Shelter/Community Clinic Veterinarian

Helping Hands Humane Society

Job Description

Community Clinic/Shelter Veterinarian
Full Time
Helping Hands Humane Society
5720 SW 21st St.
Topeka, KS 66604
Email Resumes: kathy.maxwell@hhhstopeka.org

Do you have a passion to help those in need and support the success of a community? Helping Hands Humane Society (HHHS) is looking for a full-time Veterinarian to join our medical team in providing care for homeless and unwanted dogs, cats, and small mammals at the shelter and to provide much needed low cost services to the public through the shelter’s community clinic.

Helping Hands Humane Society
HHHS is an open-admission shelter admitting and caring for over 6,000 animals each year. The shelter currently has an 82% live release rate with a goal of achieving a 90% or higher rate in the next years while remaining open admission. HHHS Veterinarians provide a variety of medical services to the shelter animals including spaying/neutering, amputations, dentals, radiographs, and more. The shelter’s current Veterinarian is available to provide the selected candidate with mentoring should it be wanted.

Helping Hands Humane Society Community Clinic
Helping Hands Humane Society’s Community Clinic was built in 2022 and made possible by the support of Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Petco. The community clinic provides services such as low cost spay/neuter and vaccines to our rescue partners and families with financial need. The community clinic is open part-time on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. HHHS Veterinarians have the option of splitting their work hours between the shelter and the community clinic if desired.

HHHS is located in the capitol of Kansas, Topeka, and serves the residents of Shawnee County. The shelter is 30 minutes from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, one hour from Kansas State University in Manhattan and one hour from Kansas City. HHHS has been serving Topeka and Shawnee County, Kansas since 1890 and is the most recognized and popular non-profit in the area.

Employment Benefits:
• $10,000 sign-on bonus + 6 month performance bonus
• Mentoring available
• Competitive salary DOE
• Generous PTO (vacation, medical, personal time) with annual rollover
• Excellent health and dental insurance
• Life insurance
• SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with company match
• Flexible schedule
• Paid professional dues
• Paid CE
• Paid holidays
• Discounts on adoptions, pet food and basic vet services
• Free dog training classes
• HHHS is a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

Job Classification: Exempt, Full-time
Work Schedule: Flexible
Reporting Relationship: Executive Director

Primary Accountability:
The Veterinarian is responsible for all medical decisions for animals in the shelter; to include, but not limited to, performing surgeries, veterinary health checks, health certificates, euthanasia and comprehensive health care for all the animals that are under the care of or are property of HHHS and also provides low cost spay/neuter and vaccine services to families in need through the shelter’s community clinic.

Major Duties:
• Leads the daily operations of the HHHS Medical Center and provides support to shelter’s Community Clinic if needed.
• Provides and oversees medical care for all animals under the care of HHHS; performs spay/neuters and other surgeries and dentals; supervises the preparation of animals for surgical procedures and treatments; evaluates and manages all emergency medical cases at HHHS; prescribes and administers medications. If opting to work in shelter’s community clinic, spays/neuters public pets and provides a variety of services such as vaccinations, heartworm testing, and flea treatment.
• Collects body tissue, feces, blood, urine or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
• Operates diagnostic equipment such as CBC, chemistry, radiographic equipment; interprets all chemical and imaging results.
• Establishes and conducts quarantine and testing procedures to prevent the spread of diseases to other animals or to humans, and to maintain compliance with applicable government regulations.
• Supervises medical staff as well as veterinary students during mentorships, externships, and veterinary school rotations; provides feedback and evaluation; coordinates with area veterinarians to provide additional services to HHHS when necessary.
• Maintains accurate records regarding treatments, surgical procedures and medications; records all medical procedures completed and medications given in animals’ records in shelter database; maintains accurate control drug log books.
• Writes, develops, and implements all Standard Operating Procedures for the medical department.
• Provides internal training to all HHHS employees regarding animal care, treatment, or medical procedures.
• Determines animal’s medical status regarding euthanasia; performs euthanasia as deemed appropriate; assists with euthanasia training and certification.
• Maintains a humane and caring attitude at all times towards animals in-care of HHHS.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:
Currently licensed in state of Kansas to practice veterinary medicine. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree from an accredited college of veterinary medicine. Must be qualified and eligible to obtain DEA license. Must possess a valid Driver’s License. The shelter encourages recent graduates with a willingness to learn to apply.

Skills and Abilities:
• Ability to work individually and in a team environment.
• Ability to safely handle animals declared vicious, on bite quarantines or stray.
• Ability to handle and deal with animals that have been abused, neglected or treated cruelly.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work efficiently with attention to detail.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, set priorities and organize work load.
• Willingness to lead and offer direction.

Physical Demands:
• Ability to frequently stand, walk, sit, talk, hear, stoop, bend, squat or kneel.
• Ability to safely push, pull, and lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to physically handle and restrain domestic animals.
• Ability to read computer screens, mail, and talk on phone.

Work Environment:
• Interaction with staff and customers.
• Potential exposure to parasites and infectious diseases that may be carried and transmitted by animals.

Additional Duties:
Additional duties and responsibilities may be added to this job description at any time.
The job description does not state or imply that these are the only activities to be performed by the employee(s) holding this position. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related responsibilities as requested by their supervisor.

Helping Hands Humane Society Mission
As advocates for animal welfare, Helping Hands Humane Society, Inc. provides sanctuary for animals in need of compassionate care and protection. We accept responsibility for:
Fostering the adoption of healthy animals into responsible homes and reuniting lost animals with their owners
Reducing overpopulation by promoting sterilization of animals
Providing an accessible facility with effective leadership and well-trained staff
Serving the community through education and addressing animal welfare issues
Maintaining a fiscally responsible organization by adhering to the highest standards of integrity

Interested candidates may email resumes/questions to: kathy.maxwell@hhhstopeka.org.

This is a full time job