Shelter Veterinarian

Description

SIGNING BONUS OFFERED!

Reports to:   Executive Director 

Position type: Part-time or full-time (preferred) 

About Delaware SPCA:  Founded in 1873 by caring Delaware citizens, Delaware SPCA has served the people and animals of Delaware for 148 years and is one of the oldest animal welfare organizations in the country. Delaware SPCA has operated a shelter on Stanton Christiana Road since the early 1970s, where, every year, we provide thousands of companion animals with veterinary care, food, spay/neuter surgery, and a warm, safe environment until placing them into loving homes. We also operate a high volume, low cost spay/neuter clinic that sterilizes 3,000+ dogs and cats annually, provide affordable wellness services for pets, offer regular low-cost vaccination clinics, and have an on-site community pet food pantry. 

This is an exciting time to join the Delaware SPCA team as we prepare to merge with Delaware Humane Association who operates centers in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach! Read more on our website (www.delspca.org). 

Job summary:   Delaware SPCA is seeking a licensed veterinarian to join our growing team and help us save more animals! Our adoption center consistently achieves over a 95% save rate for cats and dogs, and expects to welcome over 1500 shelter animals into our programs in 2021. This position will oversee all aspects of veterinary care for our shelter animals, including spay/neuter, and collaborate with our dedicated leadership team and frontline staff. 

Essential job functions:  All of the following are to be performed while adhering to the Delaware SPCA employee handbook and operational policies, safety rules and procedures: 

• Oversee shelter animal veterinary care by performing intake exams, vet check requests and specialty care referrals 

• Provide timely care for animals arriving on out-of-state transports 

• Create, evaluate and uphold Delaware SPCA veterinary protocols, and ensure staff are trained on and fully understand all diagnoses and prescribed treatments 

• Oversee wellness clinic on assigned days by performing exams on healthy and sick publicly-owned animals 

• Communicate diagnoses, treatments and recommendations to clinic staff and the public, and answer client questions in person or over the phone when needed 

• Perform humane euthanasia on publicly owned and shelter owned animals when necessary, as well as provide guidance on end-of-life decision making 

• Collaborate with leadership team to ensure Delaware SPCA hits monthly and annual goals 

• Communicate ideas and use a problem-solving approach to provide high quality veterinary care, while understanding resource limitations 

• Be part of an energetic, upbeat team dedicated to the advancement of our lifesaving programs (which includes adoption, foster, wellness, spay/neuter and community services) 

• Be willing to work at various locations including Newark (Delaware SPCA) and Wilmington (DHA) - located just 15 minutes apart - with occasional travel to Rehoboth Beach or other future locations (travel beyond New Castle County will be reimbursed) 

• Other duties as assigned 

Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Must be a Licensed Veterinarian in the state of Delaware, or ability to acquire licensing prior to onboarding 

• Ability to examine, diagnose, and prescribe treatment for a variety of injuries and illnesses in dogs, cats and (occasionally) small animals 

• Oversee the SPCA medical team that includes one licensed veterinary technician and three full-time veterinary assistants  

• Provide support to all shelter staff to ensure accurate medical understanding and treatment of animals 

• Provide training and mentorship to current and new employees 

• Strong interest in shelter medicine a plus 

• Interest in keeping up-to-date on latest veterinary and shelter medicine trends a plus 

• Collaborate with chief veterinarian on surgery needs for shelter animals, complex medical cases, and evaluating shelter protocols 

• Be willing to perform spay/neuter and other surgeries when needed 

• Interact with veterinary professionals, the public, shelter partners, and SPCA staff members with respect and patience 

• Have the ability to work both as part of a team and independently with minimal direction 

• Must maintain a valid driver’s license and good driving records 

Hours/Pay: 

• This can be a part-time position (2-3 days/week), or a full-time position (preferred) 

• Flexible schedule – must be willing to work at least one weekend day/month 

• Pay will be offered as a per diem rate for part-time work, or an exempt salary rate starting at 100K annually for full-time work – salary negotiable dependent on experience 

• Full-time employment includes health benefits, retirement plan, 4 weeks paid time off, 6 paid holidays, as well as CE reimbursement, malpractice insurance, VIN membership, state and DEA licensing reimbursement 

• Sign-on bonus for full-time employment will be offered 

• For qualifying vets, fully funded high volume spay/neuter training via the ASPCA Spay/Neuter Alliance will be provided 

Why Delaware?  Delaware is the first "no-kill" state in the country! Our work is supported by the Office of Animal Welfare, founded in 2013, which provides all animal control services and disaster relief coordination for the state. Our state boasts progressive animal welfare initiatives, such as numerous spay/neuter grants for pit bulls, owned cats and feral cats. (Feral cats are classified as protected wildlife.) New Castle County, where our two primary shelters are located, is less than an hour from Philadelphia and less than two hours from Baltimore. We are also within a short drive of NJ, DE and MD beaches. 

How to Apply

Email Liz Pashley, Director of Operations, at: epashley@delspca.org