Title:                               VETERINARY TECHNICIAN

Reports To:      Shelter Manager

Hours:               Full-time, exempt, salaried position.

Function:          Under the supervision of the shelter manager, the veterinary technician will provide leadership and direction to ensure best practices in humane animal care for DPVHS facilities and programs.

Responsibilities:

     Animal Care:

Develops and implements consistently high standards of humane care for all DPVHS animals, including best practices in feeding, sanitation, and medical care.

Develops and implements guidelines for the screening and selection of animals for adoption in accordance with DPVHS mission and best industry practices.

Develops protocols and materials for shelter sanitation.  Works with shelter leadership and animal care staff to train staff and volunteers in shelter sanitation practices.

Works with the intake & behavior coordinator to develop protocols and materials for the care of animals participating in shelter and outreach programs.

 

Foster Parents:

Develops protocols and materials for foster volunteers on scheduling, animal care, and training. 

Works with shelter leadership, animal care staff, and volunteers to ensure high standards of animal care in foster homes.

 

Veterinary Care:

Serves as the primary DPVHS liaison to veterinary professionals.

Develops guidelines for routine and non-routine veterinary treatment of animals in accordance with the DPVHS mission and best industry practices. Works with shelter leadership to train staff in routine animal medical care.

Oversees veterinary appointments with outside clinics.

Assists staff veterinarians with examinations and treatment of sheltered animals.

Works with the intake & behavior coordinator to oversee the initial and continued health and behavior screening of sheltered animals, including screening for euthanasia as appropriate. 

Works with shelter leadership and animal care staff to observe animals for signs of illness or injury and reports such to a veterinarian for treatment in accordance with established guidelines.

Serves on staff euthanasia committee.

May assist veterinary staff with euthanasia, as needed.

 

 

Customer Care:

Serves as a representative of DPVHS management to customers and assesses customer needs and support.

Resolves customer concerns as they relate to animal medical care.

Serves as a leader to adoption and animal care staff in providing excellent service to customers.

Conducts and ensures high quality delivery of shelter outreach programs as they pertain to animal care.

Conducts intakes and other shelter services, as needed, while ensuring high standards of customer and animal care.

Develops and implements new shelter animal care programs and ensures their integration into the daily operations of the adoption and animal care centers. 

Works with leadership to determine needed efficiencies and implements needed changes.

 

Personnel:

Trains staff and provides ongoing feedback and guidance.

Actively supports staff and volunteers and promotes the development of skills related to the advancement of our goals and mission. 

 

Other Responsibilities:

Meets with shelter leadership and shelter manager regularly to determine strategies. 

Reviews animal care budget and assists with fiscal planning. Monitors spending and revenues for animal care operations.

Monitors and tracks usage of all department supplies.  Orders animal care supplies following the proper agency purchasing guidelines.

Networks with and assists other animal welfare agencies.

Implements new animal care programs and ensures integration.  Evaluates new and ongoing projects regularly to determine needed efficiencies and implements needed changes.

Maintains and delivers relevant animal care statistics. Maintains other records as required.

      Provides leadership for all animal care staff and supervisors. Provides leadership and attention to staff morale.

Assists with the maintenance and upkeep of animal care facilities and equipment.

Assures the safety of the DPVHS workplace and actively monitors safety for staff, clients, and animals.  Follows safety guidelines to ensure a safe work environment.

Develops the animal care portions of the Standard Operating Procedure Manual and ensures that all staff members are following DPVHS operating standards and policies.

Works with the shelter leadership team to recommend and implement policy/procedural changes for the animal care and adoption centers.

Complies with DPVHS personnel policies. 

Functions as a member of DPVHS shelter leadership team and meets regularly to determine strategies. Attends appropriate staff meetings

Serves on appropriate committees, task forces and networks.

Represents the DPVHS in a professional and courteous manner at all times. 

Provides quality service to customers, volunteers, donors, and staff recognizing their individual contribution to the success of our organization.

Regularly participates in meetings with staff and volunteers to share ideas and suggestions designed to improve working conditions and the organization.

Performs other duties as assigned.

 

Position Requirements:

 

Education:

High school diploma or equivalent.  Bachelor’s degree preferred.

 

Experience:

At least 2 years experience in a veterinary setting, or equivalent technical position in an animal welfare agency.

Technician-level knowledge of common veterinary medical practices for domestic animals, including preventative care and first aid.  Shelter medicine experience helpful.

Knowledge of basic domestic animal care and safe/humane animal handling.

Knowledge of animal welfare issues a plus.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office products.  

 

Skills and Traits:

The veterinary technician must agree with and be committed to the mission, policies, and goals of DPVHS. 

Must be energetic, team oriented and quality improvement minded.

Must be positive, flexible and able to handle difficult and sensitive situations with diplomacy and discretion. 

Must understand and respect confidentiality, be assertive, able to think strategically, prioritize, focus and be customer oriented.

Must be able to see the adoption and animal care centers in their relationship to the agency as a whole and the community at large.

Must have organizational, budgetary, and public and employee relations skills as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills.  

Must have demonstrated ability to work in a team environment and to provide team leadership. 

Must be able to serve as a leader to adoption and animal care staff in the areas of high morale, excellent customer service, and quality program delivery.

Must have strong analytical ability to make sound decisions.

Must be at least 18 years of age.

 

Mental, Physical and Communication Demands:

Must be available to work when and where needed by the organization. Must be willing to work irregular hours, weekends, and holidays. 

Requires working alone or with minimal supervision. Must be self-motivated.

Requires working under pressure with public audience. 

Requires patience and tact when working with difficult, emotional, or angry people. 

Requires sitting at a desk for periods of up to four hours without break when working on written reports or meetings. 

Requires computer proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets, email, and shelter software. 

Requires handling people and animals in a pleasant, courteous and professional manner.

Requires ability to work safely around unruly, vicious, sick, injured or dangerous animals.

While performing this job the employee will regularly be required to use hands and arms to reach, grasp, and hold animals, supplies and other tools; to talk and speak clearly to clients and co-workers; and to hear questions and animals.

This job requires a great deal of standing, walking, sitting, kneeling, crouching and general mobility. It may include lifting, carrying, and pushing of supplies and cleaning of animal areas.

This job requires working around and with chemical compounds (i.e., bleach, detergents, and disinfectants) used to clean and disinfect kennels, cages, and other surfaces.

Requires the ability to work in an office environment with generally moderate, but occasionally loud, noise levels.

While working with shelter animals there is a risk of exposure to parasites and infectious diseases.

Allergic conditions, which would be aggravated when handling or working with animals or cleaning supplies, may be a disqualification.