Associate Shelter Veterinarian

Animal Friends, Inc

Job Description

For 80 years, Animal Friends has been saving, impacting, engaging, and enriching the lives of the pets and people of the Pittsburgh region. Our Shelter Medicine team provides advocacy and lifesaving care for our animal residents. Whether they are with us for days, weeks, months or even years, our level of commitment to the dogs, cats and rabbits in our care is unwavering. Veterinarians are key in driving our progressive standard of care that sets the bar for furthering the standard of shelter medicine.

As an Associate Shelter Veterinarian in our shelter, you will supervise the day-to-day medical care of animals—dogs, cats, and rabbits--both residing on site and in foster care. This may include providing medical care and testimony for residents involved in Humane Investigation cases.

The team thrives on a culture of mentorship and development. A big-picture view of animal welfare and the ability to work in emotional situations with multiple stakeholders while remaining poised and collaborative is a must. In this role, Veterinarians will cultivate a working knowledge of shelter medicine and epidemiology. They will be able to expand their scope of medicine and develop surgical proficiency.

The Associate Shelter Veterinarian must have a big-picture view of animal welfare, herd health, and shelter medicine while being able to work in emotional situations. As with every position within Animal Friends, this leader is expected to be a positive ambassador for the organization, abide by and promote its mission, policies, and vision.

Essential Functions:
* Oversees the daily veterinary functions of medical, surgical and foster care programs to ensure quality, professionalism, and timeliness;
* Provides veterinary care of animals (dogs, cats, and rabbits) and performs surgical procedures on a daily or as-needed basis including spay/neuter (including pediatric), routine soft tissue surgery and dentistry;
* Follows standards for the administering of euthanasia for animals to be done in a timely and compassionate manner;
* Consults as needed with the Behavior Department concerning the disposition of animals, providing appropriate pharmaceutical interventions as needed
* Provides the Humane Investigations department with a set standard of efficient evaluation, documentation and testimony on animals involved in suspected cruelty and/or neglect investigations;
* Responsible for following set protocols and guidelines for medical care as established by the Director of Shelter Medicine, providing input for new protocols and aiding in finding weak areas within the department as needed;
* Engages in appropriate and legal handling, use and recording of controlled substances, ensuring records maintained at highest standards as required by the DEA;
* Responsible for regular on-call shifts on an assigned rotational basis along with Director of Shelter Medicine;
* Performs other duties as assigned

Requirements
* Doctoral degree in veterinary medicine
* Current Pennsylvania license required – must be current or able to be obtained
* Current DEA license required – must be current or able to be obtained
* Prior veterinary experience in shelter medicine, preferred
* Prior HQHVSN experience, preferred - strong interest required
* Interest and/or experience in exotics a plus
* Reliable transportation, regular onsite attendance and punctuality is required for this role and vital to organizational operations.

This is a full time job