Veterinary Technician

JOB DESCRIPTION VETERINARY TECHNICIAN REPORTS TO: Animal Shelter General Manager POSITION OVERVIEW The veterinary technician uses medical knowledge and clinical skills to provide routine and emergency care under the direction of the Shelter manager and Veterinarian, which includes facilitating general exams, meeting the diagnostic and treatment needs of sick and healthy shelter animals. The Veterinary Technician position assists the veterinarian with various task in restraining pets, test set up, examination procedures, vaccinating animals , initial assessments, kennel duties, administering prescribed daily medication, maintains and tracks all medical records, and disinfection duties. QUALIFICATIONS / REQUIREMENTS EDUCATION AND LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS Minimum of 18 years old. Must have own transportation A minimum of one year experience working as a veterinary technician. High school diploma or equivalent. Graduates from Veterinary Assistant/tech programs preferred. Familiar with local and state pet animal regulations (PACFA) preferred. Experience working in a shelter environment is preferred. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: Can stay calm and efficient during a medical crisis. Maturity with ability to use good judgment. Ability to communicate skillfully and effectively with a culturally diverse staff, volunteers, and community in a professional, pleasant, and respectful manner at all times. Can conduct oneself in a confident and professional manner even when stressed and/or focused on individual tasks. Effective written and verbal communication skills; proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel is desired. Genuine passion for and commitment to animal welfare is required. Can support and be a part of a team; works well with all levels of shelter team members. Maintains a positive attitude and stays away from negative chatter. Physical Effort: Work requires lifting, carrying, and restraining large or difficult animals (will be assisted by other staff members in lifting animals over 40 lbs.) Walks or stands for extended periods or time; frequently works in a bent or squatting position. Working conditions: May be exposed to unpleasant odors, noises, and animal body fluids and excrement. May be exposed to bites, scratches, and contagious diseases. WAGE RANGE The range for the position is based on education and experience. This an hourly position. $17.50-$19.00 PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Knows and can follow State and Local regulatory requirements related to veterinary care. Perform basic physical examinations and diagnostic tests under the direction of the Shelter Veterinarian; administers vaccines, de-wormer, microchips and medications other treatments as prescribed. Document medical records of all shelter and foster care animals in Shelter manager or on paper as appropriate. Provide supportive care and treatment for sick and injured animals, as well as recover animals from surgery; clean and sterilize surgical and other laboratory equipment. Provide specialized nursing care to sick or injured animals as directed by the Shelter Veterinarian and assist in emergency treatment when necessary. Maintain clean and sanitary conditions in the clinic and isolation areas. Maintain inventory of all medical supplies, including controlled substances, as required by law. Maintain files, record and statistic as regulated by PACFA and medical record requirements. Coordinates and schedules all medical appointments with the shelter vet and outside veterinary services. Able to transport animals to outside appointments if necessary. Ensures animals in foster care make all scheduled appointments, may include meeting foster volunteers at appointments. Works with shelter staff when a concern is identified, seeks appropriate care as needed. Knowledge of common vaccines and vaccination protocols and can explain to the public/clients. Can administer, medications, vaccines, performs SQ, IM, and IV injections, and microchips by themselves and/or with assistance. Can perform emergency procedures such as control of bleeding or opening airways, Knows common disease states and can alert veterinarians when symptoms change or when concerns arise with shelter or fostered animals. Can set up for vet to perform clinical laboratory procedures such as fecal flotation exams, heart-worm checks, skin scrapings, urinalysis, ear cytology and fungal cultures; maintains file of lab test results and ensures that test results are recorded in patient records. Can discharge patients based on the veterinarian’s orders, explain necessary follow-up and home-care instructions to clients or foster parents ensuring that pets medically cared for appropriately. Troubleshoot patient concerns on the phone. Evaluate and work with strays and public upon arrival. Ability to work with the community in emotional and stressful scenarios. Can properly care for all medical materials and equipment; keep all areas properly stocked and prepared. Any other duties as may be assigned by the Shelter Veterinarian and Executive Director. Regular and predictable attendance is required. Foster Coordinator duties Oversees and evaluates foster programs and conducts needs assessment, compiles data, prepares reports on foster care programs and recommends changes to improve the program. Supervises, assigns, trains, and evaluates work of foster volunteers and families. Selects shelter animals for foster programs and coordinates their transfer, transport, and ongoing care. Coordinates appointments with foster volunteers for home checks and medical care. Performs basic health evaluations and treatments as directed by shelter veterinarians. Develops, coordinates, schedules, and leads foster care training sessions; develops training materials and related training materials. Accurately maintains all required records in the shelter’s database in a timely manner. Works directly with other shelter staff and veterinarians to determine appropriate rehabilitation, path, or maintenance for foster animals. Performs outreach with the community, local rescues, and professional businesses to increase support for foster program, including promoting community events. Contributes to the organization’s marketing and promotion efforts; utilizes social media outlets under the supervision of the social media manager. Performs other duties as assigned including assisting in other areas. Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems in standardized situations. Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is may be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions. The noise level in the work environment may be loud. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. MENTAL/PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work environment for this position involves occasional exposure to fumes, airborne particles, and zoonotic diseases. It is moderately loud, and employees may come into contact with animal bites and scratches. Physical requirements include the ability to frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds without assistance. Handling dogs, cats, small mammals, and birds is a regular part of the job. Specific vision abilities needed include close vision, distant vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus while performing duties. Regular activities include standing, walking, using hands to handle animals, reaching with hands and arms, and talking or hearing. Occasional activities may involve climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crawling, and using taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust to focus. This job description is not exhaustive, and duties, responsibilities, or qualifications may change at any time, with or without notice. Specific vision abilities also include color vision. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Job Type: Part-time Pay: $17.50 - $19.00 per hour Benefits: Paid time off Experience: Veterinary technician: 1 year (Required) Veterinary assistant: 1 year (Required) Work Location: In person