Shelter and Community Veterinarian

*Shelter & Community Veterinarian* *​* The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter is community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the Lewis Clark Valley since 1950 and is committed to providing shelter and medical care to lost pets, adoption services, a limited service community clinic, and community education.
​ Department: Medical Staff, Shelter Leadership Classification: Salary, exempt Job Relationships: Overseen by: Director of Operations, Board of Directors ​ Pay: $60.
00/ hour, 2-5 days/week Benefits: Reimbursement plan, paid time off, paid professional liability insurance.
All employees receive discounts on veterinary care and adoptions.
​ *Position Summary:* The Shelter Veterinarian is responsible for providing high quality medical care to shelter animals including, spay/neuter surgeries, treatment of various medical conditions and ensures herd health maintenance.
They will assist in developing, implementing and sustaining shelter medicine protocols that support the mission and vision of LCAS.
In addition, the Shelter Veterinarian will provide high quality and compassionate medical care for community members through LCAS’ limited service community clinic and any offsite clinics.
This includes: spay and neuters, vaccinations, microchipping, treatment of internal and external parasites and any other appropriate services.
​ ​ ​ *Duties and Responsibilities:* *Shelter Medical Care* * Perform high volume and high quality spay/neuter surgeries including pediatric surgeries on shelter animals.
* Perform other types of soft tissue surgery, as needed.
* In collaboration with clinic support staff, animal care staff and department heads, will providing outstanding and compassionate care to shelter pets.
* Follow and adhere to _Association of Shelter Veterinarian Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters.
_ * Participate in daily rounds of shelter animals.
* Advocating for the best outcome for individual animals within LCAS’ scope of care.
* Follow and manage preventative medicine protocols.
* Practice incremental medicine, using critical thinking and decision-making skills within LCAS’ scope of care.
* Participate in humane euthanasia and euthanasia decision making through a compassionate, thoughtful and team approach.
* Demonstrate the ability to use Fear Free handling techniques and to instruct clinic and animal care staff to use gentle handling techniques.
* Perform pre-operative physical exams on shelter animals to determine if animals can be safely anesthetized.
* Ensure humane care of the shelter animals.
* Assists with emergency and disaster services.
* Determine the need for diagnostic procedures and medical treatments.
*Community Relations & Engagement* * Able to provide accurate, concise medical information to clients, adopters, volunteers, foster volunteers, and employees.
* With LCAS mission and vision in mind, participate in spay and neuter events and offsite vaccination clinics.
* Must be proficient in interacting with the general public, answering questions, and addressing complaints.
* Must have a patient, calm and professional demeanor.
* Promotes positive and professional relationships between surrounding veterinary clinics, animal welfare organizations, program partners and LCAS’ municipal contract agreements.
* Being community-minded, cultivate collaborations and partnerships with other veterinary clinics.
* Builds effective relationships through positive interaction and communication with the community, volunteers and staff.
*Community Spay/Neuter and Vaccine Clinic* * Provide high quality, high volume spay and neuters to privately owned pets, including pediatric surgeries, and Return-to-Home/Trap-Neuter-Return efforts.
* Microchipping, vaccinations and additional treatments for external or internal parasites and any other medical care deemed appropriate.
* Provide annual vaccination exams, vaccinations, microchipping, and treatments for internal/external parasites on privately owned pets for * Practices gentle and Fear Free handling techniques.
* Demonstrates compassion, warmth, courtesy and professionalism in all interactions with clients.
*Clinic & Medical Staff Management* * Ensures a safe environment for animals and community members.
* Establish and maintain safety standards and OSHA compliance.
* Establish and maintain medical records and drug use logs to standards of the Idaho Board of Pharmacy and Idaho Board of Veterinary Medicine.
* Responsible for diversion control of controlled substances.
* Motivate and support a medical team.
* Establish and maintain a culture that values critical and strategic thinking, compassion, resourcefulness, constructive feedback, engagement and compassion at all levels.
* Coordinate continuing staff education in all aspects of animal welfare.
Identify and pursue training programs to benefit overall organizational and employee improvement.
Fee-based programs require Board approval.
* Demonstrate a commitment to team building through modeling a positive and respectful attitude toward all employees, volunteers, donors, and partners.
* Collaboratively works with other departments of LCAS to develop and sustain best practices.
*​* *Other* * Participates in efforts to support future veterinarians to promote shelter medicine.
* Required to be adaptable and receptive to rapidly evolving protocols, proceeding with enthusiasm.
* Commitment to professional development by participating in educational opportunities and conferences, maintaining networks and positive engagement with professional organizations.
* Research and promote innovative changes to improve overall animal care.
* Protect the organization by keeping information confidential.
* Model compassion, empathy and a professional culture.
* Attend and support shelter fundraising events.
* Must be able to work around animals, loud noises, chemicals and inclement weather.
* Attend and actively participate in all required training opportunities and pursue professional development.
* Required to attend monthly board meetings.
* Participate in Shelter Development for the purpose of staff training and development.
*Qualifications:* To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.
Reasonable accommodations may be made.
* *Required* * Supports LCAS’ mission, vision, policies and practices.
* Possesses a thorough understanding of and a dedication to the philosophies of a non-profit animal welfare organization.
* Must have and maintains a current license by the Idaho Board of Veterinary Medicine to practice veterinary medicine and surgery.
* Maintains licensing through the Idaho Board of Pharmacy and Drug Enforcement Agency.
* Provide proof and maintain professional liability insurance.
* Possesses a valid driver’s license and clean criminal record.
* Can successfully pass a drug screen.
* Professional appearance and behavior.
* *Desired* * Strong computer data entry skills.
* Knowledge of PetPoint preferred.
* Proficient in Microsoft applications.
* Fear Free Training Certificate * *Education/Training* * Must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree * A minimum of one year experience in shelter medicine is preferred.
* Training through ASPCA Spay and Neuter Alliance preferred.
* *Knowledge and Skills* * Supervisory experience, knowledge of shelter medicine, epidemiology and disease recognition in a shelter setting.
* Able to supervise and create strong and positive team relationships with staff and volunteers.
* Must have the ability to keep up with a fast-paced animal shelter.
* Effective decision making, diagnostic skills, and interest in pursuing treatment options.
* Knowledge of the principles and practices of veterinary medicine and willing to follow best practices within LCAS’ scope of care.
* Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to set an example for staff on polished and positive public interactions.
* Successfully multi-tasks, prioritizes, and can deal with a certain level of expected chaos with a calm demeanor, while meeting deadlines and expectations * High level of written and verbal communication skills with pet owners, staff, volunteers and the community.
*On-site Training:* * Trauma-Informed and Culturally Safe Training (VHS) *Working Conditions/Requirements* Work is performed on-site.
Potential for exposure to environmental factors such as temperature variations, high noise levels, zoonotic diseases, animal waste, hazardous chemicals or chemical materials requiring OSHA Material Safety Data Sheets, anesthetics, sharp objects and potential hostile persons and/or dangerous and fractious animals.
* Flexibility with hours may arise.
* Able to be contacted by Clinic Staff/Animal Care Staff for shelter animal emergencies.
*Mental and Physical Demands* The mental and physical demands represented below are those that must be met by an employee to be successful in their position and perform the duties and responsibilities outlined above.
* Ability to stand for several hours at a time.
* Emotional demands include euthanasia, animal abuse, and animal neglect.
* Act as a trauma-informed leader who can successfully work independently and as an integral team member.
* Essential to show compassion towards community members, staff and volunteers.
* Possesses patience and resilience when dealing with difficult clients or animals.
* Ability to lift and carry objects and animals of moderate to heavy weight.
* Ability to lift bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, push and other strenuous activities * Work is a mixture of desk/computer work and outdoor work.
​ *LCAS Mission & Vision Statements* _*Mission:*_ _The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter’s mission is to promote the humane treatment of animals, prevent cruelty to animals and provide education to enhance the human-animal bond and to end pet over-population through an aggressive spay/neuter campaign.
_ _​_ _*Vision:*_ _Lewis Clark Animal Shelter envisions a time when our community celebrates the human-animal bond, embraces the mutual benefits therein and treats all fellow beings with care, compassion and respect; a time when LCAS is primarily a resource for health services, education and recreation for animals and their people.
_ * _We present LCAS as a happy, cheerful place where people come for pet adoption, pet information and community events.
_ * _Our valley will become a unified community where pets are not stray and unwanted.
_ * _LCAS together with the community becomes a model for achieving a “humane society”.
_ Job Type: Contract Pay: $60.
00 per hour Expected hours: 24 – 40 per week Benefits: * 401(k) matching * Employee discount * Paid time off * Professional development assistance Ability to Relocate: * Lewiston, ID 83501: Relocate before starting work (Required) Work Location: In person