Stays up to date, and makes recommendations, on current best surgical practices (including HQHV). Provides medical care, recommendations, and treatment of shelter animals. Educates clients, volunteers, students and staff on proper animal care and surgery follow-up.
Essential Job Functions:
Provides surgical services and daily care to animals at the Cleveland Animal Protective League
- Examines (non-feral) animals pre-op to determine their ability to withstand surgery.
- Performs surgical sterilization (able to performs an average of 35 surgeries a day).
- Performs other surgical procedures as needed.
- Provides other clinical care to animals as needed, including inoculations
- Alerts supervisor to animals in need of further diagnostics and provides recommendations for follow up care.
- Provides daily clinical supervision of veterinary technicians, students, and assistants before, during, and after surgery.
- Provides instruction and direction.
- Alerts Medical Director to any serious performance concerns.
- Supervises daily cleaning and animal handling for adherence to protocol in the clinic for prevention of infectious /zoonotic disease.
- Supervises daily handling and recording of controlled substances by veterinary technicians. Audits drug log for usage and accuracy.
- Continues research and maintenance of safe and efficacious medical protocol regarding anesthesia and surgery.
- Completes post-op recheck exams and orders medical treatments as necessary to ensure complete surgical recovery.
- Assumes role of Medical Director in absence/unavailability of the Medical Director, including performing medical rounds, prescribing treatments for, and making recommendations for disposition of shelter animals.
Provides medical services to animals at the Cleveland Animal Protective League
- Responsible for medical examinations, care, monitoring, and health of domestic animals in the care of the Cleveland APL, including foster animals. Provides input on wildlife/exotic cases, if necessary.
- Provides input on preventative medicine protocols
- Participates in the monitoring, evaluation, and establishment of shelter protocols for infectious disease control, prophylactic care, treatable illnesses/injuries, and vaccinations
- Participates in updating training, diagnostic and treatment protocols pertaining to animal health
- Maintains medical records (paper and electronic) for shelter animals
- Offers guidance to animal evaluation, foster, and adoption programs. Makes recommendations about final disposition of the animals: adoption, foster care, medical care, transfer, and euthanasia
- Performs euthanasia as needed.
- Provides emergency care to animals at the Cleveland APL.
- Provides on-call services for shelter animal emergencies when needed
- Works closely with Animal Care and Adoptions to monitor the shelter population and animal flow. Works with Medical Director on potential population crises, disease epidemics, or other factors that may compromise the APL’s goal of continually increasing our live release rate
- Communicates with other departments (Animal Care, Humane Investigations) to troubleshoot and optimize animals’ progress through shelter
Oversees the Veterinary Department (APL Clinic, Community & Animal Welfare Clinic)
- Supervises, trains, and educates veterinary staff, clinic supervisor, and volunteers; brings performance concerns to the Medical Director
- Along with Medical Director, determines staffing levels and coordinates schedules and time off requests to ensure adequate coverage.
- Orients, trains, and supervises veterinary students and prepares necessary evaluations
- Along with Medical Director, develops and implements training for staff/volunteers on disease control and animal care.
- Attends applicable meetings
- Ensures adequate and accurate inventory of medications and all drugs, including DEA-regulated substances; audits-controlled substance drug logs for usage and accuracy per state regulations
- Assists with euthanasia training and certification in conjunction with Director of Operations
- Participates in local, regional, and national associations such as the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians
- Acts as liaison with veterinary technical schools, veterinary colleges/universities. Participates in shelter medicine research as appropriate.
Oversees medical operations for the Veterinary Department
- Ensures the proper care and maintenance of all clinic equipment.
- Provides professional credibility to the League’s endeavor to help animals. Maintains appropriate licensing and completes required continuing education courses. Adheres to state regulations and organizational protocol regarding animal care, treatment, advocacy and the mission of the League.
Provides professional client, staff, and volunteer care
- Represents the APL in a professional and courteous manner at all times. Provides quality service to customers, volunteers, and staff recognizing their individual contributions to the success of our organization
- Actively supports associate staff and volunteers and promotes the development of skills related to the advancement of our goals and mission.
- Communicates with clients about medical complications and recommendations; available for follow-up care as needed.
- Participates on committees and special projects as assigned. This may include but is not limited to such projects as training of other veterinarians on high volume spay/neuter techniques and examining animals for cruelty investigations and representing the APL in court.
- Actively promotes the APL programs and events to clients and volunteers.
- Promotes communication and cooperation between APL departments.
- Supports the APL’s desire to celebrate a diverse and inclusive culture that fuels the compassion that connects us to one another.
Maintains licensure and follows safety guidelines
- Helps oversee OSHA compliance in relation to the clinic. Promotes and follows safety guidelines to ensure a safe work environment. Takes immediate action to address any safety concern or noncompliance with OSHA rules that could put an employee, volunteer, client, animal, and/or the organization at risk.
- Secures DEA license for clinic if necessary.
- Maintains a current Ohio veterinary license in good standing.
- Completes required continuing education courses
Performs other duties as assigned including but not limited to:
- Informs supervisor of special needs cases for potential public relations or direct mail pieces.
- Performs other duties and special projects as assigned for efficient functioning of the clinic
- Flexible with scheduling and available as needed when away from the facility for operational needs
Qualifications:
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from an accredited college or university
- Fear Free Certified or must become certified within six months of hire
- Must maintain an Ohio Veterinary License (DVM) in good standing
- Able to perform 35 sterilization surgeries per 6-hour shift
- Able to perform soft tissue and dental procedures
- Ability to perform orthopedic surgeries strongly preferred
- Excellent communication skills
Knowledge and Skills:
Experience in the field of veterinary medicine and knowledge of disease recognition in a shelter setting required. High volume spay/neuter experience and knowledge of shelter medicine and epidemiology desirable. Knowledge of feral cat issues helpful. Effective decision making and diagnostic skills and interest in pursuing treatment options with limited funding. Able to work well under pressure and handle multiple tasks at one time. Committed to the mission, vision, and values of the Cleveland Animal Protective League.
- Experience in the field of veterinary medicine and knowledge of disease recognition in a shelter setting required
- High volume spay/neuter experience and knowledge of shelter medicine and epidemiology desirable
- Knowledge of feral cat issues helpful
- Effective decision making and diagnostic skills and interest in pursuing treatment options with limited funding Demonstrated effective decision making and diagnostic skills based on recent performance references
- Strong interest in pursuing treatment options with limited funding
- Able to work well under pressure and handle multiple tasks at one time
- Outstanding customer service, oral and written communication skills
- Committed to the mission, vision, and values of the Cleveland Animal Protective League
